I would like to update my review for Bamboo Reef following their response to my earlier complaint about price gauging and poor customer service. Earlier this year, my partner fell violently ill before his pool sessions and when we reached out to understand our options we were met with very impersonal treatment. However, after the kind response from the owner - thank you, it meant a lot! - our experience was dramatically different. The new price to reschedule pool sessions was $150, which felt much more reasonable. I appreciate the center for taking the feedback seriously. While my additional purchase/rental costs concern remains, my partner had a pleasant and educational learning experience during his weekend pool sessions at Bamboo Reef. He found his instructor to be candid and thorough. We are grateful a diving school exists in the city. read more

Suddenly closed down and ran off with everyone's money. I've been calling and emailing for the past few weeks, but there has been no response. read more

Update: My husband contacted the Dive Shop a couple months ago after receiving the owner's reply here on Yelp. We were hoping they would make this right and instead they basically told us to get lost. We asked to speak to the owner and the "manager" told us that he had directly spoken to the owner and he would be happy to "look at" the dive watch, but they would not refund me for their negligent service. They also did not offer to pay for the repair or new battery/service. So how are they going to "make this right"? I'm not driving all the way to SF for some guy to "look at" my obviously flooded watch. Run far away from this shop unless you want your precious and expensive scuba gear damaged with no accountability. read more

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I've been hoping to get certified for a while, and I had a great experience at Bamboo Reef! Although it was quite expensive, scuba in general is an expensive hobby. The shop was helpful in answering all questions that came up, and my partner and I did the weekday pool classes from 6-10pm. Matt was our instructor, and he was super kind a knowledgeable! We completed our check out dive in Monterey, and also had a fantastic experience. We are looking forward to completing fun dives in the future! read more

I just finished my Open Water certification with Brian, Cam, and the team, and it was awesome! Brian and Cam were diligent during our pool and ocean training sessions, respectively, ensuring that our safety, comfort, and enjoyment were their first priority (not to mention how much I learned). I'd highly recommend the Open Water pool sessions followed by the Monterey session for your Open Water dive certification, When heading down to Monterey, the team takes care of everything for you and Cam even made sure that we had time to do some exploration after mastering our skills! Until next time! read more

I took my Open Water cert through Bamboo Reef. My instructor, Matt, was great. He was patient and took the time to explain skills thoroughly and make sure each of us was comfortable each step along the way. All the staff in Monterey were also very knowledgeable and friendly. Unfortunately, I had a very negative experience with the San Francisco staff regarding gear policies and refunds. When I arrived for my first Open Water cert class, the staff member told me I needed to buy gloves, boots, fins and a mask/snorkel. He helped me pick some out and told me I could return them after trying them in the pool as long as I never wore them in the ocean. After trying them in the pool, the gloves were way too big (I'd pointed that out when he fit me originally and he dismissed my concern) and the fins made my feet numb. My instructor told me I could return them by leaving them on the counter with a note requesting a refund since our class ended after the shop had closed. I did that. My plan was to buy new gear in Monterey when I did my open water dives because the SF staff had told me renting was not an option. Then in Monterey the staff told me renting actually was an option, so I did that instead. They gave me a refund on the boots but said I needed to do the refund for the fins and gloves through SF. I spoke on the phone twice with SF and both times they told me I'd been given incorrect information and could not return the gear. They said they'd get it sorted and call me back. They never did. I sent an email. No response. Then when I tried calling again, my calls would go directly to voicemail every time. Eventually I had to just file a dispute through my credit card company. Still awaiting resolution. Extremely disappointing to have such a negative experience. I'd love to do more certification classes and dives in the area, but this makes me really hesitant to go through them again. Wish I had listened to a previous review that said they care more about making money through any means possible than about customer experience. read more

Uggghhh this place is so bad. The instructor (Niko ) was an awful teacher. Impatient, gruff and overall unpleasant demeanor. Absolute garbage for $600+ Don't waste you time or money on this place like I did! read more

Bamboo Reef Scuba Diving Centers View all Bamboo Reef Scuba Diving Centers 4.7 (97) Small businessDive shop in San Francisco, CaliforniaOpen OVERVIEW REVIEWS PHOTOS ABOUT Reviews All certified21 pool15 ocean12 skills9 +6 Sort by Most relevant Newest Highest Lowest David Messerli 5 reviews Took scuba classes with Bamboo Reef to prepare for a vacation to Mexico. Started with classes in the pool at the San Francisco location and had Lexi for an instructor. Lexi was excellent, managed the group really well and answered all ... More Arpita Subash Tugave 8 reviews a week ago NEW This is my experience with open water certification with them- After two pool sessions(700$ value) they asked me to do more. The BCD they provided was bad, I did with a different BCD in Florida and had no issues. Feels like they just want ... More Sarah Local Guide·92 reviews·89 photos 2 months ago I had both Niko and Brian as instructors. They were great. It would have been nice to have a smaller class size than 6, but it worked. I'd highly recommend Bamboo Reef. I would also suggest considering waiting to sign up for the open water ... More Shaharil Makol Abdul Local Guide·39 reviews·2114 photos 2 years ago Did my open water pool session here and went down to Monterey for the ocean portion. I've had some issues with my diving education but a big shout out to Lexi for helping me get where I am today. They work around your schedule and ensure ... More David Messerli 5 reviews Took scuba classes with Bamboo Reef to prepare for a vacation to Mexico. Started with classes in the pool at the San Francisco location and had Lexi for an instructor. Lexi was excellent, managed the group really well and answered all questions. She took extra time with everyone who had any struggles. She really did a great job of preparing me for the ocean training and for future dives. I completed my ocean portion and was super fortunate to have the owner, Mark, as an instructor. I was a little nervous and he was super patient. Once we got going, I realized again that Lexi did a great job preparing me. Mark took me through all of the skills and then on a nice scenic dive. I highly recommend Bamboo Reef - the entire team was great to work with. read more

they had a huge selection of gear and got certified very quickly and made me feel comfortable I would 100% comeback also there is almost always something to watch on the TV read more

Took evening PPB class here with Megan. Super pleasant learning experience. I had a lot of anxiety coming into the class, but Megan was patient and made it relaxing. She gave both helpful feedback and encouragement -- and I learned a lot. The pool is outdoors yet heated-- and it felt relatively clean. Parking is a bit hard, as the location is close to the ball park, so budget your time for looking for parking.. read more

It's very sad that I just had to cancel my scuba class with them because they wouldn't rent out gears. It's very upsetting because I've been wanting to get my license for the past 8 years. And when I finally took the initiative and signed up with Bamboo Reef based on all the positive reviews, this happened. In order to get your SSI scuba license you need attend the schedule as followed: Weekend 1 - 1 hour orientation (sign up/pay) Weekend 2 - 1st dive, pool session Weekend 3 - 2nd dive - Open water (out in the ocean) After the orientation, Bamboo Reef staff aggressively trying to sell you snorkel, fins, boots, and masks. They rent out gears, however they don't rent out gears to people who take their class. They make them buy it to. I did my research and it seems like most, if not all scuba diving places do this type of business. It's a way to upsell and make more money. I called another diving rental location to rent gears so I can bring it in for my first pool session. The other business told me to just rent it from Bamboo but don't disclose that I'm using it for their class. I went to Bamboo Reef just 30 min ago to do exactly this. When I was talking to the staff and he was writing down all my sizes etc. About to rent it out to me he asked me how many days I want it to because they charge per day and I said I only need it for tomorrow (Saturdays pool session) and if it was ok to just leave the gear. He immediately stopped filling out the form and said they don't rent it out for people who take their class and I have to purchase my own gear with them because they want it to fit perfectly. I then talked to the owner and was very transparent. I told them I know this is a way of upselling and making more money. He did not deny it. I told him about how upset I was. I told them if I hadn't disclosed that I was renting it out for their class they wouldn't have known and would've rented out to me. The owner, of course, couldn't argue with this statement but everyone keep reiterating the importance of buying their gear so it perfectly fits them. So...... does it mean if you rent out gears you don't rent out gears that perfectly fits people? These logic itself are illogical and makes absolutely no sense. I was frustrated because they kept arguing with things that absolutely made no sense whatsoever. And saying "If you go to any other business they are all doing the same thing" doesn't really justify it. Only because everyone does it doesn't mean this is the correct way to do it. I can rent gears, but if it's for their class I have to purchase it? And they would rent it out to people if they don't know they're using the gear for their class? Absolutely nonsense. I still believe that they provide a good diving experience however they can't argue with the FACT that this business model itself is illogical and it absolutely makes no sense. In the end, I had to cancel the class and request a reimbursement because I wasn't feeling this anymore. Hopefully, I can get my scuba license somewhere soon someday. read more

I did my Freediving Instructor course with Brian and Nick from Bamboo Reef. I am blown away about the amount of growth and personal development I've gained from this experience. Not only are they exceptionally knowledgeable freedivers and teachers, they made me feel safe enough to challenge myself in a safe environment. I've beaten all of my personal bests and become familiar with skills, endurance, performing under pressure, and theory. I've gained a new appreciation for the discipline of freediving and have gotten "hooked". Most importantly, they created a great atmosphere in which it was easy to make friends. When not holding our breath, we shared great laughs - and that's the kind of thing that makes me want to look up their dive shop schedule and fly out to whatever they're running next (even though I live quite far away). I look forward to applying what I've learned. I also know they'll remain mentors and friends in my life for years to come. If anyone is on the fence regarding freediving training with Bamboo Reef - DO IT. It's one of the most rewarding things you can do for yourself. read more

Bamboo Reef Scuba Diving Centers - Finishing the Open Water component of our Freediving Instructor course - Scuba Diving Near Me - San Francisco, California

I got my open water certificate with Bamboo Reef. The pool sessions were in San Francisco, which was very convenient for me! The pool is heated so you will never feel cold even in SF. I drove down to Monterey for the 4 open water sessions over 2 days (weekends) with Mark. It was a very fun and informative learning experience! The school also offers a lot of beach/fun dives every months if you want to explore more of Monterey bay! read more

Bamboo Reef Divemaster Matt and staff were great. introduced us to our first coldwater diving and we loved it. We had a number of issues come up that day which we caused and everyone handled the situations calmaly and professsionally. We would definetely book with them again. read more

After seeing the owner's response to my review, I want to confirm that I was told by my instructor, Lexi, that they absolutely do not rent out anything. She was extremely belittling when I asked about being able to rent any equipment. She responded by telling me that this is a very expensive hobby to get into. read more

My daughter and I got scuba certified at Bamboo Reef and had an awesome experience. Devon led a class for all women, which I especially appreciate. She was fun, friendly and patient with us and made sure we mastered each skill when we did our pool days. Sadly, she was sick and not able to make our Ocean training days but she coordinated to have Matt step in and be our trainer and dive instructor for our Ocean dives in Monterey. He was also terrific. I highly recommend Bamboo Reef to help you get certified and select your gear! read more

Monterey Bay is one of the best dive sites in Northern California. And Bamboo Reef Scuba shop is one of the best dive shops in the area. They are well globally well known, they have been in the area for a really long time. So they have experienced divers. I did two dives. Both shore dives. So the drive from the shop was only a five minute drive. The water can be chilly especially once you get to about 15 meters deep. So I recommend a 7 millimeter wetsuit with booties and gloves. I did two dives within 4 hours. We saw the Kelp Forest, Tridium fields, and a half-eaten sun fish ("mola mola"). But the amazing thing to see are the old structures from cannery row, when Monterey was a busy fishing port. Just like it was described by John Steinbeck, in his book Cannery Row. I think the dive shop could use an upgrade. There is so much new equipment in the industry and it would earn my 5th star if they bought new equipment, painted the shop, sold go pro equipment, and offer new services. (E.g underwater photography services or start a dive club) The staff was extremely cool ... they have that California coastal vibe, but it's been the same since I started diving years ago. It would be great to see new services. But I'll be back again to check out more dive spots. read more

This place is a San Francisco gem. We went in for prescription goggles, which they created on the spot with their supply of lenses. They have snorkels, fins, masks and new and used wetsuits and rash guards. Plus, a full range of scuba gear. The two bulldogs that greet you add to the charm. read more

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My brother and I had been considering getting dive certified for a while, so we decided to go through Bamboo Reef, and I am SO glad we did. The staff were extremely helpful, knowledgable, and eager to teach. I went into this process with quite the fear of getting more than knee deep into the ocean, but I took the plunge and loved every second if it. The cove that we did the open water dives in was absolutely perfect for beginners. There were no huge, crashing waves like I'd envisioned haha, so I felt more comfortable getting into the water. The staff did a great job fitting us with the proper gear, making sure we were all safe and accounted for, and making us all feel like a part of the dive community. I'm looking forward to future dives with family, friends, and new friends I make along the way! -Andrea read more

Bamboo Reef Scuba Diving Centers - Scuba Diving Near Me - San Francisco, California

Dive pros - Had a great experience with Bamboo Reef (despite being in the middle of another Covid wave). In just a few short weeks, Mark and his team were able to lead my class through the online course, pool instruction, and multiple ocean dives to achieve our SSI Open Water Certification. I recommend Bamboo Reef to friends and would absolutely contact them again to advance my skills. read more

Amazing dive experience. I had not been diving since 2019 and Frank D. was an incredible instructor! He helped me ease back into diving. Limited visibility but Frank found tons of sea life to show us. The semi-dry suit was fantastic. I would definitely dive with this shop again. read more

FANTASTIC DIVE SHOP!!!!!! I came here w a group of friends for open water certification (and additionally dry suit for me) and could not be more impressed. Few factors: + By price, Bamboo Reef remains very competitive and fair. Never felt "upcharged" and no hidden fees. + LOVE THE STAFF / INSTRUCTORS!!!!! Paddy was my favorite but truly felt very comfortable and safe in the water. + Course is good and detailed. One session before the lessons, online course, 2 days in the pool, and then 2 days in Monterey. Left feeling safe, educated and most importantly excited about scuba diving!!!!! read more

Bamboo Reef Scuba Diving Centers - Scuba Diving Near Me - San Francisco, California

SCUBA DIVING ENTHUSIASTS (5 stars) I got scuba diving certified in October. It's time to start purchasing my equipment for future dives locally, overseas, and internationally. I'm petite so finding the right size equipment to fit my comfort is hard. Came here and met fellow divers, checked the board out, and just chat with those of the same interest. I learn a lot from the staff... They were very knowledgable discussion what to look for in regulators and BCDs and dive computers. I came in looking for the my mask and dive computers. Perfect fit. Bought the TechniSub Micro mask in black and pink (they didn't carry purple) for $90. Expensive but it's quality. Fits my small face frame, low volume, and double lens. Good for cold and warm water dives as I'll be doing both. Didn't get a dive computer, they looked too huge for my arm and hope to find one that fits my needs and comfort. I'll be back for my regulator!!! Let's dive \m/ read more

Bamboo Reef Scuba Diving Centers - Scuba Diving Near Me - San Francisco, California

This is my experience with open water certification with them- After two pool sessions(700$ value) they asked me to do more. The BCD they provided was bad, I did with a different BCD in Florida and had no issues. Feels like they just want to make money off of you. I got certified for half the price in Florida. And then they would not refund my ocean dives (250$) or schedule me for one. Also they are quite rude, I'd avoid this center. read more

I was recommended by many local people to bamboo reef for my diving certifications. I have now done both my open water and Nitrox training with Bamboo Reef and I can't say enough good things. Not only do they bundle as often as possible to make your diving experiences affordable but their staff is all around good vibes. So far I have had instruction from Mark, Devin, and Melanie. All instructors were knowledgeable, kind, and humorous. I have recently signed up for one of their travel dive trips and I can't wait to spend more time with this community. Thanks for making diving fun, Bamboo Reef! read more

Bamboo Reef Scuba Diving Centers - Scuba Diving Near Me - San Francisco, California

Very friendly staff and good experience dealing with Adam and Kory. I always wanted to get certified for SCUBA but never had the chance to pull the trigger. Just one day at work, my colleague mentioned Bamboo Reef to me and she highly recommended it. I decided to give a try. Everything went smooth until my first ocean session. I did not equalize my ear properly and it hurts a little. The instructor suggested I should wait for a couple of weeks to take the second session. Adam was also totally cool with it. I took my time to rest, then, unfortunately, the COVID-19 came with the SIP order. I almost forget I was not certified until November (half a year passed). I called them and they were able to pull my record quickly. No problem at all! They gave me another two ocean session without extra charge! As always, the sessions went smooth and my instructor Kory was super cool. The students have to wear 5mm gloves and still feel a little bit cold. However, Kory was totally fine with a bare hand for a two-hour dive! It's my first time writing such a long review. I would highly recommend them and SCUBA diving has so much fun. read more

I found this place & went to check it out . Very knowledgeable staff . I'm going to Honduras for a month to complete my Dive Masters Certification. I hadn't dove in awhile because of Covid 19 . I was a touch rusty with the lingo . But rest assured they made me feel comfortable. I bought a dive watch that will sync with the new titanium regulator. It will alert me as to how much oxygen I have plus much more . I also bought mask which they sent out to have my eye prescription put in . So I can see ! These are specially items that cost bucco bucks . But they have a pool , trips , gear & much more . Check them out . read more

Bamboo Reef Scuba Diving Centers - Up coming trip - Scuba Diving Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I took the open water class with Lexi and it was incredible! Lexi was extremely knowledgeable and I ended the pool course feeling confident heading to the ocean dives. Lexi was patient, kind and a top tier instructor. Every employee at bamboo reef has been patient and willing to help when you go in to buy gear. Thank you to everyone at this shop!!!!! read more

This has nothing to do with their training which may be Ok and everything to do with their unethical cancellation policy. They signed me up for a refresher Open water course and took my money over the phone and made an appt . fo r a one day course, then afterwards sent the medical release form. I have been diving since 1987 but now due to uncontrolled high blood pressure plus that fact that Kaiser no longer signs ANY medical release forms for this type activity, I was not able to get medical permission to do the course. That took over a week to find this out. You would expect these folks to be reasonable and just refund the money as there is no way I could ever take the course. But their unethical cancellation policy is such that did not allow for a refund only a re-schedule, which doesn't apply in my case anyway. So they just kept the money. And now I'm out $ 225 and have received no services. Never even spoke to any of the instructors or people in charge. Lesson: ** Buyer Beware- be sure you get your medical release form signed off before you hand over any money to these folks. Most swim and dive places I've dealt with get the medical form signed off first, BEFORE taking any deposits. read more

Got part of my certification and following refresher here! Just a small outdoor pool in the middle of SOMA, friendly & professional staff. They offer group classes and privates for those that need a bit more attention & patience (me). My only complaint is that we were required to buy our own goggles and fins (pricey), and after years of diving later, I've not come across another dive shop that requires this, nor have I ever brought my own fins on holiday when it's more convenient to just rent. Message me if you want to rent / borrow mine & save both of us some monies! read more

My boyfriend and I booked with Bamboo Reef to get SCUBA certified. The pool days were great with limited capacity for COVID safety measures. We just did our ocean checkout dives with Kory this past weekend. On our last dive my boyfriend injured himself before he could properly descend, and Kory and Chris were great at getting him to shore safely. Kory let me know we'd have to complete our last checkout dive at a later date. While disappointed that I wouldn't get certified that day, it means that Bamboo Reef take things seriously and want to make sure their students are 100% prepared before being certified. I'll definitely be joining them for a boat dive in the near future (once my certification is complete). read more

I've always wanted to get scuba certified and I finally did it! Before anything, I'd like to say 1) You should be doing this for yourself; not because someone made you do it 2) Be in a fairly good shape, and 3) Be ready to spend at least $1,000. 1) In Class and Pool Time ($507.87) I signed up for a weekend class (8 people in the class/ 9am - 6pm) online and went to a mandatory orientation class a week before my actual class. The orientation itself answered a lot of my questions. Before attending the the weekend class, be sure to finish your online study material. Yes, there will be a quiz to test your knowledge. If you studied and paid attention, you will pass. You will be fitted for a wetsuit during the first day of the class (I wore an one-piece bathing suit underneath). I can assure you that putting on a wetsuit is nothing like how awesome it looks on Keanu Reeves in Point Break :( It's tight and it's a total body workout itself! The class can get a bit overwhelming but I really enjoyed it and actually couldn't wait for my class on Sunday. 2) Equipment ($260) Yes, they do ask you to purchase a mask, a snorkel, fins, dive booties, and gloves (if doing Open Water Certification in Monterey). They offer package deals and I chose the mid-range package. I also purchased a mesh bag for all my equipment on Amazon ($35). Honestly, I totally understand why they ask you to buy these. Nothing kills a good experience faster than having some ill-fitted gears! I truly felt this way when I was doing my Open Water Certification in Monterey. 3) Open Water Certification in Monterey ($115.50) You are purely paying for the equipment rental. I believe you have about 30 to 45 days after completing the class to finish the Open Water Certification. Otherwise, you will need to take a Refresher course. I scheduled my Open Water Certification with them via Email. You will receive a confirmation Email with what to do and where to meet. I was lucky to have the same instructor for both my class in SF and for my Open Water dives. I thought it was way better than having a new instructor that I was not familiar with. It's a beach/ shore entry so carrying all the weights was not fun. My Open Water Certification only had 4 people so everything went pretty fast! We saw an otter mom with a pup as well! On Monday, you will need to return all the equipment and you will receive your actual certification card! 4) Hotel ($300) I got a hotel from Friday to Sunday for the Monterey Open Water Certification. I brought my dog with me so had to stay about 10 minutes away from the diving site. The driving was not bad because the class starts really early in the morning. If you don't have a pet, I'm pretty sure you can get something closer and cheaper. Overall, I had a great time! I cannot stop looking at my certification card! I think it was totally worth the money as getting certified somewhere else, except in Asia, would have cost more. Also being able to brag that you got certified in Monterey is priceless. Everyone at the shop (Monterey location, too!) was super friendly and helpful. I loved my instructor (Paddy). He was funny and will make sure you understand everything before you leave. I am just really, really happy that I did it! If you have any questions, send me a message and I will be more than happy to answer them! read more

Bamboo Reef Scuba Diving Centers - Took my dog with me! - Scuba Diving Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I rarely write reviews but I have an amazing time with Bamboo Reefs! They truly made me feel comfortable and instilled confidence with the skills prior to our ocean dives. Brian was so calm/patient and made us feel so safe. I can't thank him enough for teaching me and Jade!! This is your sign to sign up for scuba! It's a great place! *this was for open water course** read more

Went here for our first cold water dive. My husband and I are both DMs, but only done tropical dives. This shop is fantastic!! Very professional, knowledgeable, high end/quality equipment rentals, friendly and very enthusiastic about diving. Adam was a wonderful person to dive with, he shared lots of helpful info and made our day great. We will be back ASAP :) read more

Bamboo Reef Scuba Diving Centers - Scuba Diving Near Me - San Francisco, California

I completed my Open Water Certification here with Melanie this past weekend. I took two weekend courses back to back, one in the pool and one at San Carlos beach in Monterey. If you want to book them back to back I suggest booking them at the same time, as the classes get filled up. From the website it was a little confusing that I had to book the Monterey checkout dive separately from the certification course, but after I called them I figured it out. I also bought all my equipment through bamboo reef; I think their prices are fair, especially with the student discount, and I liked that I could swap my fins for different ones if they didn't fit well after the pool days. The pool days are rigorous! Every day, you do classroom work for the first 3 hours, then you get a break for lunch before going into the pool for the next 3 hours. Honestly I was kind of apprehensive about scuba diving at first (I made the mistake of reading the Scuba Diving Deaths page on Wikipedia), but Melanie and the SSI program really made me feel like I was well-trained and ready to handle myself in the open ocean! We practice so many life-saving drills (that we hopefully will never need to actually use) over and over again, first in the pool and then in the ocean, until it kind of just feels like muscle memory. I still have a lot of work to do to actually be good at diving, but thanks bamboo reef and Melanie for helping me build me a good foundation for my diving adventures! read more

Took my open water certification with Alex (aka Lexi). I did the weekday courses over 2 weeks for 4 nights total and liked that I had the spaced out time to really let the info and practice sink in. Alex is an amazing instructor and a bit of a perfectionist; this meant all our gear was pre-selected and out waiting for us each night so there was never any confusion around which station was mine to set up. Instructions were very clear and thorough, and Alex was extremely patient with each of us. I also appreciate that Bamboo Reef has a list of other dive shops and tour groups they approve of so I can always check in when traveling to see who they recommend. Even though I have since completed my courses, they continue to be a great resource to me and I regularly refer my friends to them. It might also be worth noting that I did an unconventional process during my time here. I completed my SSI open water course here though I asked to transfer out to PADI for my exit dive which I did in a different location than in Monterey. Bamboo Reed went above and beyond to assist me in this complicated ask and I greatly appreciate their efforts. I plan to return in the near future for my dry suit and altitude courses. read more

Great Dive shop for purchase, rental, trips and classes. I've taken classes here before and they were knowledgeable and experienced teachers! Also have taken trips down to Monterey (guess ill leave a review for that store as well) and had the same experience there. Great stuff all around. The sales pressure is nice and low when you go to the store, they will let you know what they think about gear (even gear they dont sell) quite honestly but don't try to close sales as hard as some others dive shops I've been to. Which in turn makes me more likely to actually buy things in the store. Another nice thing is that if a piece you buy from them breaks (like the zipper on my wetsuit did at the Monterey night dive last weekend) they will take care of the warranty process for you and let you use a replacement piece free of charge (if available). My Dive lead/teacher actually hopped in his own car and grabbed a suit for me after hours from the store. Clutch move, otherwise it would have been a dry night for me and quite a bummer on my birthday diving weekend! A+ can recommend highly! read more

Dave was a great leader. The dive was really good. If you are nervous about diving in cold water don't. The equipment is pretty tired. My suit had a large rip in the seat and one of my gloves also had a hold in it. The water temp was 58 degrees! Check the equipment closely. read more

I can't say enough good things about this shop. Bamboo reef is the place to go for anyone looking to get certified or is in need of scuba gear. My schedule is tight working as a chef in the city so I did the private lessons with Mark as my instructor. I was blown away. Mark was very patient and accommodative to my schedule. Zoom sessions super early in the morning before work and pool/ocean sessions on my days off, Mondays and Tuesdays. Working with him one on one in the pool and in the ocean really helped me learn every skill and build confidence in the water. Safety was very important to Mark and we were really able to hammer down the necessary skills to become a certified diver. As for the teams in both the SF and Monterey stores, really great and knowledgeable people. There was no pressure at all with buying equipment as they really tried helping me get the best deal possible with only the gear that I needed. They even let me try on a few different set of fins in the pool after not feeling comfortable in the first set I bought. Ended up going with the atomic split fins. Really great fins. The student discount is a plus on top of their already competitive prices. Bamboo reef also hosts fun dives throughout the month and have dive trips out to destination places a few times a year. I definitely recommend and look forward to future dives with these guys and buying more scuba equipment from their stores. Thank you Mark and Bamboo Reef for being awesome! read more

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I scuba dived with Bamboo Reef last week and had a wonderful time. Our Dive Master Dave was so kind, knowledgeable, and made me feel safe and taken care of the entire time. It was a gorgeous day and we had a beautiful couple of dives. Thank you Dave and Bamboo Reef Scuba! read more