Best LDS in Phoenix area

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tendi

Contributor
Messages
120
Reaction score
22
Location
Phoenix, AZ
# of dives
200 - 499
We just moved here. Looking for the best LDS. We live in Ahwatukee but don't mind a drive if the shop is better. :)
 
And the list of every ones favorite dive shop starts now. With the occosional recomendation because said person happens to work there as well.

With that out of the way I trek on over to Goodyear to Inland Waters most of the time, even though it is further away. Don't work for them, but do find them good and honest. Staffing is a little lighter then other shops, but you are not paying for head count when you need to buy anything either.

And the next person's favorite shop is...
 
It's hard to tell currently about Phoenix, there's been 4-5 recent changes of ownership and even location changes. It seems like 2 shops are now occupying buildings previously rented by another (defunct?) shop - for one it's location - one shop in North Phoenix is on I-17/Dunlap and they have a pretty big sign - right where traffic slows every rush hour. That must generate business...lol. They used to be on Bell/45th Ave.

Although I maintain the LDS list, I actually don't personally know any of the 4 shops listed under Phoenix since my last update. Plus all the Sport Chalet's recently closed - including the one near Lake Pleasant. Not the best selection but handy for tanks/fills.

My go to is El Mar Diving Center in Mesa. Been there for many decades and they're my Atomic dealer. Another primary brand for them is Aqualung. On Broadway about a mile east of the 101. I manage to get down there several times a year even though I live in Glendale. I've heard from several people that David Hayes - their tech is the go to guy in town. He's done my regs once or twice - no complaints. It's a big store also, mostly hard gear on the ground floor and the mezzanine is full of wetsuits and BC's - probably more than I've seen at any other shop in town. And they back their gear - my regular buddy had a problem with a Henderson wetsuit ripping after he'd owned it for a while - Tanya (owner) replaced it free.

They also regularly caravan to San Carlos and twice a year or so rent a bus for a larger trip. They also have their own 36' dive boat at their sister shop in San Carlos all year. I don't use it but they have an in-house dive travel agency. And their annual Spring Sale is epic - sign up for their e-mail newsletter to be alerted to the date. Usually it's in May. Get there at least an hour early - people will be in line down the street.

I don't have a lot of experience with them - only stop every 5 years or so but I would have no reservations about recommending Saguaro Scuba in Mesa either. They've been around about 20 years or so. One of the first local retailers to match internet prices when that was still uncommon.

If you're going to local Lake Pleasant dive, LP Scuba seems like a good option - they keep a boat there. And are on the way, just a short detour off I-17. I have yet to get there but plan to soon, they're one of few nationwide stocking points for the new Deep6 gear.

Welcome to Arizona where all the really good diving is a short flight away...lol.

San Diego is outstanding cold water diving. There's a wreck alley, La Jolla Cove is a world famous shore dive and some boats even go to Catalina Island to dive the marine park there. It's closer from Long Beach harbor though - there's a couple of faster boats that make the run that morning - others allow you to sleep on board and you wake up in the Channel Islands. www.divebums.com for all the options. Or California Dive Boats : The Official Page

San Carlos is not bad though, most of their business comes from here, it's a reasonable drive down on a good road. Or there's a flight to Guaymas and it's a $20 cab ride from there. If you stay at Marina Terra you can walk to most of the dive boats - they're at the other end of the marina. In late summer/fall it's decent warm water diving. There's a Seal/Sea Lion colony off a nearby island and they love to play. I've actually been there in mid-October and dove in a t-shirt - below the thermocline was cold though. The shops here regularly go down for the Scalloped Hammerhead migration - guessing the right week is the issue. We missed it by a week.

There's about 4-5 dive operations down there, El Mar, a shop in Tucson has a bigger boat and Gary's Dive has 4-5 old boats based there. We dove off one and the captain fished for lunch while we wre gone. Ceviche and fish tacos. San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico Diving
 
Hi. Any recommendations on dive instructors in Phoenix. Looking to get my deep diver cert and then tec 40. Thanks.
 
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X2 on El Mar and Saguaro Scuba. Took my OW at El Mar and occasionally buy stuff at SS.
RichH
 
Thanks for the recommendations! We moved from Iowa, where all the diving is more than a short flight away. We're getting closer!
 
Are you still in Havasu? Joel Silverstein is one of the better known tech divers/instructors in the US.

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I don't know anyone in Phoenix - 3 people I knew well enough to recommend have all moved on.

David Hayes at El Mar is a tech instructor but for SSI/TDI/SDI.
You sound like you're PADI - I'm not so don't know anyone.
Yes I am still in lake havasu. I am on a tight budget and the course fees here are close to 900 dollars for advanced nitrox. And decompression diver. I did go through scott and joel for my nitrox cert.
 
Yes I am still in lake havasu. I am on a tight budget and the course fees here are close to 900 dollars for advanced nitrox. And decompression diver. I did go through scott and joel for my nitrox cert.

I can tell you that tight budget and technical diving are not compatible. I can do your PADI certs if you want only PADI. I can also do TDI. Message me if you are interested. I have a couple other students in various stages of their tech courses right now and could fit you in.
 

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