Tyler and Matt were the best dive instructors anyone could ask for: patient, friendly, very knowledgeable, and non judgmental. I feel very safe diving after having attended their class. It's not just about getting certified, they really want you to learn the skills you will need to be a safe diver. ALSO, seeing the kiddos bounce in and out after swim class is just about the cutest thing in the world. I had a chance to watch two of the kids classes and the swim instructors are SO friendly with the kids, and celebrate their successes. Buy local! Support Tom's Dive and Swim by buying goods in the store. read more

Great shop. Friendly, knowledgeable staff. I have done a few certifications with them so far and will happily do more.

Our thoughts on Tom's Dive and Swim still stand. From the swim trainers, all the way up to the owners, this place has great customer service and quality services provided! read more

Tom's Dive & Swim - Our child trained to float on their own! Amazing and very thankful for their awesome instructors! - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - Austin, Texas

Friendly staff and experienced instructors for refresher courses also gear. Went over the basics and made sure everyone was comfortable being back in underwater read more

Excellent dive shop located in north Austin and in close proximity to lake Travis. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. They offer swim & scuba lessons along with any supplies that you may need. I have mostly visited the shop to get items related to scuba. They normally have what I need in stock or they can order the specialty items that are difficult to find. The also have a nice dive club that is affiliated with the shop. read more

Tom's Dive & Swim - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - Austin, Texas

I got my open water diving cert here and it was great! The instructors (Jen, Jim, and Joe) were wonderful and everyone working at the shop is always friendly, as well as knowledgeable. The shop was also holding its semi-annual sale on the first weekend of our class, and they actually offered to extend the sale for all of us in the class, just so that we'd get a chance to see if diving was for us, and try out some of the equipment before committing to the investment. I can't say enough great things about Tom's! I definitely recommend it to anyone who is interested in getting certified. read more

They have been fantastic through 3 scuba courses we have taken (certification, refresher, and a specialty course). We have been nothing but pleased with the quality of instruction and equipment and how it has translated to our open water dives on vacation. Highly recommend! read more

My son got his PADI Junior Open Water Diver certification here. I felt bad that he could never come diving with me when we vacationed, so we signed him up for classes. He took to it like a fish to water. He had a little trouble with breathing rate regulation during our first open water dive in Punta Cana, but a quick pop up to the surface and a short pep talk later, he was good to go. Many thanks to the staff here for being patient with my son and making sure he knew safety inside and out. read more

Tom's Dive & Swim - Baby boy SCUBA diving in DR. Hearing "You're the best dad ever" when we got back in the boat made it all worthwhile. - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - Austin, Texas

I did my SSI Open Water Certification for SCUBA diving with them and had a fantastic experience. It was a pleasure working with David Gullickson, our instructor, for two weeks. SSI is an alternative to PADI but equivalent for all intents and purposes. Pro tip: they run equipment sales a few times per year so if you're not in a hurry to get your dive equipment, you can ask them when the next one is. read more

With a trip planned for the Turks and Caicos Islands I was suggested to get new snorkeling gear. I went there and was greeted by a nice salesgirl. I told her I needed a new mask and she showed me a few. Turns out they sell prescription masks and can replace each left and right glass lens. I did not know this and did not know my prescription. We tried a few and picked two lens that looked like I could see. I selected a blue color mask and next select a snorkel. I selected one where it prevents water to go in. Definitely recommended it where it helps sucking in water and feel more secure when making deep dives. I got what I needed, and the salesgirl was very nice and did a great job helping me out. That afternoon I found my eye prescription and the left side was off which explained the not so perfect vision with the goggles. I returned the next day and there was a completely different staff working there but was not a problem where they helped me return and install the correct lens. I also switched out the color of the mask from blue to black which matched the snorkel which was all black. It was very easy and only took a few minutes to get my mask corrected. This place sells a wide selection of scuba and snorkel gear. They also have a small pool to return and test out but need to brink a bathing suit. They do have a changing room. They also give swim lessons and scuba lessons. Lots of parking in front. read more

My husband and I just completed the open water diving course and cannot recommend Tom's enough. The classroom sessions were informative and comprehensive, and the pool diving instruction was very thorough. While we were overwhelmed going into the training, the level of support and opportunities to practice made us both so comfortable. Brian and Matt were awesome instructors, and their experience and patience was so valuable. We appreciated their willingness to repeat information and answer every question so respectfully. Everyone at Tom's clearly loves diving and their passion makes the course so much more enjoyable. You will not regret signing up here! read more

We've had a great experience with all our classes at Tom's, as well as all our interactions with staff and teachers. Highly recommend. After getting our Open Water certification at Tom's, with the instructor Gary, my son and I set off to Hawaii to do some reef dives. Between dives we were chatting up the guide, and discovered he was a bit biased against SSI.  When he found out we had gotten SSI certified, he was shocked that we had such great knowledge and buoyancy control.  Tom's and Gary are so good, they converted that guide :) read more

Ms. Sarah in pflugerville is worth the drive. Her patience with my daughter Tuesday was amazing to watch. And, she actually learned a lot in private lessons. read more

Fantastic shop. I'm so happy I took a scuba refresher course with Kurtis before a recent trip to Hawaii. I was so comfortable diving after practicing my diving skills at the pool located within the shop. They had greater rental equipment, very clean and well maintained. Mahalo Kurtis! read more

Tom's Dive & Swim - Sea turtle in Hawaii - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - Austin, Texas

HIGHLY recommend going through Tom's if you are looking to get into scuba! I got my open water certification here and it was a 10/10 experience. The staff was extremely helpful with helping me pick out the required gear I needed within the store and I even received a nice discount! Brian was my open water instructor and he was just fantastic!! I also had the pleasure of having 2 more certified divers there assisting us within the class, Kurtis and David, who were also at the top of their game 24/7. Seriously could not have met a nicer group of people to emerge into this new diving world experience with. This is the BEST place to go to, even just hanging out at the shop. Love this place! read more

See all

Awesome time getting open water diver certified at Tom's! Thanks Gary and Dave for being awesome instructors!

Full disclosure: I was only in to be fitted. Went in for a wet suit fitting. I was immediately greeted by a friendly young female. She knew exactly what was up and gave a quick explanation. She sized me up and gave me a suit to try. It was a perfect fit. She took all the info she needed from me and asked if I needed anything else. Super friendly. Super quick. The store was clean and well organized. Great experience!! read more

My kiddo started one on one lessons at age 6.5. He just turned 7 and he's swimming!!!! He was a bit fearful and reserved in the beginning but all of his teachers have been so patient and kind. I highly recommend Tom's and feel so fortunate to have found them. The perfect fit for our busy family! read more

Can't recommend the beginner Open Water Diver classes enough. Paul Mack was one of the best instructors I've had in any form, and Carlos and JD were great too. The pacing is great as you graduate from skill to skill. Not only are the education and pool drills excellent, but they were so supportive about nearly every aspect of classes. Paul handled all the paperwork and accommodated my schedule changes when I needed to move dive times around, on short notice. After I was certified, I went by their used equipment sale. Despite being really busy, an employee patiently took me through gear recommendations, often talking me out of buying more expensive products when he thought a less expensive item was a better fit. That level of customer care is why you shop small/local, folks! I would strongly recommend Toms to anyone interested in scuba diving. read more

I took the Open Water Certification course and am overall pleased with the process and glad I am properly certified. What I liked was the small class size and attention time that the instructors were able to provide. The classroom instruction was clear, and the book and website learning was easy to pick up on. You will spend about 8 hrs in the class room and 10-12 in the water. You will be blowing bubbles the first evening in their pool which was fun. My instructors Brian B and Gary L were both very knowledgable and experienced! Also, they do let you use the other equipment you need and it's all well maintained. Downside: It's not cheap. The class is $350 plus tax to sign up. After you sign up, you need to acquire fins,mask,and snorkel which is at least another $150. On top of that, it's $80 plus gas for two trips to San Marcos for your final two days, plus buying two sit down restaurant meals. So the class is at least $600 if you don't already own mask/snorkel/fins. Also, the instructors will try to sell you classes and overseas trips every session. Try and go with a small class size. The pool is small and you'll have more instructor attention. Overall, I'd recommend the Open Water Certification. Thanks Toms! read more

Tom's Dive & Swim - Divemaster Gary and myself after my final dive in San Marcos.... - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

Toms is where I went for my scuba certification. If you are a self starter or have a flexible schedule go to Toms. If you go to Toms, I strongly recommend Paul as your diving instructor. His knowledge and expertise are extensive. His style is very easy to learn from and he is super patient. I took what they taught me and recently spent 10 days in the Galápagos Islands. It was the trip of a lifetime. The dives were advanced but Paul and Toms gave me the knowledge and confidence to excel. I had the time of my life!!!! Thank you Paul and Toms. read more

Tom's Dive & Swim - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - Austin, Texas

Had a class at the "other" dive shop in town. Showed up here and these guys were super professional and even called the other shop to let them know I'd be late. Gave me directions too. I'll definitely be coming back to THIS dive shop! read more

My husband and I just completed the open water dive certification through Toms. Prior to the class we went in to purchase mask and snorkel and Sam was so friendly, helpful and informative. We opted for the two-weekend course, and that enabled us to get to know our 8-person cohort and enjoy each other. Bailey was our instructor and she was knowledgeable, accommodating, friendly, patient and efficient. The practice pool was a bit on the small side for our class, but we were able to do everything needed. Our class went to windy point park for the dives, and the visibility wasn't great, but that's just nature, lol. We had an additional instructor for our dives, Tyler, and he too was fantastic. We had some difficulties on a couple dives, but Bailey and Tyler took their time with us and ensured our comfort and safety so that we were successful and still had a great time. We later visited the shop for some equipment and the staff is just consistently friendly and helpful. We are hoping to join their dive club, which takes regular local dive trips and various international trips. I highly recommend this shop, and the lovely people who work there, for all things dive related. read more

Took the open water scuba class. Jeremy was a great teacher. I definitely recommend bringing a water bottle with you!! Thanks read more

My 14 year old son just went through a class and is now SCUBA certified! The instructor (Scott) was fantastic - very patient and professional - we trusted him completely! I highly recommend TDS. read more

I went to Toms to get my scuba certification so i can go diving on my honeymoon. My scuba instructor was ROSS, and he was absolutely amazing to work with. He was very patient with us and made the class work really fun by having props. I never thought I'd see a diving forest gump, but Ross changed that for me. I feel fully confident in my scuba skills and it's mostly because Ross would go over the skills we felt uncomfortable with until it felt second nature. You can tell he loves teaching scuba diving and that it's his passion, and i want to take more continuing education classes with Ross!!! I can't thank you enough!!! read more

Tom's Dive & Swim - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - Austin, Texas

My son and I took a Open Water dive course there. It's been an EXCELLENT experience. - there were 7 of us in the class with 3 instructors. Very good ratio. - the instructors were passionate about diving, technically competent, thorough, patient, and overall a pleasure to work with. At the same time they were strict with safety and made sure everyone was up to snuff. - they accommodated our need to skip a class and made it up for free. - the equipment that was landed was of good quality and not worn out. - my son is ecstatic and is now obsessed with going diving!!! Thanks again to the team at Tom's read more

Frustrated with how little swimming my kids can actually do after months at one of the premier swim schools in Cedar Park, I decided to try this place. So far after only about 6 lessons, I have seen significant progress in their swimming abilities. The concept is simple, learn to swim freestyle and on your back. Enroll in 2-week intervals. Each session is 30 minutes everyday (M-Th). Same place, same time, and same instructor. Consistency is the key for children. Since they are with the same instructor, that instructor really knows your child's ability and can modify lessons accordingly. I like the fact that they focus on basic techniques such as kicking and breathing techniques. The staff is very friendly. Nitro seems like a great place to build competitive swimmers, Tom's is a place to go if you just want your kids to learn how to swim. read more

I recently completed the SCUBA Skills "Refresher" course at Tom's and had a great experience. I arrived a few minutes early to get fitted for a new mask and snorkel and the staff were friendly and knowledgeable. The course included online instruction and pool time to help get reacquainted with the gear and cover important safety skills. I feel so much more prepared for my upcoming dive. I also learned that Tom's is a great resource for diving location ideas -- wish I'd checked with them when planning my trip! The folks at Tom's love diving and it shows. Highly recommend this awesome shop. read more

I can't say enough great things about my experience getting scuba certified at Tom's. I just finished my open water dive this past weekend and picked up my card today! Whoohoo! Having a fear of deep water/things I can't see/sharks/water monsters (i.e every cliched water-related fear out there) I was VERY skeptic about learning how to scuba dive. But, I was persuaded by some close friends to join my brother in law (BIL) in getting certified for an upcoming family trip to the Keys. Plus it was time to kick these ridiculous water fears to the curb. From the get-go Tom's was accomodating - I was wait-listed for the class my BIL was in, and even though I was not first on the list, they called me up 30 minutes before class and said they made room for me! With me, there were 9 people in my class, and even though it was cramped (because of me) and I had NONE of the required equipment or a bathing suit when I showed up, I was made to feel right at home and at ease by my 2 amazing instructors - Donna & Paul. If you have the luxury of being flexible with classes, I would highly encourage you to attend one taught by Donna or Paul. Donna was super laid back and was very encouraging when it came to asking questions and made class relaxing and fun. Paul was our assistant instructor and was very helpful with best practices and tips on how to overcome various issues. Paul was also me and my BIL's dive partner on the open water dive in Lake Travis and I couldn't have asked for a better partner. He was extremely patient with me (especially when I had a mini freakout on our first descent at the lake!), went really slow, and made sure that my BIL & I were comfortable at all times - even when we reached 65 ft! We were really lucky to have him as our partner. Everyone at the dive shop was extremely helpful when it came to equipment and gear. I ended up purchasing my snorkle from the shop but got my fins and mask elsewhere. Even though I decided not to get my mask at the shop they still took the time to educate me on the type of mask I wanted to look for when shopping elsewhere - I really appreciated that. If/when I become a "serious" diver I wouldn't hesitate to buy my gear from here. When it was time to trade out our cylinders between Lake Travis dives, there was always someone willing and happy to help me unload my gear which is a godsend when you are exhausted after a dive! I really can't imagine a better certification experience! PS/Heads up to the ladies: I do NOT recommend you color you hair before taking a class at Tom's - the pool is chemical-heavy for good reasons I'm sure, but it will fade your color so postpone any appts until after class :) read more

Austin has a pretty solid scuba diving community and the folks at Tom's are one of my #1 picks to friends looking to get into the sport. The people here have always been very friendly to me, and while I've only gotten air fills and rented additional tanks here, it's always been a good experience. They're an SSI shop, so don't expect to see NAUI or PADI advanced courses here. The people that I've gone diving with that were certified here seemed to know what they were doing, so I can only assume that the training is good. What really makes a local scuba shop shine in my opinion is the people and this place gets 5 stars in my book for that reason. Oh, and if you do end up renting a wetsuit here, don't forget the old diver's adage... "There are two types of divers in the world... those that pee in their wetsuit and those that lie about it." Rental wetsuits smell for a reason. read more

I first found Tom's when the leaders of the dive team at work recommended it as a place to get certified. Their pool for scuba practice is on the small side, but my instructor was great and I had a blast getting my cert. Fast forward a couple of years and hubby & I are looking to flesh out our gear. We spent nearly two hours talking to the owner about different gear options, pros/cons/features, what's appropriate for recreational divers vs. hard-core technical divers, etc. He showed absolutely fantastic customer service. Any gear you buy here has a 30-day return policy. They're more than happy for you to try out gear in their pool (as long as it doesn't conflict with a class), but they want you to go out diving and really get a feel for what works right for you. Prices are consistent with places online - I suspect the major dive gear companies set a strict MSRP that shops don't deviate from except for clearances/close outs. read more

As a seasoned diver/divemaster, I have been in and worked in my fair share of dive shops. To me, and many others in the industry, it doesn't matter if they are clean or dirty, cheap or expensive, what matters is the perpetuation of the dive culture -- where everyone is friendly, laid back, and eager to chat and act like a friend over a salesperson. I have been to Tom's a couple of times in the past and had OK experiences, but recently I booked a trip to Flower Gardens with them and was sorely disappointed. Paid the $600 and received absolutely 0 information. Do I need to rent my own equipment? What should I expect? etc etc. Many other divers on the boat had their dive shops give them an orientation. I went into the shop a couple of days before to talk to someone about the trip and was greeted by cold employees that really knew nothing - nobody in the shop had even done the dive and they were not keen to help me rent equipment either. Wanted to find a dive community in the shop in Austin but alas, I just don't feel like these guys embody was scuba culture really is :( The divemaster on the trip was really friendly though, and he did call the day before the trip to make sure we were 'good to go'. But, all in all, not diving with Tom's again and certainly not recommending the shop to any of my friends. read more

We started Tom's for swim lessons last summer for my then 3 year old daughter who had no previous swimming experience. She has taken group and private lessons with three different instructors over the past 6 or 7 months and I cannot say enough about their instruction approach and the talent and enthusiasm of their staff and instructors; all this in addition to their friendly customer service and reasonable prices. Everyone in the shop greets us by name when we come in. My daughter LOVES going to class so much she talks about it all week... she says she misses Tom's when she's not taking lessons. The instructors are patient and intuitive when it comes to different personalities and levels -- this makes a huge difference in gaining the trust of the swimmer, especially at this age. My daughter is now in the Advanced Beginner class, loves the water and has gained great confidence in herself because of her time at Tom's. Austin is lucky to have such a great swim instruction outfit! read more

Tom's is a top-notch operation. My husband and I wanted to get certified and decided to go with Tom's after doing some research. I couldn't be happier with our choice. Going into the class, I didn't really know what to expect and was slightly hesitant/scared. I mean- you're going deep underwater with just a tank to breath! It's pretty crazy if you think about it! From start to finish, the whole experience was great. We bought our gear at Tom's and probably switched out goggles 3-4 times before we got the ones we liked. They work with you to make sure you're 100% comfortable before you leave the store with all your equipment. For the class itself, we had Scott with Brian as the assistant (now an instructor as well). Scott was so informative and patient. He made sure everyone understood the class every step of the way and we all learned the gear/skills/procedures to ensure we had an enjoyable experience. I can't say enough good things about Tom's. If you're thinking about diving, don't look elsewhere! read more

Captain Mike taught me how to be a dirty pirate. He was the best instructor I could have hoped for and made the whole experience amazing. Now I'm not only SSI certified as a diver, but am a certifiable dirty pirate fit to search for booty. In all seriousness I've been through 4 years of high school & 4 years of college at TX state and Mike was by far the best instructor I've ever had. Funny interesting and informative all wrapped into one. read more

My wife and I decided to use a nearby pool as more that a sunning and cooling off area. Snorkeling will give us another source of exercise and prepare us for our next blue water vacation. We searched on Yelp and decided to try Tom's. We're very glad we did. We got great help and were encouraged not to spend more than we needed since we are just starting. They had a beginner's kit that is nicer than the ones we had seen at other sports stores but not as expensive as the other serious gear at Toms. We tried it out at our pool and found everything comfortable, well made and effective. read more

This place is awesome and their customer service is SUPERB!! Beyond Superb! I went in to see of they would fill my air tank for my paintball gun and (Sarah - awesome gal who helped me) wasn't able to find the adapter to fill my tank but instead of just saying "we don't have it" and sending me on my way she was very persistent in finding this adapter. She finally found the adapter and filled my tank but trouble just seemed to try to bring her day down but she refused to succumb to defeat. She came out and told me I had a air leak in my gauge on the regulator and she said she was gonna try to find a o-ring to fix the leak! After several valiant efforts she found an o-ring that fit and filled my air tank with success. This place is awesome, I came in for a completely different reason other than anything about scuba and they went above and beyond to help me. The lady who helped me, her name is Sarah I believe. To the owners of Tom's dive and swim, please do everything possible to keep her around bc I will constantly come back to y'all if the above and beyond customer service y'all provide is still there. Thanks Sarah if you get to read this and everyone should go here! For scuba reasons of course. read more

Tom's is the BEST dive school and Ross is by far the absolute best instructor! He helped me get over the couple fears I had with ease and made me feel 100% comfortable from the start. He teaches safety first followed by so much joy and fun! Call them today to schedule your diving adventures! read more

I stopped in looking for a pair of goggles I could use for lap swimming. Most goggles I've owned have a tendency to cut into my nose due to the way my nose is shaped. When I walked in, I was greeted by a friendly staff member who showed me where the goggles were and advised me which ones to try on. 2 Minutes later, I was walking out with a pair of goggles in hand. I've used the goggles multiple times and still no issues - they're just what I needed! Enjoyed my experience here and would visit again! read more