Diver Dan’s

I chose this place over other nearby locations for my PADI open water diving certification because a.) they are VERY flexible. If you have a busy schedule where you cannot make it for your ocean dives weekend, you can easily reschedule for another weekend at no extra charge! I heard someone had to reschedule the open water diving class 8 times, and there was no extra charge. Other places in San Jose will charge you extra for moving around classes, and b.) the staff takes good care of you! During my class, 9 students went to the ocean with 10 staff members (3 instructors/​7 staff)!!! That’s more than a 1:1 ratio student: instructor ratio. :) They make sure you are safe and know what you are doing! I recommend taking Greg’s class with instructors Mike and Rich! They were all EXCELLENT instructors; ¹⁰⁄₁₀ hands down. I’m hoping to attend other classes taught by Greg/​Diver Dan’s in the future, and join their awesome dive club for local diving 2x/​month.
For the dive shop, it’s the largest dive shop on the west coast. Everyone is super friendly and highly knowledgable about dive gear. They will take their time to explain to you the differences between gear options even if you’re just browsing or doing research. Yes, dive equipment is expensive, but it can last you a long time and will be worth it if you dive often. They have rental gear for ~$ 105. If you’re lucky to stop by on random weekdays (or whenever), they might have a good «limited to stock on hand» sale, and you can get a pretty good discount (~30−50% off) on some of the good gear! :)

I am so grateful that I took my scuba diving certification here! My instructor Greg Olson and his team was freaking awesome! More importantly they were so patient and cool, and just really get that people have different skill levels in the water, and they adjusted the class accordingly. Till this course, I had a major fear of deep water. So when I bought my gear for the course, the staff spent almost 2 hours with me picking out the right equipment for me (fins, mask, gloves, snorkel, boots.) If you take the open water scuba course, you want to buy your stuff. I know I thought the same thing… Just rent it. Nope… You have to be as comfortable as possible in the water. And that includes the equipment. I am so god I did!!! Just made a huge difference. The staff pays so much attention to you as a student, that they can pretty much tell you what will work for you and what won’t.
I had my choices of places to learn how to scuba dive. I chose Diver Dan’s simply because these guys/​gals realize you are a person looking to have a cool experience underwater in the safest and fun way possible!
One more thing… The place is as clean as any other dive place… And the pool is rented out my swimming and let me be frank… It’s a great place to learn how to swim, dive, and any water skills you can think of. It’s 10ft deep!
I am going to take their advance course and few other course. I trust them!
Earl

I received my scuba certification here. I am not a strong swimmer but I was still able to really get the confidence to scuba dive. The class was extremely useful and really prepared me. It made my scuba experiences seem like a piece of cake based on how difficult some of the skills were that we learned. Overall, I highly recommend coming here to get certified.

I just finished an open water course at Diver Dan’s. My husband loves this place. I don’t.
The class: pompous instructor, Chris L, is stingy with information, impatient with students, and not at all helpful. His unwillingness to share information, and his tone, get in the way of learning these important skills. His tone changes whenever someone else is in hearing range., from being impatient and condecending to somewhat cheerful. He has no sense of humor, is concerned that everyone knows how expert he is, and makes it very hard to ask questions. He either hated our class, or just dislikes teaching and is doing it for the money. It might be better if he sticks with more advanced classes, not beginner classes. I can do anything for 3 days, but a disrespectful instructor who is irritated at questions isn’t my idea of a good time. The very last thing we did was he checked to see if our weighting was appropriate. I was overweighted. Might have had an easier time hovering if I wasn’t overweighted by 6 lbs. This should have been the FIRST thing we did, not the very last thing on Sunday night. Another student felt the same way, so at least we could joke about it. The other 2 students didn’t come back for the Sunday class.
The facilities: FILTHY. The restrooms are in comparable condition to a gas station – disgusting. There are rat droppings in the dressing rooms. And OMG, the pool! I cannot even begin to guess when it was last cleaned. All the crap floating around in there was appalling.
Do yourself a favor if you want to learn to Scuba dive: Go somewhere else.

Had a great experience with an equipment rental. The staff was helpful and kind about the fact that I hadn’t had much experience in cold water diving before. That’s really an important thing: I find it often happens in the hobby world that people feel the need to admonish and scold one another for not knowing as much as them: «Brah, do you even Nitrox??». So yeah, they were nice, but paid close enough attention to the details to help ensure I had a fun and safe dive.
They also let me know that they offer a coupon to those joining their dive club, which made my rental super inexpensive.

I was very disapointed with the freediving class. First day the professor spend half of the class just talking about equipment’s and abalone, after that we went to the pool and he taught simple descending technique we practiced that a few times and than the class was done 30 minutes earlier.
The second day was suppose to be about apnea and diving techniques but he did not show any training we could do to improve breath hold, no co2/​o2 table nor anything. The only thing we did was a simple 1 – 2 breathing and than we did static apnea to see how long we cam hold breath.
He badly talked about equalization and did not even knew what diaphragm contractions are. Most of what we did on the final day was to dive to pick up an abalone shell in the bottom of the pool and again the class finished 30 minutes earlier.

Awesome shop. A guy by the name of Antonio helped me. I’m new to diving cold water and he recommended to me a suit. I got to try it on an hop in the pool. Very satisfied with the knowledge and great advise. I didn’t feel like they were trying to sell me everything in the store or rip me off. I will gladly be returning for future purchases.

This review is for the dive shop itself and not the services, classes or certifications offered. Specifically, the great customer experience I had was with Rich, Dan, and Dan’s adorable golden retriever (my soft spot).
The shop is well lit and open with everything merchandised very well. Everything in a category is meticulously lined up on the wall or across on a shelf. It’s very easily shopped. Upon walking in, Rich introduced himself to me and for the next hour, I had his undivided attention. I came in to purchase a new mask as well as gloves and boots for my first cold water dive but I also wanted to poke around and try out some other gear with no intention of buying just yet. Rich was incredibly patient and answered all of my questions, weighed the pros and cons of everything and offered his advice. At no point was he pushy; he was very helpful and patient. It was nice to see Dan, the owner, on the sales floor chatting with customers as well.
I picked up some Aqua Lung boots and gloves as well as an Oceanic mask.
They have a great return policy unlike most other dive shops; you can get a full refund within 30 days.

First of all, my husband received his open water scuba certification from these guys about 8 years ago. He’s now a commercial diver and an avid recreational spearfisher, and when it came to getting ME certified, he quickly recommended Diver Dan’s. I believe the prices are just slightly higher than some surrounding dive schools, but quality and service were second to none.
I just got done with my accelerated open water course, and it was a small enough class size (4 of us… granted it is the Winter, but my husband did his in the Summer and it wasn’t much larger) to where the lessons were very individualized and all concerns could be easily addressed. Craig and Laura were GREAT instructors. They are incredibly down to earth, easy to work with, and you could tell they really had a love for this sport that helped make it an enjoyable experience! As someone who really likes to understand every detail of something I’m about to get into (especially in a sport with some inherent risks like diving), I can say that I’m very satisfied and impressed with their expertise, patience, and emphasis on both fun and safety. The confined pool dives cover absolutely everything you would want to be prepared for when it comes to the open water dives, and the trip to Breakwater Cove in Monterey Bay was the perfect place to take beginners. It makes you more comfortable seeing that the spot was a popular area for other dive schools and solo divers alike!
The employees at Diver Dan’s shop are helpful and friendly. The shop has a very homey feel to it (their dog, Brandy walks around and mingles with the customers: P), and you can tell it’s run by people who legitimately have a passion for the sport. Dan, the owner, is also very welcoming and it’s great to see someone taking on such an active role in their establishment. At one point, I needed new fins because the ones I had purchased from an outside retailer didn’t fit properly during my confined dives and gave me blisters, and they were quick to recommend ones that were perfect for size, maneuverability, comfort, and fit. Quick and painless process :) The rentals are in good shape (maybe except for a weight belt I had that had a small tear in it, but they switched this out) and if you’re just looking to rent a couple items for your own open water dive, as my husband did, the prices are fair. A little more expensive than a chain sports shop, but supporting local business is always better in my opinion! Plus, I never felt like anyone was ever trying to push any sales on me. It seemed to always be more about what YOUR needs are, which is nice for customers.
I definitely do consider going forward with the advanced course and/​or speciality courses with them. They even have a club you can join and several other organized dive trips you can be a part of, which I’ll also be looking into! They’re a great resource to have for new and regular divers alike, and I would definitely recommend them to people searching around and who don’t exactly know where to start.

Jim was my instructor and I had a great time getting my Open Water Certification with Diver Dan’s. Jim even took his video equipment, while another instructor was certifying us (following the rules), and video taped our last class dive. Great experience.

This review is for both the classes and the store.
Classes: couldn’t have asked for better instructors and dive masters. Both Mike and Rich are patient, experienced and knowledgeable. I always had too many questions but always got them answered. Wherever they were doubtful they consulted each other without giving me half answers.
In the ocean both Rich, Mike and dive masters took good care of us, and were very patient with all students. They made us redo exercises till we got it right.
Store: right before my class I bought all my personal gear here. There’s a skinny tall white male who has excellent customer service skills. Very thorough with all the details and patient, non pushy in fact most of the staff is that way that I’ve interacted with so far.
I had my gf signup too and she had a similar experience.
Only downside I have about the store is its mostly full priced items. They did have a huge sale which I missed just before I signed up for classes. But who said scuba was an inexpensive sport ;)
Do signup for the Diver Dans club, it’s a no brainer. It’s $ 50 for a year and you get one free gear rental OR free air tank rental. And every other weekend you can explore something new.

Very surprised to read the negative stuff about the sales clerks.
We walked in, what couldn’t have been more than 5 – 10 minutes before closing time. We actually had to ask if they were still open. The friendly male sales clerk said ‘Sure, come on in!’.
We were leaving for vacation and of course, put off getting our snorkeling equipment until the very last minute.
The sales guy showed us their fin, mask and snorkel selection, explaining briefly the differences between certain pieces of equipment and gives some pros and cons, we always had the feeling that we can could inquire for more info if need be, he was super friendly.
2 pairs of adult fins, masks and snorkels later, we moved onto kids’ options for our 6 year old. He let our daughter try on several different goggles and masks and explained which he’d opt for (it was rather past closing time at this point, but we weren’t remotely hurried along or rushed by him or anyone else in the store).
After we got our daughter sorted, my husband picked out a PADI binder (much needed as his dive log was starting to look neglected and sad), and then we agreed that we’d need a decent but compact bag for all this equipment, which was no problem either — the great sales dude showed us several and we picked out the right one for us.
There was never any upselling, which was treat. He even showed us certain items that we were on sale and explained why they were on sale.
We spent several hundred dollars and walked out very happy customers. If we ever want to ‘gear up’ with diving gear or revamp our wetsuit/​drysuit wardrobe, our first stop will be Diver Dan’s.
Given the fact that we walked in so late, and the quality of service was so awesome, I really don’t see how I can rate this place lower than a 5 star. Also, the actual selection is pretty vast, it’s a big store, and the fact that I was able to find adult-​sized fins for my really small (size 5 on a good day) feet, was a huge win.
All of the purchased gear held up beautifully throughout our trip and was pretty much used every day, no complaints there or, on any other aspect, for that matter!

Picked up fins, masks, snorkels for several family members. Very helpful staff that hung with us as we asked lots of questions. Prices were fine — compared what we payed to online prices. Quality store.

I was certified in 1975 from a place in San Carlos (out of business), was patronizing Wallin’s Dive Shop (out of business) and am now at Diver Dan’s.
I am getting my teenage son certified and have been nothing but pleased with the retail service, dive instructors and ability to register over the website (every website needs a little work so no penalty).
My son had a small water ‘leak’ in his new mask and Dan took the time to adjust the trim (side to side fitting) so the mask fit perfect. The shop is organized and I totally trust them with my 16 year old.
And we look forward to joining them on dives. I always remind myself when I’m in a dive shop the goal is to get into the water. And I feel for the employees who would probably rather be in the water themselves. No need to be tolerant at Diver Dan’s — they seem to be on the ball and fun to work with.
If I were you I’d take the plunge (and if you read some of my other reviews you’ll see I am pretty honest).

After reading a lot of the reviews below, I am sort of baffled. Guess like everything in life, its perspective, and a little «You get out of it what you put into it.»
Having been certified in 1980 and having well over three hundred dives in my diving career… I had a ten year lay off from Diving. My reintroduction is due to my current GF and I’ve been enjoying getting back into it.
The first time I got back into the sport I went to a San Francisco shop that shall remain nameless. They happened to have the LAST REBUILD KIT on Earth for my 1970’s Dacor Pacer 900. They repaired it with lots of laughing at me and derision, and sold me a used computer to replace my US Divers Monitor 2, and a used BC. On my first trip back underwater, I was really saddened as suddenly I’m an air hog. Didn’t used to be the case.
This trip I went to Diver Dan’s and I get why people said they didn’t get adequate service. I looked around the aisles at new dive gear… no one approached me. I poked and prodded gear with no salesman asking me if I wanted help. I took this as no pressure. Once I what… ASKED A QUESTION… I got all the help I needed and more. I worked with one sales person, and Diver Dan himself on my two trips there.
They didn’t laugh at my Dacor Pacer 900 in fact praised it for being «The best in its day» and they bent over backwards giving me a 15% rebate on a new regulator for letting them part out my old Dacor. They didn’t push me into the latest greatest, reg, they just pointed out the features (On the budget end) and I ended up buying the second least expensive regulator that WORKED LIKE A CHAMP.
They also inspected my gear at no additional charge, and found a leak in my BC that added to my air consumption. They didn’t try to sell me an octopus stating my «Air 2» was serviceable and in good condition.
They allowed me to try two pair of fins against my old ones in their pool and when I stuck with the old ones… no problem.
There were things I had found on the internet, they price matched… What more can you ask of a store.
So if you need to be fawned over, this may not be your place. If you are the type to ask questions, listen to the answers, and do some internet research, you are going to have excellent service, price matching and walk out with good information and nice new gear.
On my recent two week trip to Mexico… I was NOT an air hog and in fact the first one in and last one out with plenty of air to spare. My new camera gear worked like a champ and I thank Diver Dan’s for the help and guidance.
Yeah… I had to approach THEM with my questions… but I call that low pressure sales.
Cheers !

First, the good.
I love the ocean. Sea life fascinates me. That said, I had been sitting on the idea of actually getting myself a scuba certification. Never put it into action. My wife who had had her PADI for a while kept egging me on. She searched around and found Diver Dan’s. They offer this free Discover Scuba class which I agree is a great way to let newbies get a feel of what it’s like scuba diving. So, she signed me up for it.
A taste of scuba got me hooked. I decided to go for the Open Water class. Gregory and Daniel were both great instructors. They were thorough with the pre-​dive essential learning materials. During the dives, they made sure each student was fine by constantly checking on us. Their confidence made me feel safe in the unknown abyss. Eventually, I met all the requirements and got my PADI! I finally got to experience first hand what my wife and other divers had been raving about. We have since explored various waters and encountered scores of sea animals. The beauty underneath is indescribable. 5 stars for the classes and instructors.
Now, the not so good.
Unfortunately, I have to average the final rating to 3 stars because of their sales clerks in the shop. We were just newbies browsing all the different gadgets and encountered sales people with serious attitude. It felt like new divers were not wanted or appreciated in their clique. Definitely not a way to welcome business. Since this review is a long time coming, I really hope these sales associates have found other pastures or learned how to act towards customers helping pay their salary.

I’ll give it 2 stars for being well stocked and clean. Huge down grade as I have been in the shop twice in the last month and given miss information twice. When I asked for clarification I was treated like a dumb-​ass.
Normally, I would not include anything about myself. That said, I think in this case it is a important. I have held mix gas (tri-​mix) instructor certifications, as well as a hole host of instructor certifications from PADI, NAUI, SSI, TDI, bla bla. My point is I am familiar with the subject.
I never showed a card, or walked in with any kind of attitude. All I needed was a quick tank rental for my son to play paintball. I feel sorry for those that walk in for sold info and get jerked around.
The bottom line is that it is their business and their insurance policy that may drive protocols. But giving incorrect info or blaming a regulatory agency for store policy then acting like a customer is dumb as a stump is not ok!

Been to a number of dive shops in the area as I’m the kind of person who scopes things out and researches on my own before buying. Been disappointed with prices and customer service until going to Dan’s. After talking with Rich and Mike, figured out a good long term goal after finishing open water class would be to do tech related dives. Awesome right? Well it actually saved me a lot of money talking to them about what gear to buy that would be versatile and last a long time compared to buying recreational gear and then having to buy tech gear again later.
Between the time they took to help me pick gear, the mega sale, and taking the classes through the shop (Mike and Laura were my instructors) it was the best customer service experience. In short, I learned so much, made some good connections for diving later, AND it saved me a ton of money. Brilliant.

I’m not sure why Diver Dan’s gets so many poor reviews. I did my class/​pool work for my open water diver certification and had a great experience. Diver Dan’s has their own pool, great selection of equipment, and flexible scheduling availability. In fact, I was the only student in the class and they didn’t cancel the class — this meant a lot to me, since I did my ocean dives in Catalina Island the weekend after.
My instructor was CHRIS LATAM and he was fantastic. Chris is patient, professional, and thoughtful. I highly recommend learning from Chris if you can.
When I had to buy my gear, MIKE gave me some great advice. In fact, I ended up returning gear I had bought at another shop (Aqua Discovery) because they didn’t fit as well (fins, boots, gloves).
The only reason I don’t give 5 stars is because of the prices. I paid $ 370 + gear ($ 400) for 1 weekend of pool/​class open water certification. If I chose to do my entire class at PCH in Los Angeles, it would have cost $ 500 for BOTH WEEKENDS and I’d only be required to buy mask /​snorkel ($ 150), and it included accommodation on Catalina Island, ferry, and the PADI book /​materials. I know other bay area dive shops are also expensive, but Diver Dan’s was the most expensive.

Honestly… They have everything I needed. But they are pretty pricey for example… I own a wetsuit and its brand new, I bought it in Santa Cruz for $ 120.00 and I found the same exact wetsuit here at diver dans for $ 280.00 so I could only imagine how cheap the stuff is they sell if they did that to a wetsuit.
For the service, they lag in giving you attention and have very boring personalities as if they don’t care but they still will answer your questions. For example… I walked in and looked around and sat in theses chairs and waited for someone for like 17 mins until a guy came up and said «you guys doing fine?» as if I was helping myself… But in the end I got what I wanted and needed.