Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Pacific Scuba Divers

    4.6 (208 reviews)
    Closed Closed

    Pacific Scuba Divers Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Pacific Scuba Divers

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    This is the suit they rented me, full price. The butt area was shredded so thin.
    Kewpie P.

    This is a while back but I rented a everything for my first dive in class and got this terribly shredded, old suit (photo attached). The butt area was so thin there was water coming in. Of course I complained about it but they said, this is all that's left because it's a busy weekend, so next time come sooner. Something like this shouldn't even be in circulation for rental to begin with, and they still charged me full price. I hate this place. Don't rent from here.

    False claims

    Terrible management and customer service. Making a mistake is one thing, not refunding a customer for that mistake another one, and yet another one is lying in the review about the situation. Story as described by PSD is true, but what's also True is we asked for a refund exclusively for the items missing in the order and not for a full refund which would be minimum courtesy. Also, Management is making assumptions about what we paid for the secondary rental and apparently values their customer's time at exactly $0. Decide for yourself, there are plenty of reliable places to rent from in the bay area. Read for yourself: Check out this review of Pacific Scuba Divers on Google Maps https://goo.gl/maps/RviBTA63Ja695KGFA

    Photo of me trying on wet suit in their changing room, which has a full-length mirror and chair.
    Skyler W.

    Overall, my experience getting open water certified here was good, and I would recommend them to others. However, there are some things that it might be helpful to know going in so that you're not surprised/frustrated. My review is long because I want to be thorough about what the experience was like, so that everyone knows what they're signing up for. I want to be clear upfront that I am happy with my experience here and think all of the instructors and employees were very nice and helpful. Communication: There were some instances of poor communication, and we would hear different things from the shop vs the instructor. When I signed up for the course I was told that we needed to be at the pool at 7:30 am. Then a week beforehand, I got an email saying to show up at 7:15 am, then another email a day later saying to show up at 7:00 am. There were also a few times I had to go to the shop to pick up/return my gear, for which I was not given very much advance notice. It's perfectly understandable of course, but it did create some scheduling challenges for me, as I didn't live near the shop and I had to shift around my work hours to make sure I could participate in the certification course. For those with less flexible work schedules, last-minute schedule changes may be difficult. Additionally, there were times when the shop's emails would say things like "cash/check only," but then when we showed up the person/shop in question was happy to take card or Venmo. Thus, especially in the beginning over email, the communication around the course definitely could have been better. But in the end everything worked out with only minor hiccups. Pacing: While I felt the course overall was good, my one complaint would be that some of it felt rushed. We had two pool days and two ocean days, and there was quite a lot of material that had to be gone through during the two pool days. The shop had rented the pool for a certain number of hours, and this time limit definitely impacted the course. There wasn't a lot of time to get used to things before we had to move on to demonstrating the skills required, and there also wasn't really any chance to practice skills before demonstrating them to the instructor. Some students weren't able to finish all of the skills by the time we were forced to leave the pool on the second day, and had to come back for an additional pool session in the evening a few days later. The instructor and shop tried their best to make this as convenient as possible (even moving the date of the session so that I could attend, which I was very grateful for). However, it was still a last-minute change (and expense), and I felt that if this was a common/expected practice, it could have at least been communicated ahead of time as a sort of "heads up, this might happen." I will say though that the additional pool session helped me a lot, and I was grateful for it in the end. So while I did feel rushed during the pool sessions, the instructor did clearly care that everyone be fully ready before the ocean days the following weekend. However, I think part of why that extra pool session was so useful is because it was much less rushed than the main two pool days. If we had had more time in the pool on the first two days, I think perhaps an additional pool session wouldn't have been necessary. Instructor: The best part of the course was the instructor, Thomas. He was very helpful and approachable, and he was both friendly and supportive, while also making sure we did everything correctly and understood the risks involved in scuba diving. He was always happy to answer questions and explain concepts, and on the days when we didn't have a time limit for the pool, he seemed willing to spend as long as it took to make sure we were comfortable with what we needed to do. Shop/Gear: The folks working at the shop were very helpful, especially Sabrina. I had some trouble finding gear that fit me, and she spent as long as it needed to make sure I had the right gear. For the thicker wet suit needed for the ocean, she even gave me two so that I could have a backup in case one didn't work out for me (and to be clear, the issues were not with the suits themselves--it was just that the medium felt too tight for me, but the large might make me too cold). If I had any issues with gear at any point, I knew I could ask them for help and they would be very understanding. I never had to pay any extra fees relating to the gear. I am glad I took this course through Pacific Scuba Divers, and found everyone involved helpful and knowledgeable. If they were to maybe book longer sessions at the pool, and clear up some of the communication ahead of time, I would have no issues at all. I'm glad I got certified here and if I ever need to take another scuba course, I would definitely go here again.

    Epic fun during the last of the certification dives in Monterey Bay!!!

    Took an excellent open water diving certification course with some friends at Pacific Scuba Divers with Sabine, Thomas, and Taylor as our instructors! The course was great: it consists of some training in the pool and then an (awesome) set of 4 dives down in Monterey. The team here is *extremely* exprienced and ensured that we learned the skills needed to dive effectively and safely. Very accomodating too. Pacific Scuba Divers was also super competitively priced compared to other shops in the Bay Area (and they run a tight ship)! Would do again and highly recommend!!

    See all

    Photo of G K.
    1
    447
    268

    2 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 3
    Photo of Joe V.
    5
    17
    6

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Great service fast responses and great workers over all the place was fantastic shows up and got the help i needed

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Rei R.
    9
    67
    490

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 3

    4 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Skyler W.
    26
    13
    14

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Super knowledgeable staff and instructors had tons of experience and patience. Moses was especially friendly.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Major J.
    261
    48
    43

    5 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Just got my open water certification here this past weekend! Everyone was super helpful and kind, overall great service!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Kevin D.

    Kevin D.

    Helpful 9
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Jer H.
    1
    27
    0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Great place! Friendly staff, and I learned a lot. I feel very confident in my diving abilities and can't wait to get out in the ocean!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    4 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 6

    Ask the Community - Pacific Scuba Divers

    Do they do hydro testing for co2/HPa paintball tanks? How much?

    View All 3 Questions

    Review Highlights - Pacific Scuba Divers

    Sabine also works with you to build up your skills and confidence so you feel comfortable getting into ocean.

    Mentioned in 33 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Diver Dan's - Mom 58 and Daughter 18 getting Scuba Certified together! Thank you!!!

    Diver Dan's

    3.9(170 reviews)
    2.1 mi

    I highly recommend Diver Dan's for getting your open-water scuba certification. Matt V was our…read moreinstructor, and he had the help of Rob another instructor. Both we fabulous taken care of my daughter and I, with the rest of the class. The staff is so attentive and helpful every time we are in the store and is excellent at providing information about scuba and equipment in a way a new diver can understand. Matt V the instructor for the course was so calming, knowledgeable and fun, but most importantly, he was so incredibly supportive. I was very anxious about the mask removal and replace and they provided encouragement, strategies, and extra praise when I was able to complete this skill. I wish I would have done this years ago but it didn't happen and for my daughter's high school graduation my husband treated us both the getting certified so we could all dive with the manta ray's on the Big Island for her Grad Trip. I can't thank Matt enough for being so patient with me as I am 58 and my daughter is 18....this will make years of memories for both of us! Thank you Matt and Rob & Diver Dan's!!

    The customer service here is great. They're not trying to just squeeze money out of you, they know…read morediving really well. You can tell they love it and the enthusiasm is contagious. I had to repair my open cell wetsuit and Jeremy was able to tell me what I needed and how to do it. I typically come here for my diving needs here in San Jose. Highly recommend!

    Photos
    Diver Dan's
    Diver Dan's - 3x billed for the power inflator. I only got one inflator. I did receive a full refund, but only after I caught it hours later.

    3x billed for the power inflator. I only got one inflator. I did receive a full refund, but only after I caught it hours later.

    Diver Dan's - My new drysuit thanks to Diver Dan's!

    See all

    My new drysuit thanks to Diver Dan's!

    Carmel Bay Divers - Are you ready to begin your scuba experience? Take a giant stride with Carmel Bay Divers. Fun for the whole family.

    Carmel Bay Divers

    4.8(15 reviews)
    9.5 miAlmaden Valley
    $$

    I signed up for my Advanced PADI course through SF Scuba Schools and ended up with John from Carmel…read moreBay Divers. We spent the weekend in Monterey with a cozy class of 3 students. For the Advanced course, Saturday was a long but low-stress 8am-10pm day, and Sunday was 8:30am-3pm -- including time for meals and chillaxing. -Before the course:- I was nervous about various things including buoyancy skills, night diving, not getting enough attention from the instructor, getting too cold in the freezing Monterey waters, and falling behind everyone else in terms of skills. By the end, I wasn't worried about any of the above. -About the instructor:- John was insanely helpful, attentive, and experienced, and made me feel at ease the entire weekend. His down-to-earth attitude and humor definitely kept me going through the difficult sections of the class. -Before each dive:- John made sure that we understood exactly what we were going to do. He was always happy to answer my overly-abundant questions, and gave excellent instruction on what to do underwater, from the technical aspects to the emotional/mental ones (Settle down. Think warm thoughts. Fun is mandatory!). -During the dives:- I finally got properly weighted during our buoyancy checks, and IT FEELS SO GOOD! My buoyancy skills improved dramatically over the weekend. John was incredibly patient underwater. When I messed up one of the underwater navigation skills, he helped me through it again and helped me adjust where I went wrong the first time. Night diving was my biggest fear going into the course, and I wasn't even scared going into the pitch black ocean with John at my side. The ocean life is completely fascinating at night, and I'm excited to say that I'm not (as) scared of that crazy dark ocean abyss! -Between dives:- We had plenty of time to warm up, and I never once felt rushed. He even brought a tub of warm water for us to pour into our suits afterwards. -Last thoughts:- If you're looking to take any kind of scuba certification class, John is your go-to guy. I feel so much more confident in my diving skills after this past weekend. Already looking into taking another course with him (probably dry-suit because I'm a weenie when it comes to cold water). Thanks dude!!

    WOW - what can I say?? If you are researching places to get PADI certified- GO HERE!!! Stop your…read moresearch now or you'll be sorry! The company is run by John Foxhall, a master diver with over 30 years of not only diving experience, but TEACHING experience. Other places may have similar COST, but they will guaranteed have a sub par experience. John is incredibly patient and compassionate for all his students. He is passionate about diving and ensures you not only have the skills required by PADI, but FUN IS MANDATORY. :) He is very accommodating to personal anxieties (of which I had no shortage), injuries/sore muscles (which i also experienced) and fitness levels (I'm average). He also has excellent equipment for rental and purchase and can explain the differences between bottom shelf, middle and top shelf products. My husband and I used John's course to prepare for a dive in the Cayman Islands and even though we will be "first-time" divers there, we feel confident we could keep up and/or lead among other divers. John has taken our skill sets from zero to extreme confidence in our ability! *****GRAB YOUR DIVE BUDDY AND A COUPLE OF FRIENDS AND GET CERTIFIED HERE.****** Also, if you are looking to take your basic certification to the next level, you want to do it with John. He has too much knowledge to keep all to himself!! Also, if you are averse to cold conditions, John has frequent certification classes further South which is also something the other places will not offer you. Can't recommend highly enough. Thank you John ad Carmel Bay Divers!!!

    Photos
    Carmel Bay Divers - Bare Snorkel Set at Carmel Bay Divers

    Bare Snorkel Set at Carmel Bay Divers

    Carmel Bay Divers - Check out the Hollis Explorer rebreather at Carmel Bay Divers

    Check out the Hollis Explorer rebreather at Carmel Bay Divers

    Carmel Bay Divers - Sea Otter photo taken by John at the Breakwater in Monterey,CA

    See all

    Sea Otter photo taken by John at the Breakwater in Monterey,CA

    Any Water Dive Center

    Any Water Dive Center

    4.5(126 reviews)
    2.8 miWest San Jose

    I really enjoyed starting my PADI journey with this shop! Even with anxiety I was able to learn how…read moreto scuba. I wish I took pictures/GoPro of the pool class. We did their Open Water Pool course with the instructors Mike, Nick and Richard, who are incredibly patient and helpful. It is a very nice dive shop with the manager Brian. They have really nice gear to try on/rent/buy with helpful staff. We have been in contact a lot.

    Beginner friendly, well priced... start (and finish) your search for SCUBA equipment and…read morecertification classes here! Any Water Dive Center is an open, welcoming, and encouraging dive shop filled with a great selection of gear at good prices, offering PADI certification (again at a good price)! I visited in November last year, poking my nose in, and asked about classes... the employee I met was friendly and took time to answer my questions, and I resolved to cross this item off my bucket list as soon as possible. Fast forward to yesterday, when I was finally ready. Brian, the manager, was there this time. He's an engaging, confident person with an intimate knowledge of the local (and global) industry. He was friendly and forthcoming about the requirements for the certification class, walked me through the steps, class requirements, medical requirements, the full deal! For those who (like me) are just getting started (the process can seem intimidating from the outside) expect to spend about $1100, all included... this gets your online classes and your hands-on classes (including two dive trips in Monterey). This is all done with an emphasis on safety, so be smart and take the training seriously. My dive class begins in June, so I don't have a full run-down yet; I'll update y'all on the other side!

    Photos
    Any Water Dive Center - Ocean part In Breakwater cove

    Ocean part In Breakwater cove

    Any Water Dive Center - Ticket to a new world !

    Ticket to a new world !

    Any Water Dive Center - The Pool In Los Gatos

    See all

    The Pool In Los Gatos

    Fins and Foam Freediving - Baby seal resting on the beach

    Fins and Foam Freediving

    5.0(37 reviews)
    39.4 miLower Pacific Heights

    I signed up with Jon Prins for the beginning freediving course and highly recommend it. First, we…read moredid a remote lesson over Google Video Call where Jon led a group of ~8 students through basic safety, equalization, and breathing exercises. Then we did a morning and afternoon dive at Breakwater cove in Monterey, where we met Brandon, our instructor. I was impressed and pleased that John brought three or four instructors out so each instructor only had ~3 students. Brandon was an excellent teacher and helped me feel comfortable in the cold water and was patient and conservative while we practiced new techniques. On top of that, he really drove home the risks and dangers of freediving, more so than any of the books or videos I've seen so far. Overall, I highly recommend Fins and Foam for freediving and will be joining them in future dives. Their focus on safety and contagious passion for diving provide a responsible and fun environment. Pro tip: I learned you can get seasick just by being in the water. Dramamine could be a good idea, my buddy and I both ended up nauseous after many hours in the sea.

    Wow! John and team were not only easy to work with but insanely knowledgable. If you want to get…read moreinto free diving they have everything you would need to get started and if you're already certified they have a rich community to join with consistent dives weekly. If you're even thinking about it - just do it!

    Photos
    Fins and Foam Freediving - Lunch break at Breakwater

    Lunch break at Breakwater

    Fins and Foam Freediving - Freediving in the Yucatan.

    Freediving in the Yucatan.

    Fins and Foam Freediving - Experience the weightlessness of freediving.

    See all

    Experience the weightlessness of freediving.

    California Ocean Adventures

    California Ocean Adventures

    5.0(12 reviews)
    24.2 mi

    A friend referred me to this shop as she had taken the Open Water Dive Program with them and…read morethoroughly enjoyed it. She said the instructor made her feel safe and helped her feel confident with her abilities in the water. I couldn't agree more. Steve is an excellent teacher/coach, and just a kind/patient human overall :) . I was deathly afraid of the mask removal underwater and Steve's calm approach helped me get over that fear. This shop truly puts safety as it's number one priority and I'm so glad to have found them. I'm thinking to take my advance class here as well now that I'm addicted to the sport and truly feel confident and safe in my abilities.

    California Ocean Adventures is a FANTASTIC dive school and shop!!!…read more I researched a lot of dive schools before choosing this one. I was primarily looking to obtain my open water certification with a school who has a low student to teacher ratio. I also needed a patient instructor, as I was a bit challenged in the Discovery Scuba class I took in Maui. I drove down to Santa Cruz to buy the required mask, snorkel, fins, gloves, and booties for my upcoming certification. Both Brian and Steve suggested gear and gave me options that would meet my individual needs. I was very happy with my purchase. Brian, the instructor and owner exceeded my exceptions. He went above and beyond in so many ways! He was super patient, extremely encouraging, and made my dives very memorable!! Brian sets the class pace and learning to meet the students needs. Not only did we practice the skills needed for the certification, but we spent time on the dive just exploring and having fun! I highly recommend this place for all your scuba needs!!!

    Photos
    California Ocean Adventures - The Big Sur coast is so beautiful. Some of the best diving in the world too.

    See all

    The Big Sur coast is so beautiful. Some of the best diving in the world too.

    Pacific Scuba Divers - outdoorgear - Updated June 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...