Dive shop for gear in fort lauderdale

[Dogbowl]

Can anyone recommend some good dive shops in fort lauderdale area to buy gear with lots of selection and sizes available, where applicable? I'm thinking big box store if there is such a thing for dive gear. We're new divers and are looking to get geared up, so looking for masks, fins, snorkels, wetsuits, bcds, regulators, cameras, etc. You name it, we need it. We're also looking for great prices. We're flying into fort lauderdale and will rent a car. Thx!

 

[WeldonDowd]

Divers Direct

 

[Sik_Z33]

Sounds like your describing Divers Direct. If your buying all your gear at once feel free to try and negotiate additional discounts for buying all your gear there. They will almost always take off a percentage if you buy complete sets of gear from them. I purchased most of my gear from other places but it's my go-to shop for air fills and accessories like mouth pieces, defog, triptone, etc.

Find Scuba Gear and Diving Gear at the World's Largest Scuba Equipment and Dive Equipment Retailer!

 

[TonyErnst13]

DD has the largest selection in the area.

 

[Dogbowl]

Thanks, everyone, for the recommendation!

 

[floridanewbe]

How about gold coast scuba in Lauderdale by the Sea? Locally owned and operated, super guys, great prices, personalized customer service. Plus the diving off shore is awesome

 

[guyharrisonphoto]

I would also recommend Divers' Discount. It has a very large selection of gear and is run by very experienced divers. Prices are excellent.

If you want a more traditional dive shop as your source, I would recommend Force-E. They have 3 locations. Again, they give good prices especially of you get all of your gear from them. Staffed and owned by experienced divers and instructors. You will get great advice from them as to different gear alternatives. Honestly, if you are new divers, I would go to Force E. Even if you paid slightly more (and there is no guarantee they will be more expensive), the advice you get would be invaluable. They might also be able to hook you up with rental or demo gear so you can actually use what you are thinking about buying. As an example, the last time I was at force E was returning a tank after a night dive. The shop had been "closed" for an hour, but the guy selling cameras was still going over with his customer every operation of the Sea Life system he had sold hours earlier when I was picking up the tank before the dive. That just can't be beat.

 

[grantwiscour]

Divers Direct usually gets our business when in FLL. Mostly because they are a big box with good prices. Well they used to seem like a "Big" place with lots of inventory until I found out about Scuba Toys...now I know about a big inventory. But I digress.

In my experience some of the folks at DD weren't divers or didn't know much about it. They were kind of like Target cashiers. They did have a Dive Trainer or something like that on staff for questions. It was a bit weird to us that everyone there wasn't a diver but oh well.

I am FB friends with Force E on Pompano. These folks seem to have it really going on. Lots of group dives at Blue Heron Bridge and other spots. If I needed some questions answered when I was buying my gear I would check with them. My guess is that Force E is competitive on their pricing.

 

[Scubadreaminn]

Divers Direct is a BIG box store and they have decent prices. But that is what they are in the business of doing, selling gear. I go in to look around while I am in the area, however if I see something I like, I will pick it up from a smaller store (Steve @ Gold Coast Scuba rocks as well as Kathy in the Pompano Force E) as they are in the business of diving. The smaller shops don't need a wide range of gear as they sell what works for them and their customers diving style. Want to TEC dive? Talk to DDA over at Fill Express.

If you don't have a lot of experience diving, I would suggest that you rent some different gear and try it out first before dropping a lot of $$ on a setup.

 

[diversteve]

Divers Direct

What he said...it's also 2 mins. south of the FLL airport on the same freeway. Griffin Rd. is the 1st street south of the FLL airport.

Your Fort Lauderdale scuba diving store is conveniently located right next door to Outdoor World in Sportsman's Park on I-95 at Griffin Road.

Nice store, they've got a lot of everything. We spend time (and $$) there every time we fly thru FLL.