Grand Cayman Dive Shop Recommendation?

[basketcase]

I just got back on Friday from the grand Cayman. I took my openwater courses at Off the Wall Divers, they're out of the Lobster Pot dive center with 2 other dive ops and are AWESOME! They had brand new BCDs, literally got them in a few days before I arrived. My instructor Tavia was AWESOME (with a cute south african accent to boot LOL). I will most definitely be diving with them again when I return next year and taking my 10 y/o for his certification course with Tavia

 

[Disturbo]

Yep. Steve Surry and Co at Divers Down. Tops.

 

[CelticLady]

With out a doubt, Ocean Frontiers is one of the best on the Island. I have been out with Steve many many times. Small groups, boat is a multihull with very shallow draft and can navigate to places others can not go. They take novice divers but is more suitable for the experienced divers looking for something different. Most diving is off East End where there is still pristine conditions. Ironshore formations are spectacular! Lots of rays, turtles, nursesharks, coral, etc. Crevice diving is awesome, lots of tunnels and caverns etc.
I don't have a comment on rental gear there because I have mine so don't really pay attention to that but they do lessons so I know they have gear available.
Have fun!

 

[morecowbells]

I just came across this thread and it has been quite helpful. We will be in GC in Oct. diving with Dive Tech as well. I too am concerned about the quality of their rental gear after reading a report on Undercurrent which crucified the quality of their rental gear. I see your points about dive ops not spending top $$ for rental gear. However, wouldn't the same be said about a local dive shop? I am curious about this since my LDS rental gear is far cheaper than Dive Tech. Plus Dive Tech seems to nickle and dime you on their rental gear. Eventually I would like to buy my own equipment but since I am newish to diving I want to get more experience with different equipment before commiting to gear that I end up hating down the road as my experience grows broader.

 

[DiverDoug]

Before I acquired a full diving rig, I rented a lot of stuff in GC. Now, it's always true that rental equipment is more used than your own, but that's the nature of the beast. I rented quite a lot from DiveTech, and found the euipment to be serviceable, if not flashy. Aside from losing weight packets from the integrated BCD back in 2001 and having a rental camera fill with water in 2003 [they didn't charge me for either loss], no problems at all. DiveTech is a reliable outfit, that takes diving and diver safety seriously. If I had to rent, I wouldn't hesitate renting from DiveTech.

I have rented regs from Sunset Divers and Ocean Frontiers [East End], and again, had no problems at all. Also rented a digital camera from Ocean Frontiers, which worked fine, except for a not-so-powerful battery that gave out by the end of the 2 dives.

In terms of actual dive shops, Diver's supply and Diver's World on the West Side are the two biggest. I prefer Diver's Supply for no other reason that the staff has been friendlier the various times I have been in the shops. They have also helped me out on various minor equipment glitches, usually without charging.

One time, I found that I had lost the rubber manifold on my Mares Abyss reg. While Diver's Supply didn't have a replacement, they suggested I contact DiveTech at Turtle Farm to see if it had come off the previous day when I had been diving there. They even called up the DiveTech shop for me! Even if it had come off in the water, and someone found it, and turned it in to the dive shop, I didn't exptect it to still be there almost 24 hours later. Sure enough, someone had turned in the mainfold and it was sitting there at the shop wating for me when I got there.

I LOVE Grand Cayman!

 

[bornabolt]

I have had some good experiences with Ocean Frontiers on the east end. Truthfully I do not remember the "quality" of rental gear there, but have enjoyed diving with them. If oyu have doubts about going to Cayman and waiting to rent gear there, iand if you cannot afford to buy your own, maybe rent from your local dive shop and take it with you.
Gear I've rented in Cayman is 10X better than places in mexico/cozumel ugh.

 

[worlddiver]

My family has been diving with Divetech for many years and I have to say that their rental ScubaPro gear has been in excellent condition. They also are the only dive shop with any size rental tank, kids 50 cu.ft. to my brother needing 100's. They even provided free dive computer rental for my whole family.

DiveTech is a reliable outfit, that takes diving and diver safety seriously. If I had to rent, I wouldn't hesitate renting from DiveTech.

 

[Phil O]

Another vote for Oceanfrontiers - I've dived with them many years and they go from strength to strength. You can also stay at Compass Point which are good quality condos run by Oceanfrontiers.

And the diving on the East End is great

 

[jcondon26]

You are looking for Diver's Supply. It is located in the pink and white shopping mall on the right as you drive north on West Bay Road.

Dive Tech is a great outfit to dive with. I recommend them as a referral for students doing there ow cert dives in Grand Cayman.

 

[Caribbean Spring]

We four have been diving all over the Caribbean for 15 years, but we only go once a year, in the spring.

RENT: We only dive once a year, and want to avoid the maintence of owning a reg and tank. We also like to travel with only our carry-on luggage.
The regulators that dive shops rent get used every day, so they can be "beat up." The Dive Master on the boat from Sunset House fixed the sticking regulator the one time we ever had a problem. We are like sightseers underwater, and so find the crummiest fins are more than adequate. I mean, we are not practicing for competitive swimming.

OWN: Diving since 1985 myself, and since 1993 with family, we ended up buying four things.
1. Personal dive computers worn on the wrist. If you only buy one thing, ever, this should be it.
2. Our own wetsuits for personal taste/comfort.
3. BC vests for safety. As Rescue Divers and Master Scuba Divers, we believe that it is a safety issue to dive with a BC that has torn or missing buckles or weight systems. Also, it is safer to dive with a BC with which the diver and buddy are VERY familiar. (i.e. where is the extra reg hooked / how is it attached / how do I release your weights / where is your flashlight / how can I get this dang signaling device unhooked, since I can't see it/ and so on)
4. Prescription masks. Self-explanatory.

Rent gear, and dive with, shops that are recommended by your local dive shop, or that are endorsed by PADI or NAUI. A cheaper place that is unknown may not be the best idea. Diving safety is like driving - everybody who does it well appears to be casual about it, but there are dangers if one is careless. When deciding whether to buy or rent, think about what you personally need, rather than follow a list from a magazine or shop. How often will you dive, what do you know about the technical maintenance, and what are you willing to carry.

Hope this helps.