Well stocked dive shop

[Rollie]

Hi

I want to know were the best stocked dive shop in Ontario is. I've been into scuba for two years now and I must say with out mentioning names, that there are indeed allot of sadly stocked dive shops out there. I want to see stock and lots of it, I don't want to hear "O I CAN ORDER THAT FOR YOU" if I have to order it, I might as well buy it off Ebay. I dove all through the US and the majority of shops down there are full to the gills with stock, is this a cheap Canadian way or am I missing something, If you want to make a buck you need to carry stock. Example: I was told of this scuba shop located in a recreation center in Toronto, when I went there this guy had a room ya! just a room and a counter selling fins and a few mask, is this all Ontario has to offer.

Rollie

 

[sprange]

While I agree that it’s preferable to be able to walk in and buy a piece of equipment, I’ve yet to have to wait more than two days for any local order. In the Kingston/Toronto area there –are- stores with a good selection of equipment in stock. You can’t expect, however, that they will have as diverse of selection as the larger shops in Florida, for example (with over half the population of Canada). What are you looking for?

 

[sparky30]

Hi

I want to know were the best stocked dive shop in Ontario is. I've been into scuba for two years now and I must say with out mentioning names, that there are indeed allot of sadly stocked dive shops out there. I want to see stock and lots of it, I don't want to hear "O I CAN ORDER THAT FOR YOU" if I have to order it, I might as well buy it off Ebay. I dove all through the US and the majority of shops down there are full to the gills with stock, is this a cheap Canadian way or am I missing something, If you want to make a buck you need to carry stock. Example: I was told of this scuba shop located in a recreation center in Toronto, when I went there this guy had a room ya! just a room and a counter selling fins and a few mask, is this all Ontario has to offer.

Rollie

There are two well stocked dive shops in St. Catharines. Dan's Diveshop ( http://www.dansdiveshop.ca ) and Adventure Scuba. Kingston also has few.
I live in the St. Catharines area, and I've never been told that something needed to be ordered...

 

[Groundhog246]

For the best stocked, I'd have to vote for Dive Tech in Mallorytown. Would I drive there just to do my shopping? No. I support my local shop, so that they'll be there to provide air, otherwise I could be driving to Mallorytown for that too.
We live in a country where most divers only dive 4 months of the year, many only once or twice a year when they go South. Except for a few shops that are in or very close to great diving areas (such as Brockville and Kingston), there just isn't enough volume to justify the huge stock. Would you expect a small car dealer in a town of 2000 people to have 200 brand new cars on the lot?
In fact the majority of shops up here are like many family farms. Someone has a full time job with an income and the shop is a sideline. Often one spouse runs the shop and the other pays the majority of the household bills.

I've never found it to be a problem. There's never been a piece of gear that I had to buy right now to go diving. Want a cylinder? Order one and the shop will loan you a rental tank till it arrives. I'll take that option, get a cylinder with a recent hydro, instead of one that's been on the floor since last season and will need a retest in 4 years. As long as I can get the personal gear like a new mask, fins, etc right away, I'll wait on the rest. And a hidden advantage to having it ordered. You can get whatever you want, instead of being pressured to buy what's in stock, even if it's not exactly what you wanted. Car dealers do it all the time. You want this set of options? Well we have all but that one and it's got this that you didn't want, but it's here. Or we can order it and you'll have your new car in 2 months.

 

[bosshog]

Hi

I want to know were the best stocked dive shop in Ontario is.
Rollie

Try Dive tech in Mallarytown. (divetech.ca) I was impressed by them.

 

[jonnythan]

Another vote for Dive Tech.

There's a reason it's called "the candy store." Very impressive stock.. from basic rec gear to different brands of HIDs, backplates, wings, lots of SMBs and reels and spools, nice selection of tanks.. yadda yadda.

 

[Tamas]

Hi

I want to know were the best stocked dive shop in Ontario is. I've been into scuba for two years now and I must say with out mentioning names, that there are indeed allot of sadly stocked dive shops out there. I want to see stock and lots of it, I don't want to hear "O I CAN ORDER THAT FOR YOU" if I have to order it, I might as well buy it off Ebay. I dove all through the US and the majority of shops down there are full to the gills with stock, is this a cheap Canadian way or am I missing something, If you want to make a buck you need to carry stock. Example: I was told of this scuba shop located in a recreation center in Toronto, when I went there this guy had a room ya! just a room and a counter selling fins and a few mask, is this all Ontario has to offer.

Rollie

The "best stocked" dive shop also depends on your location in Ontario as well as the type of diving you do. I could point you to a few shops that cater to OW divers and their need or to a few that are mainly tech with almost nothing for OW.

Dan in Mallerytown, the candy man, has both, but is quite a drive from TO (if that is where you are from). While there are a number of other stores in the greater GTA non are the same, in the current selection but most can get what your little heart desires.

And as already mentioned above, waiting 2-3 days never killed anyone, so perhaps driving the distance is not that necessary.

 

[DI_Guy]

I have to agree.... "Dive Tech Training" in Mallorytown, is the best place that I have been to. I travel all over Ontario and always look for the LDS's. Also, the prices there are excellent. It's worth the drive, you'll think you have gone to Diver's paradise. Dan's diveshop in St. Kitts is a close second.

DI_Guy

 

[Rollie]

Wow! nice responces, I guess I'm off to Mallerytown.

Thanks

Rollie

 

[jroy017]

yeah dive tech is one of the best stocked shops in Ontariogood service too !

Dan Humble
www.divetech.ca