HIGH SIERRA DIVERS 217 Palm Avenue Auburn, CA 95603 (530) 823-6757 E-Mail info@hsdivers.com Hours: Monday-Friday 10 AM - 6 PM Saturday 10 AM - 4 PM

MANUFACTURER LINKS PAGE

Just below, you will find the logos of many of the brands we carry. Click on the logos to find more information on masks, fins, snorkels, wetsuits, regulators, BCs, and many accessories. Many of these links will hyper-link you to the manufacturers pages. Be sure to add us to your favorites (cntrl-D) so you can easily find your way back.

Scubapro Dive Products	Princeton Tektronics - Lights & Accessories
Sherwood Products	Genesis Products

Trident Scuba Accessories	Atlan Wet Suits
Catalina Scuba Tanks	Ikelite Lights
JBL Spearguns	Aeroskin Divesuits

Internet Sales Policy

Our thoughts on shopping for scuba gear on the Internet.

A lot of dive retailers have a rather negative, knee-jerk reaction to people shopping on the web. You'll hear stuff like:

Our reaction is kind of different

So, oddly, High Sierra Divers understands the Internet scuba businesses

Buying on the internet is very tempting, but there are a lot of pitfalls. First, why would you want to buy form someone you don't know, will never know and won't be able to hold accountable if you have problems or are not satisfied?

Here are the simple facts. The Internet direct sellers are selling dive gear at its basic worth, unassembled, in the box without warranty, regardless of what they say. Most manufacturers, realizing that scuba is an inherently dangerous sport if not done by well-trained people with properly assembled and properly fit gear will not condone Internet or mail sales. You can ask the manufacturers directly and they will tell you the same thing.

Another thing people selling on the Internet will do is to buy obsolete and discontinued merchandise and then sell it on the Internet. I have had customers ask for a price quote and I find the equipment is 2 or 3 years old. Why do they bother? Well it is a foot in the door and they hope you will but something else from them. These items are usually one or two of a kind. It is not exactly "bait & switch", but it is not very honest to sell obsolete equipment and not tell you. They are just trying to convince you they sell at a discount, and if you are inclined to believe in a free lunch, then this seems to prove it. You need to be certain you are comparing apples to apples.

Size Differences: All classes tell you "Comfort and Fit" are the most important things to look for in equipment. Well you just can't depend upon what you get on the internet. First off sizes vary - even in the same brand. We have seen customers go from large to extra large in fittings and visa versa. also if you have a manufacturing run with size issues (marked wrong, cut wrong etc). What better place to get rid of it than online.

FRAUD: If you haven't heard about fraud over the internet, you haven't been listening. Identity theft is a growing problem and there is only one safe thing to do. Don't give out personal information and credit card information to strangers over the internet. Even if the person you are giving it to is honest. What about the folks who are able to watch streaming information and glean your credit card information.
How can cyou be sure you are going to get what you paid for? Just because the box says it is a model such and shh, are you enough of an expert o make sure it is not a counterfeit or incorrect item?

PISHING:Many sites make offers that are too good to be true just to get your credit card information. Then sometime in the future pruchases begin appearing on your card. Sometimes clever small amounts so you don't notice them easily.

SALES TAX:

SHIPPING:

High Sierra Divers and other good stores sell dive gear with the following values added:

So here's our suggested intelligent Internet shopping strategy: You know you want to touch it and try it on, which you can't do on the Internet, so give us a friendly visit.

Come look at all our stuff; ask questions, try things on for sizing, and get catalogs and anything else to help you choose your perfect system. Then, if you still want, hit the net and find out what the stuff is selling for without the value we add and without warranty.

All we ask in return is that before you transmit a credit card number to someone who doesn't know you in a warehouse in some other state, you give us one last chance to make you one of our many happy, loyal customers:

Just show us what system you have chosen and what pricing you have found in cyberland. In exchange, we'll make certain you are getting what you think you're getting: right size, current model, right features, etc. And we'll tell you what the cost difference would be if you buy the exact same system from us, with all the above values added. One simple number. No pressure. Then you decide.

You will find our prices for a package of dive equipment will usually beat any Internet prices you will find, including ours! Remember, you will have to pay shipping on all Internet sales (each way if something is not right)!

I guarantee we will treat you with all the cordial respect due an intelligent and thorough shopper, and will sincerely attempt to negotiate something that makes all of us happy.

If you still want to buy on the Internet, we do offer some of our equipment for sale over the net. Click on the Sales Button Below for more information. There are many items shown for information purposes, not all are available for sale over the Internet.

Good luck on your hunt. You're going to love having your own stuff.

Why buy Dive Equipment?

Scuba diving, like many recreational activities, is equipment intensive. Recreational diving has grown from an obscure sport practiced by a small band of youthful and athletic adventurers into an activity enjoyed by millions around the world in all kinds of water. Increasingly sophisticated and reliable equipment, and the training to use it properly, is largely responsible for that growth. Whether an item of dive gear is considered essential or desirable, each was conceived and developed to satisfy a definite need and perform a specific function. From regulator to gauges, and buoyancy compensator to wet suit, recreational scuba equipment is purposeful, interesting to use, and a big contributor to the overall fascination and attraction of diving. Acquiring your own dive equipment is a major factor in the enjoyment of the sport. Sure, you can rent gear at many dive destinations, but do you really want to rely on the availability of much-used rental equipment for your personal safety and enjoyment of diving? Owning your own dive gear has many advantages. As a beginning Open Water certification student, you can speed you learning curve and progress quickly into the open-water environment by purchasing and using a basic dive equipment package - regulator and BC in addition to the mask. Snorkel and fins you already purchased for your basic class. If, you have already taken an Open Water Certification Class you already know learning how to Scuba dive involves a lot more than learning how to breathe through a regulator underwater. You learn the art of buoyancy control, the subtleties of swimming and streamlining, and a host of other skills. Acquiring these skills quickly and comfortably has a lot to do with the equipment you use. If the BC is too small, you will struggle with it, which interferes with your learning and enjoying the sport. Fit and comfort are the prime criteria in selecting most items of dive gear, and in achieving maximum safety and pleasure underwater. The best way to ensure that your gear fits correctly and comfortably is to wear your own.

Even if loaner or rental equipment fits well, it may not be right for you because of particular features - or lack of them. Features are what distinguish one item of dive gear for another. When you buy your own gear, you evaluate and choose the features you need and appreciate. The process is fun, adds greatly to your knowledge of diving, and ensures that the gear you dive with does what you want it to, the way you want it to. You will know how to operate it properly and care for it responsibly. You will know the condition of you gear, where it has been, and who has been using it. That familiarity contributes to the highest level of safety, which in turn gives you peace of mind. Other less obvious but still important benefits accrue from owning dive gear. Buying gear deepens you relationship with your dive shop. That shop is your conduit to diving. It offers training opportunities, arranges trips, keeps you in contact with other divers and services and supports your equipment. Having your own equipment also marks you as a serious, committed diver, and it encourages you to dive regularly, to stay involved in the sport. The bottom line on equipment ownership: It is the way to achieve maximum enjoyment of diving. We believe that part of the commitment you are making to learn to dive should include acquiring you own dive equipment. It is an excellent investment in yourself and in you future diving adventures.

The following Table will give you the approximate pay back time of owning versus renting dive equipment.

Lifetime Warranty - What's it Worth

Just what is your Lifetime Warranty worth? The following table will show you. Prepare to be surprised! You can actually buy top quality Scubapro equipment for less (over time) than the cheapest brands on the market.

Most brands no longer offer lifetime warranties but rather only offer a one or two year limited warranty.

How many times have all of us said "I would like the best, if only I could afford it." Well, now you can. Look at the savings you receive when you have a lifetime warranty.
The first stages, second stages & octopus are priced individualy instead of as a package, so actual savings are even higher.