This is my OPINION from an attendee of DEMA since 1983....NOT FACTS...... So don't get gravel in your panties if you don't like it.
This is the 1st show I can remember that I have attended that I have not placed at lease ONE order for something new that I thought the dive shop I was working for or for VDH customers. I found OC innovation did not exist.
There were a ton of rebreather mfg's and items that looked really cool.....even BLUE hoses on one....That I am not edumacated enough to comment on and in my ignorance there may have been a lot there that I just don't get.
I had an immense amount of compressor envy.... Not by the cheap junk but the tried and true manufactures of compressors had some fantastic merchandise. There were also a few places with small displays that offered personal gas analyzation to individuals which I think is great and everyone that owns a personal compressor should have easy access to.
Dive Computers, I'm old, I KNOW THAT.....How did we survive not knowing who what posting what on our instagram while we were diving??? Why the fuck do people need to see your surface interval at the crappy saltwater filled tank everyone washes their pee filled wetsuit in? Can't that photo wait a few hours till you get caught up on your other 12 social media outlets? I dived 3 decades without one and my Cochran seems good enough for my ancient behind to dive with for the last two.
BRIGHT NOTE.....Saw more young people there than I'd had the past couple. Crazy hair, weird piercings, tattoos everywhere etc etc.....again don't care as long as they learn to to love diving and embrace it like we do no matter how different!
Talked to Pete from SB for a bit, he was doing an interview with Shearwater but he pointed out a Garmin device that keeps you located before and after a dive with the boat Captain and that's not a bad thing in my opinion since I'm not a fan of surface swims when I'm on vacation paying for boat pickup!
TRAVEL, TRAVEL, TRAVEL.......Lot's available there.
Environmental causes.....I'm not touching that one with a 10' pole.
What I did hear from friends who had displays was that they would have been happier if they could actually SELL STUFF at the displays. Some of the smaller vendors did....i.e. did you know a bong could be made from almost translucent silicone??
To wrap it all up....Too expensive, Too restrictive, Cost prohibitive for the little guys. Lot's of other shows around the country gaining momentum and that's seems to be where many of them are focused. We were guest on the tailcoats of Amigos Dive Center and our good friend Wayne Kindard. If it were not for him getting us passes there is NO WAY IN HELL VDH would have paid the asinine membership fees, badge fees, internet access fees while in the center fees etc etc just to get in.