"I’m hoping this doesn’t mean SSI shops will be forced to sell soley Mares or shops that sells Mares have to certify through SSI. Don’t take this wrong I’m SSI cert’d but competition is a good thing. What’s everyone elses thoughts on this?"
That was my first thought too, an SSI shop I’ve used on travel is a ScubaPro only shop. That business model always bothered me, no one brand be it cars or scuba gear makes the best of everything.
If the LDS is Mares or ScubaPro only then they are not going to get all of my bu$ine$$ because I do shop around for bits and pieces of gear.
Some times a good respected brand will build a turkey, Oceanic learned from Farrallon, hopefully Mares learned from the leaky 6 window mask!