The 10 Best Scuba Stores
Where's the Best Place to Get Scuba Gear?
Whether you're looking for a new vacation idea or you're a diving enthusiast, scuba can be an unforgettable experience. Scuba diving can be peaceful and meditative as you float effortlessly in the water, surrounded by the calm and quiet of the underwater world. It is also a great way to stay active and healthy, as it provides a full-body workout while you swim and move through the water.
It's no wonder that scuba diving is a popular recreational activity. The Diving Equipment and Marketing Association (DEMA) reported that there were around 6.54 million active scuba divers in the US alone. It's not hard to see why, with beautiful domestic diving destinations like Florida, California, and Hawaii. The Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) also reported that over 27 million PADI certifications have been issued worldwide since 1966. That's a lot of certified divers!
Wednesday, December 11th
2024 Scuba Store Reviews
Dive Right In Scuba
Dive Right In Scuba (DRIS) is a fantastic online scuba gear store that has everything you need to go diving. They've got a huge inventory and some brick-and-mortar stores where you can check out the gear in person. The website is easy to use, plus they offer online courses for divers at any level. DRIS might indeed be more expensive than some other stores, but their gear is high-quality and their customer service is awesome. All in all, DRIS is our top choice for new scuba gear.
Scuba
Scuba is an online store that specializes in scuba diving gear and information. They have been in business for over two decades and are well-regarded. Their website offers comprehensive blog resources for scuba diving enthusiasts and they have physical locations in Southern California and New York City that offer PADI certification classes, guided tours, a dive club, and air refills. Scuba has flexible return policies and provides a variety of ways to find better deals on its website. While they have an "A+" rating and full accreditation with the BBB, their customer ratings are average. Despite this, they are still a very competitive option. With all the positives in their favor, Scuba has earned high marks in our review.
Scubapro
For scuba enthusiasts in search of high-quality diving gear, Scubapro's online store is an excellent option. Known for outfitting respected divers, militaries, and public safety teams, Scubapro meticulously crafts and tests all of its equipment. With over 100 products available in their dive-wear department, customers can choose from a wide range of gear, including boots, full-length wetsuits, and more. The site is user-friendly, with helpful filters and navigational links. Customers praise Scubapro's reliability, particularly professional divers and instructors. We highly recommend Scubapro as one of our top options for professional diving gear.
Divers Direct
Divers Direct is an excellent choice for divers who want a wide range of quality gear at competitive prices, as well as professional guidance and instruction. Additionally, their rewards program, price match guarantee, and easy returns policy make shopping worry-free. Although the website's filter options can be a bit awkward, and the in-person experience at their physical stores may not be as fast as online shopping, Divers Direct has received many positive customer reviews and an "A+” rating with the Better Business Bureau, indicating a high level of customer satisfaction. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned diver, Divers Direct is a reliable and trustworthy one-stop shop for diving gear.
Divers Supply
While Divers Supply has emerged as one of the largest dive shops globally, it still promises a family-owned style business model. Customers can benefit from dive certification and classes, a user-friendly online store with a low shipping threshold, and competitive pricing. Despite having a limited presence on third-party review sites, the feedback on the company's website has been largely positive. However, some customers have expressed concerns regarding customer service and returns, which is important for potential buyers to consider. While Divers Supply may not rank as highly as other options in this review, the website's simplicity and affordable prices make it a worthwhile consideration for anyone looking to purchase scuba gear.
House of Scuba
For scuba enthusiasts in need of new gear, House of Scuba provides a compelling option with its extensive selection of products and competitive pricing, particularly for wetsuits. Shoppers can take advantage of numerous perks including free shipping, a price protection policy, and regular sales and promotions. Their return policy is also generous, allowing customers to test out items before making a final decision. Although their reputation has declined somewhat in recent years, House of Scuba still earns rave reviews for its customer service and equipment accuracy. All in all, House of Scuba is a great choice for those seeking high-quality scuba gear, but since its reputation has fallen recently, it lands a just-above-average ranking here.
Wetsuit Wearhouse
If you're looking to buy a new wetsuit, Wetsuit Warehouse has got you covered. They have a huge selection of wetsuits from different brands, styles, and price points, so you're sure to find the perfect one. Although they have some customer-friendly perks, like a lowest-price guarantee, free shipping, and quick order processing, their return policy is just average. And without any other scuba gear on offer, this store doesn't stack up against other options in this review that offer more variety. So, if you're looking for other scuba gear besides wetsuits, you might want to try another store. For this reason, Wetsuit Wearhouse is rated only 3 stars, though it is worth checking out if a wetsuit is all you need.
Dive Inn
Dive Inn is an online store that specializes in a wide range of scuba gear products for divers. Based in Spain, Dive Inn has over 700,000 products from 1700 different brands, making it a convenient one-stop shop for scuba gear needs. However, the website may be challenging to navigate, and most of the brands offered are European, which may not be compatible with other scuba gear owned by customers. Shipping fees are based on the weight of the products purchased, and the cost is calculated during checkout. Due to mixed reviews, and a low overall rating, this option does not rank as high as some of the top retailers in this review, but it may be worth a look for the competitive price range.
Swim Outlet
Swim Outlet is a well-known company that provides affordable gear and swimwear for beach and water-sport enthusiasts. Although it doesn't specialize in high-end scuba equipment, the online shop offers a unique selection of wetsuits for men, women, and children, which are competitively priced. Customers may find occasional pop-up discounts and promotions while browsing the site, and there is a standard return policy for scuba gear, along with 24/7 phone support, which shows the company's dedication to customer service. The Better Business Bureau has given Swim Outlet accreditation, with an upgraded rating to an "A," indicating its commitment to improving service. Although some negative reviews mention shipping or sizing issues, none of these reviews pertain to scuba gear. However, since Swim Outlet doesn't specialize in scuba gear, it earned a much lower rating than other options in this review, though it is worth shopping at Swim Outlet for deals on swimwear in general.
Simply Scuba
Simply Scuba appears to be a decent option for scuba gear, but it lacks any outstanding features. With a limited inventory, high threshold for free shipping, and restrictive return policy, Simply Scuba falls short when compared to other more appealing options. However, their positive rating with the Better Business Bureau keeps them from getting just 1 star. On the other hand, with so few product options available for purchase, there isn't much to recommend Simply Scuba. It may be worth exploring Simply Scuba to have a look, but with several other retailers with a broader selection of products and better reputation overall, it doesn't seem worth customers' time to shop here.
Continued from above...
However, before diving, it is essential to have the right gear to ensure safety and comfort. Scuba gear typically includes a wetsuit, mask, fins, buoyancy control device (BCD), regulator, and tank. Each piece of equipment is vital to a successful dive, and it's important to know what to look for when purchasing scuba gear. Safety is everything, especially if you're diving in the open ocean, so you want to know you're getting the right equipment for your diving experience.
When buying scuba gear, it's important to first consider the type of diving you'll be doing. Scuba gear comes in different styles, each designed for different types of diving and individual preferences. The most common style is the traditional scuba gear, which comprises a wetsuit, mask, fins, buoyancy control device (BCD), regulator, and tank. Full-face scuba masks offer a wider field of vision than traditional masks and come equipped with communication systems to enable divers to communicate underwater.
Sidemount scuba gear, on the other hand, involves attaching tanks to the sides of the body for greater flexibility and maneuverability underwater. Or if you're going diving somewhere cold, drysuits provide insulation to keep divers dry and warm in cold water by keeping water out, usually made of neoprene or other waterproof materials.
With the rise in popularity for scuba diving as a recreational and vacation activity, there are a lot of different options for scuba gear. How do you know which one to choose for your scuba experience? Here are a few important factors to consider to help you get started:
- Cost. What are the prices like? Are you being overcharged for a package you can easily get somewhere else? Does the price match the quality of the gear you're buying?
- User-friendly shopping. Is the website difficult to navigate? Can you easily find the scuba gear you're looking for? Can you accurately limit the products and find the gear you need?
- Type of dive. What kind of scuba gear are you looking for? Do you need something specific for a particular dive style? Or are you looking for something basic like a rash guard? Do you need computers in metric or imperial data?
- Gear options. At some stores they specialize in particular types of gear, so you may find just wetsuits, for example. If you're looking for a one-stop shop, it's important to make sure the store has everything you need to start (or continue) diving.
- Certification and lessons. Are you looking for more than just gear? What about stores that can help you get dive certified? Some options in our list provide certification classes, so if that's on your must-have list, you're in luck.
Top Consumer Reviews is here to make the process of finding the best scuba gear a splash by reviewing and ranking the best scuba gear retailers out there today. We hope this information helps you feel ready to jump in the water and start making friends with the fishies!
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