For Pool Use Only

Our store carried two primary brands. Brand “A” was a high-end line sold exclusively in full-service dive stores. Brand “B” was a widely recognized name that was also sold through discount houses and mail-order catalogs.

As should come as no surprise, we preferred to sell Brand A. The margins were excellent and, at the time, retail prices were protected by federal “Fair Trade” laws. This meant that, by law, no one could undersell us on price.

In contrast, the only way we could sell Brand B was to match the discount house prices. Doing so did not leave a lot of profit margin. So why did we even bother to carry Brand B? Because people asked for it.

Bear in mind, however, that just because we carried Brand B didn’t mean it was the store’s policy to sell it. In fact, the store had several policies in place to help ensure that no customer in his right mind would ever want to buy Brand B products. For example:

• On one wall of the store we displayed all the regulators we carried (both of them).
• The top-of-the-line Brand A model sat on a raised shelf, next to a sign extolling all of its features and benefits.
• The more popular Brand B model dangled from a hook at the end of the display. It had no adornments whatsoever — other than an engraved tag which said, in bold letters, “For Pool Use Only.”

When customers asked why, our staff would mumble something to the effect that “the balanced diaphragm first stage does not meet our safety standards.” The Brand A reg, which used a balanced piston design, apparently did.

The irony is, 30 years later, almost every major dive equipment manufacturer uses balanced diaphragm first stages — including the makers of Brand A.

And the Brand B reg our store labeled as being safe only at swimming pool depth? It has served the US Navy since the early 1970s and remains in production today. It’s direct descendant is what I use personally — and what I put my kids in.

“Pool use only” my ass.

“Teaching them right from the start” «

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