In Reply to: My LDS Experience posted by Empty V on July 07, 2006 at 14:32:08:

I've been lucky to have good luck here in L.A. with LDS - I have to say I much prefer them over chains like Sport Chalet- (whose compressor was down at least 1/3 of the trips I made to them and whose people may or may not know how to run a compressor)> I did have my initial training at a small LDS in San Diego - that went out of business and I felt they were more about selling gear than doing training. As a matter of fact they went out of business just as I finished the course and another instructor had to sign the papers for PADI - after doing a couple dives with her class - I was too new to realize I was not in the best of hands - but I could feel something wasn't right in my gut- so my advice is even if you don't know - trust your gut- It's good you returned the tank- by the way - I dove a Zeagle for a few years and also liked it- I did scratch up the cover on the bladder - etc. I can tell you as a newbie - if someone could puncture it- I would have - it was fine and my step daughter is now using it- I have a dive rite - try to shop around and don't be in a hurry to buy gear, rent, rent , rent as I didn't and almost all the gear I bought as a newbie (a lot of it at that store)I ended up changing out- just my reg remains -