DiveInn!!! (Viper loading problems)

[Victor]

bad service from DiveInn!!!

Hi:
I found DiveInn from this forum, since the local dive shop (California, US)don't carry the Euro gun. I ordered one from DiveInn 3 weeks ago. It is Sporasub VIPER ELITE 75CM. The gun arrives in several days and looks great.
I found out immediately that I cannot load the gun. The slings are just too short. I am a medium built man and I had no problem with my several other Amercian sytle woody guns(even with 5/8" power bands). So next weekend I brought the new gun and let my other diving friends to try it. They are strong guys, but no one can load that gun.
Then I send an email to DiveInn, nothing happens in a whole week, then I send an email again to them, this time got a reply and said will forward to another lady to handle and she asked for the size of the slings. So I replied to her(that was a week ago), then no more reply again. I sent her email again two days ago, but no reply.
They carry great stuff for freediving. But the service like this? They can get my order in 5 seconds, why it always took more than a week to just reply an email? Why not just tell me, this is the way you sell guns! You need buy new sling to have a new gun to work ...

Victor

Date: Fri, 3 May 2002 12:33:02 -0700 (PDT)

From: "Victor Dong" <victor_dong@yahoo.com> | Block Address | Add to Address Book

Subject: Re: Order confirmation

To: "Victor Dong" <victor_dong@yahoo.com>, "Michelle Nowell" <sales@scubastore.com>, contact@scubastore.com, complaints@scubastore.Com, ines@scubastore.com

CC: Michelle@scubastore.com



Hi:
I really appreciate if you just reply an email!

Victor


--- Victor Dong <victor_dong@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Hi Michelle:
> I sent two email last week to you about the size and
> no reply at all, did you ever received them?
> Anyway, the sling on the gun is 19cm(not including
> screws). The shaft is 115 cm. When I tried my best,
> I
> will get about 10 cm away to the first notch. So I
> will say I need a sling at least 28 cm long. There
> is
> H.Dessult on the sling.
> Please let me know if you can change it(just slings)
> for me? I need this gun working for a competition
> coming soon ...
>
> Thanks!
>
> Victor Dong
> victor_dong@yahoo.com
>
> --- Michelle Nowell <sales@scubastore.com> wrote:
> > Hello Victor
> >
> > Thank you for your e-mail. We apologise for the
> > delay in replying to you.
> > Could you please tell us the size of the slings
> > which you have so that we
> > can help solve this problem?
> >
> > We look forward to hearing from you.
> >
> > Regards
> >
> > Michelle Nowell
> > Scubastore Sales
> > Michelle@scubastore.com
> > www.scubastore.com
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Victor Dong" <victor_dong@yahoo.com>
> > To: "DiveINN" <sales@scubastore.Com>
> > Sent: Wednesday, April 24, 2002 8:23 PM
> > Subject: Re: Order confirmation
> >
> >
> > > Hi:
> > > I had a problem with my SPORASUB VIPER ELITE
> 75CM
> > > speargun. It was impossible to load. The
> > > sling(Sandows) are very short and very hard. I
> am
> > > medium built person, it was impossible for me to
> > pull.
> > > This weekend, I bring my gun and let several of
> my
> > > friends try it. They are very strong Americans,
> no
> > one
> > > can load that gun. Just wondering, do they put
> the
> > > wrong size on my gun? Can you change sling for
> me?
> > >
> > > Thanks!
> > >
> > > Victor
> > >

 

[Jon]

This is the first that I've heard of bad service.

All of my dealings with DIVEINN have been fantastic. They even replaced, for free, a carbon fiber fin that had no warrenty on it!

I can't say enough good things about them.

Jon

 

[Cliff Etzel]

The exception rather than the rule

Victor - There will always be someone who falls through the cracks - unfortunately, it had to be you this time.

DiveINN has always repsonded in a reasonable time frame regarding customer service issues, so I am surprised that this has happened.

Also, since the dive season is kicking into full gear for much of the Northern Hemisphere, they may have a backlog of customer service requests.

Hope all get's worked out as soon as they can possibly get to you.

 

[Victor]

I just don't get any reply from them

Hi:
I heard a lot of good things about them in the forum. But I just don't get any reply from them, I am just bad luck or what? See my first email's attached emails I exchanged with them. Take a look at the date. You know the feeling of just getting a new toy but don't work ...

Victor

 

[andrsn]

diveinn

victor,

they've been having a problem with their server from time to time, so they're not always getting right back to emails. they've always been wonderful to me and i know that when i don't get a response right away, i know it's not me, but either their server or work load.

be a little more patient, be happy you got the gun for about 40% of what you'd pay here in the states, and have some respect for those european hunters cause all those guns are a bitch to load.

later,
anderson

 

[Victor]

technique to load the Euro gun

Hi:
I finally got a reply from DiveInn. The manufacture suggest correct technique is needed to load the gun. Anybody know what is that technique?
I had a Picasso wetsuit, and there is a rubber gun loading pad on the chest.
The gun I bought is Sporasub 75 elite viper, it even has a loading helper. But I still about 10 cm away to load the gun.
http://sporasub.soprane.fr/fichetech.asp?produit=56&categorie=11

Thanks!

Victor



diveInn's reply email is attached:

Hello Victor

Thank you for your e-mail. We apologise for the delay in replying to
you.
We have been waiting for an answer from Sporasub about the gun and then
we
were also hit with technical problems since Friday.

Sporasub tell us that the gun has the correct rubber slings attached
and
that this can be loaded with the correct technique, it is not a problem
of
strength nor length of the slings. They tell us that once you have the
correct technique, that you will have no problems. Alternatively, they
say
that you can use a 22cm rubber sling, this will be easier to load but
will
have less strength. If you wish to take the longer rubber slings,
please
let us know.

 

[andrsn]

try this

 

[Victor]

email to DiveInn

Hi Michelle:
Thanks for your reply!
I had couple of more questions:
1. What is that technique?
I had a Picasso wetsuit, and there is a rubber gun loading pad on the chest. The gun even has a loading handling helper, but I am still far away from the first notch.
2. How much will it cost to change to a 22cm slings?

Thanks!

Victor

 

[Victor]

loading technique

Hi anderson:
Thanks for your URL.
I was using that chest loading. Also my gun is only 75cm, so I don't need do the step1-3. The defaulto sling was just too short and too strong. I think I better change to longer ones.

Thanks!

Victor

 

[Jay Styron]

75 Viper

Hi Victor,
I just got through reading about your problems. I'm not sure why it's such a problem. I also have the 75 Viper. I'm on my second set of bands and they're both 75cm long, in fact I got the box from the last set right here in front of me just to ck. I use euro guns all the time and there is some technique involved, especially w/ new bands. I start by loading to the first notch w/ the butt of the gun on or just above my hip. W/ that done I move the butt up to my chest w/ my fingers still on the bands. Then I load to the second notch w/ slight downward pressure to make sure the wishbone FULLY engages the notch. Make sure it does..I've had the wishbone slip out while I was getting my fingers out from between the bands and the barrel and it felt like someone ripped the skin off the inside of my hands.
19cm is the recommended size for a 75cm gun, actually between 17-19cm. I strongly suggest not going for the 28cm, thats for a 115cm gun, you'll get NO power from that. Well thats my humble opinion.
Jay

 

[Victor]

Hi Jay:
I am about 5 cm away from the first notch when I tried my best. If anybody can load that gun to the second notch, I will give that gun to him!!! let me know if anyone want to give it a try(I am in N.California)!
I checked the Sporasub's web site, it seems 75cm gun should come with a 19cm sandows(slings). The sandow comes with my gun, elite viper, are H.Dessult, must be extra harder ones. The one comes with regular viper is "powersling".
I
am not happy because:
1. I really believe the slings are too short and too hard.
2. Every email reply from DiveInn is about a week later, after I send at least 3 emails to them.
3. my total order is 196$ according to order confirmation
Purchase charge: 154 us$
Transport charge: 41.6 us$
TOTAL TO BE PAID: 196 us$
and my credit card was charged for 202.16$. I am ok with small currency change different, but they should specify Euro in the order confirmation.

I can live with 1 and 3, but not 2. They can get my order in 5 seconds, but always have a server problem excuse for email delay.

Actually, I really like the gears they carry, and even think of buying another Picasso suit for just backup if Picasso America win the case. One lesson for internet shopping, buy gear you knew, you tried before. Just one small thing can screw up everything.

Thanks for reading!

Happy diving!

Victor

 

[Stephan Whelan]

Victor,

Hi! I'm sorry to hear you've been having problems.

I've communicated with DiveInn regarding your problem and hopefully we can get this resolved very quickly for you! Whilst you haven't order through the Deeper Blue Shop I am going to keep a track to make sure your issues get resolved quickly.

As has been said by numerous other posts, this is unusual - most queries and orders get turned around very quickly, however with the distributed nature of the Internet, it is not always possible that every email sent is received.

If anyone has any problems with customer service with the Deeper Blue Shop then please email me directly.

 

[SASpearo]

Originally posted by Victor
Hi Jay:
I am about 5 cm away from the first notch when I tried my best. If anybody can load that gun to the second notch, I will give that gun to him!!! let me know if anyone want to give it a try(I am in N.California)!

Heeee haaaa ..... free gun !! I used to have the same issues with my 120cm Rob Allen gun when I first got it ... it's not that difficult if you do it right. I can now load my 160cm with the same 'ease' as I load my 110 ....

You need to take a couple of things into consideration: You need to have your hands at the same distance from the wishbone in order to have the best pull effect - in other words, if one hand is 5cm away from the wishbone, the other one should be exactly the same (on the other side, duh)

Also, try and leave around 2cm or more of rubber between your fingers and the wishbone.

Then, the most important bit, is the angle of your hands / wrists towards the rubber / gun .... this is best explained by the last picture in the RA gun loading tutorial. You should try and 'bend' the rubbers at around 10 degrees when you start oulling, this will give you max traction and pulling power. Also try and 'slide' the cable over the spear a little ...

Then, once you get close to the notch, you lessen the angle of your hands / rubber, which should in effect make the rubber just a little longer. And voila ... that should be it. The last 10cm is not the hard part, it's the 10cm before that .... that should give you an idea of how much easier 'bending' makes it.

And keep at it - As much as I'd like (yet another) gun, I'm not gonna fly to NoCal to get it ....


Regards,
Riaan

 

[Griff]

Loading Tip

Hi Victor, why dont you try this before you get shorter rubbers:

When you have the rubbers as far as you can go without popping a vein, using the technique that SASpearo describes, then hook a leg over the shaft and then use the leverage of your leg to pull the gun down. the rotation should pull the rubbers even closer, and hopefully you'll be close enough to hook it in.
this technique works realy well, i own a RA 110 and recently shortened my rubber. its a real mission to load now using the butt in chest technique, but if you hook a leg its much easier.

man am i going to be shredded because of that last sentence.



also, if you can make the first notch, getting the second is much easier. the one thing that i'm not sure of is if this will work to fit into your chest pad. it hurts like hell if you dont have a chest pad because the corner ot the gun handle (RA's dont have the roundest handels) really digs in. my el-cheapo lizzard suit doesnt have a pad, but i use a slop (i dont know what you call them, there those flat foam shoe things) which does the trick and so i can move it into the right position. if the chest pad in your suit is in the wrong spot, then try that.

oh yes, it goes without saying, dont get your leg in front of the tip, and only try it in the water.

good luck

To everyone els, hi, i'm new, be nice

cheers

Mark

 

[SASpearo]

Hee hee hee

I must say,

'respect' for shortening rubbers on RA .... those are pretty tough cookies to crack.

As for the shredding part - not before your tenth post. Welcome !

 

[crazyfrenchmen]

Originally posted by SASpearo


The last 10cm is not the hard part, it's the 10cm before that .... that should give you an idea of how much easier 'bending' makes it.

Exactly, getting the first 10cm is the hardest part, and bending help a lot....


I also had no response from Diveinn on my mail on April 31. I got the reply yesterday (6 May). I too was a little unhappy for not getting an answer immediately, BUT, the answer i got was exactly what i need. Everything comes in time to those who wait. And waiting is something one as to learn when you deal with Spain, they are not stressed people like some american. BTW, i'm american (canadian (french canadian( yes those evil separatist who sell they're children for whisky))) so dont flame me.

 

[andrsn]

victor,

where in no cal are you? i'm heading out there next month for a wedding.

i'm really curious about your band problem now.

andrsn

 

[Victor]

Hi Anderson:
I live in Fremont, California, work in San Jose, and dive in Monterey, Sonoma and Mendocino. It is abalone, halibut, salmon season now, everything is hot!
As for SASpearo's balanced holding slings tip, I don't need worry about that, the Viper Elite is equiped with a loading handler, it looks like a pretty good idea. see
http://sporasub.soprane.fr/images/produits/fusil/spora1_RCK.jpg

Thanks! Safe diving!

Victor

 

[thin_air]

Originally posted by crazyfrenchmen



........BTW, i'm american (canadian (french canadian( yes those evil separatist who sell they're children for whisky))) so dont flame me.

humm, another french canadian, and HEY wait a minute my parents havent sold ME for whisky yet (thats because i sold them before they could sell me rofl)

anyway, good to hear there is another french canadian on the forum

ps. i dont think quebec should seperate

pps. crazyfrenchmen, thats a name i hear alot, thats what people here call me :duh

 

[SASpearo]

RE: loading handler

Jeez, where's the fun in that?

But seriously now, is that think removable? Otherwise I can just hear the 'innacurate shot fairy's wings flapping ... he he he