Posted by CalDiver on October 24, 2000 at 11:49:21:
In Reply to: Sport Chalet- salesforce information posted by MHK on October 23, 2000 at 15:35:31:
A novice diver I know rented a weight belt weekend before last from SC : nylon webbing with coated lead. The SC store failed to put weight keepers on the belt, and several weights dropped off when the diver's belt release snagged on kelp. Fortunately, he grabbed some kelp and didn't pop to the surface. I went in with him to make sure he didn't have to pay a deposit for the lost weights, and the clerks would not agree.
We got the department manager on the line. I expressed concern as to the safety of a keeperless weight belt. The manager cited the waiver the diver (actually, the underage diver's mother) had signed, and said, "Once he signs that waiver, it doesn't matter WHAT condition the equipment is in."
After arguing, the manager reduced the price of the deposit as a "special favor". Store employees then kept us there for 20 minutes while (1) one employee called him back, independently, to verify that I wasn't lying to them (although another employee had spoken directly to the manager already and confirmed the reduced price), and (2) the two employees together searched for the proper SKU to ring the deposit under. I'm not kidding.
I can think of a couple things we should have done. Someone should have trained the new diver to check out the belt, or if someone did, he should have done so properly. I should have double checked the belt. But none of this is an excuse for the SC manager's attitude, or the deficient quality of the gear. It truly scared me, and I won't go there again.