Here are three reasons you should choose Pro Scuba Dive Center to get certified, even if there are closer shops to you. 1. NAUI. The three most popular certification agencies are PADI, SSI, and NAUI. All three, and others, are recognized worldwide. NAUI's training is known to be the most thorough of the big three. NAUI is a non-profit, so they're not interested in certifying as many divers as possible just because it's their business model. PADI is the largest certification agency, but to be blunt they're just not respected. If you look in the right places, you'll find tons of memes making fun of PADI. Not so with NAUI and SSI. Some PADI divers are excellent, but many are not. NAUI will more likely make you a good diver. I'd be reluctant to dive with a random PADI buddy who got certified at a resort, but I'd be much more confident buddying up with someone from NAUI. An analogy: Supercuts gives tons of haircuts, but if you really want something nice you'll probably book a stylist in a salon. You can't go wrong with NAUI. If you cut corners and go elsewhere, you'll probably be jealous of NAUI divers who have better training than you. 2. Scubapro. Pro Scuba Dive Center is a Scubapro Platinum shop. This means they specialize in that one brand. Luckily, Scubapro is a premium brand and you can't go wrong with it. There are other premium brands, and you can get by with non-premium brands too. However, if you're the kind of person who wants high-end equipment, Scubapro should be on your short list. Bonus: the rental gear you use in your class will be Scubapro. Other shops probably won't rent you stuff this good. 3. David and Cheryl. These folks just love diving, love talking about diving, and they really care about the state of the industry. They have high standards and want to do things the right way. Their shop is clean and orderly. They take good care of their rental equipment. They're wonderful people. Bonus: the shop has Corgis! Don't wait until the last minute before a vacation to get certified. That will limit your options. Get certified 6 months in advance and you'll have the best experience. read more

Pro Scuba Dive Center - They have Corgis! - Scuba Diving Near Me - Scotts Valley, California

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My husband and I purchased snorkel gear at the Pro Scuba Dive Shop. During our trip to Hawaii we had some user errors with the gear. This time before we left for Hawaii we visited Dave and his wife and they kindly fit us again for our snorkel gear. Turns our were wearing it a little too tight and causing leaks and discomfort. Thankfully, on our last snorkel trip to Hawaii we had a much better experience. Thank you guys! read more

As a first time scuba diver I could not have asked for a more professional, experienced, knowledgeable and patient instructor. Dave and his wife Cheryl run a top of the line shop and provided us with the highest quality rental equipment since literally all we had were swim suits and flip flops! Over the Christmas break they took two novices from the classroom to the pool to Monterey Bay. They gave us private and individual instruction and were very accommodating to our holiday schedules. I felt like I got five star top quality instruction supported by state of the art scuba equipment. This is a rare and fabulous combination. I cannot believe both how much I learned and how much fun I had doing so. At all times I felt safe and I understood how to use and maintain the fabulous Scuba Pro equipment. Two thumbs up! If you want to know how to snorkel, scuba or skin dive, check out Pro Scuba. I should add that I came from the SF Bay Area. The drive was well worth it! read more

If you are looking for your scuba needs, or you are looking to be a diver, or you want to go travel someplace awesome to dive, stop here first. Best little dive shop I've found. read more

Very unsatisfied with lack of ethics and professionalism. Brought my BC in to have checked and when I came back to get it 4 months later, they charged me 240.00 and said it will not be able to be fixed or used. I then went to the place in Monterey that Dave said they sent it to and they said a. They would never charge for something that cannot be fixed and then they fixed it right there on the spot in 5 minutes. No charge. Super disappointed in this dive shop. Sorry guys. You need to step it up. Taking advantage of customers is no way to do business!! read more

Well, this will be interesting, given all the five-star reviews & all. We'll definitely be back for another try. I mean, how much better can it get to have a full service SCUBA shop right here in Scotts Valley? But have you ever visited a small town restaurant or bar as an out-of-towner? Everyone's nice & all, but there's this thing that happens whenever one of the local regulars walks in...suddenly you're invisible. We dropped in to buy booties, gloves, anti-fog gel and maybe a few other items. Oh, and with hopes we could get our regulators inspected in time for a 1/25 departure for PVR. The owner was just wrapping-up with a customer and soon greeted us warmly. Since there was an offer of a store tour and no one else around, we happily tagged along. Great shop, lots of services and goodies. We were impressed. Just then, some regulars dropped in, the owner excused herself and wouldn't you know. We got dropped like a couple of taters fresh out of the oven. Now, we don't consider ourselves to be high maintenance shoppers or attention hogs, just good customers. And new ones at that. Not knowing how long the regulars would be, given the equipment they walked in with, we decided five minutes of cordial rudeness was as much as we were willing to accept. So we let ourselves out and headed home. Later tonight, I'll give Amazon a try. read more

For gear, for instruction, for arranged boat dives, Pro Scuba Dive Center is the organization for experienced and attentive service. My daughter completed her scuba certification with Pro Scuba and prepared her well for a diving vacation. They are also a great help to veterans with questions about the latest gear. read more

I rarely write reviews, except when it's really warranted in one direction or another. I cannot say enough great things about Dave, Cheryl land the shop. I recently completed a scuba certification program here after searching all over the peninsula for what appeared to be the best fit. Dave and Cheryl are incredibly knowledgeable about the sport, safety, technical components, and products/gear. Dave was so patient with my questions during class, demo of skills, and practical how-to's. I was surprised to read a review about an "outsider" feeling ignored for a regular customer, because I genuinely felt so welcomed into the shop from the first time I came by to pick up gear to finishing the course and wanting to join the trips and day trips. As someone who gets paid for my billable time, I am in awe of how much of their time Dave and Cheryl give to each of us, (outside of the classes) just so we can learn and feel included. I've run into other divers who use the shop for rentals, and even those people were incredibly nice, and offered to include me in a group chat for dive meet-ups. This speaks volumes to the type of community Dave and Cheryl foster. Anyways, if you need a class, gear, or a cool group of people to dive with, I highly recommend the Pro Scuba Dive Center. PS- there are also floofy dogs at the shop, and that is the icing on the cake. read more

Had a very helpful visit, nice people with good advice, Dave took the time to make sure I was fitted correctly. When I asked what else I would probably need Cheryl had several very useful suggestions. Overall a great experience. read more

Great shop from my hometown! It is a family owned business as a plus. They create a community and not just a store. They have a free scuba club that meets every month with a potluck and guest speakers. When I went, the speaker was a professional photographer and also talked about using a rebreather to help get closer without scaring the animals. They have monthly scuba club dives locally that are free unless you want to rent equipment from them. They also had a 4th of July party to watch the town parade because their store is located right by the route. All of these opportunities help you meet other scuba divers in the area and foster a unique sense of community that I haven't found at any other dive shop. I wish I hadn't moved away. And they have an awesome dog! read more

Dave and Cheryl area a wealth of diving knowledge! We got certified with them, have gone on multiple dive trips with them, and bought all our gear from them. They really go out of their way to make you feel safe and taken care of, thoroughly answer any and all questions, and are fun to be around. Their shop is immaculate and has a great selection of the highest quality gear - important when your life literally depends on it! They also make it a priority to foster community between divers. Highly recommend Pro Scuba. read more

Best dive shop in the Bay Area. They treat every customer like family. They are very knowledgable and really care about their customers. Both my children learned to dive from David and they are excellent divers as result of his excellent instruction. I highly recommend Pro Scuba Center for anyone who wants a professional dive shop. read more

My husband and I did a pool refresher course with David to get ready to dive in Hawaii.  Being teachers, we recognized excellence in teaching quickly. David's instructions were very clear, he had an encouraging manner, and he didn't give up on us when we were a little awkward! It was clear that he was listening to us so we were able to push past any difficulties. Also, his observations of our skills were accurate. That made it much easier to correct our mistakes and progress more quickly. All in all, the experience was fun and valuable. read more

I took my beginner scuba diving class here and am very happy with everything in the process of certification. Very good instruction and they teach in a way that makes it easy to ask stupid questions if you need to. Very thorough, I was confident when it was time to go into the ocean. I'm already signed up for my advanced class and looking forward to completing many more courses after that. I highly recommend Pro Scuba Dive Center Scotts Valley. read more

Dave and Cheryl are friendly and extremely helpful.

I had the best experience buying my drysuit here and receiving pool instruction from David. He really takes on the responsibility of ensuring his customers are well informed and safe. He is a patient, thorough, and entertaining instructor. I'm so grateful to have had such a great experience as I embark on my new cold water adventures! read more

My favorite dive shop. Welcoming, inviting, supportive, advanced - all types are welcome at this shop. Super knowledgeable folks.

It's THE BEST dive shop around the Bay Area (Monterey Bay included). This is the kind of dive shop that I will introduce to family members or beloved friends. After not diving for eight years since I got certified, I took a refresher class with them and it was such a wonderful experience. To highlight: - Amazing owners and instructors. Dave and Cheryl are wonderful people, experienced, kind and welcoming. - They genuinely care about diving and their students instead of being like some other dive shops that just want to sell you things! - High quality classes with the best practice and a great instructor to student ratio (1 on 1 for refresher classes) - Their rental equipments and things they carry in the shop are all top-quality. - Dave ensured that I had refreshed the essential skills and gained good control before we went to the ocean. I felt confident, well-prepared and safe during the entire time. As a result, I really enjoyed my refresher dive and saw lots of cool creatures (even encountered an otter under the water! ) - Every one of their dive club members I met are just amazing people. I enjoy talking to and getting to know every single one of them. - Family friendly Last but not lease, my $300+ prescription dive mask bought in an Austin dive shop broke under the water during my first refresher ocean dive. Dave was right next to me paying close attention to me and my mask at the whole time so I felt very safe during the entire time. We communicated under the water, performed a safe ascent just as we practiced in the pool. Afterwards, Dave and Cheryl find out the exact issue with my old mask (it was not only broke but also was very badly fitted on my frame. I was unaware of how bad the fit was until Dave and Cheryl found it out, as the employee at the Austin dive shop that sold me the mask claimed the mask was just right for me. As a result, the mask was indeed dangerous and put me under high risk under the water). Dave and Cheryl helped me to fit a new mask and it felt completely different and so much better than my previous mask. It's a life-changer. I thank Dave and Cheryl deeply for this. Now I joined their dive club so that I can go diving with these wonderful people on a monthly basis. I also signed up their advanced scuba diving class so that I can explore new places. Thanks, Dave and Cheryl! You guys are THE BEST! read more

I finally took the plunge to get my Open Water NAUI certification. Pro Scuba Dive Center had been recommended to us by other divers at UC Santa Cruz. Cheryl took a lot of time to help us get the right gear and didn't try to oversell us. David was extremely patient and thorough as a teacher. Plus he was fun and had a sense of humor, which was a plus. You could ask him at any time to repeat instructions, and he would repeat them with the same thoroughness as the first time he said them (and the second and third and fourth time, as needed). He never lost his patience or made you feel like you were in the wrong for asking. When I said I needed more time and asked to take something slowly, he gave me the space to take it more slowly. On the ocean dives, I ended up having some trouble controlling my buoyancy. A less reputable place might have looked the other way and just passed me anyway--with the result that I could have ended up in a dangerous situation. In the moment, I was kind of discouraged, but David followed up right away to set a new training date and was confident I would learn the skills. And I did! I really benefited from the extra time and one-on-one instruction. As a result, I feel confident in my abilities as a new diver. If you want thorough training that will make you a safe, responsible diver, I highly recommend Pro Scuba Dive Center. Plus, corgis. You'll see what I mean when you get there. read more

Pro Scuba Dive Center is definitely the best place to get any type of certification for scuba diving. I live in Santa Cruz, and my husband got me a gift card to get my advanced certification for diving at Aqua Safaris. The whole experience with Aqua Safaris was very unprofessional. Every time I went in, it seemed like there was a young, different staff member just trying to make a sell. Some of the staff were knowledgeable and most were not. To make a long story short, when I finally had my advanced certification with Aqua Safaris, I had less confidence in myself than when I started with them. After feeling like I had lost my confidence for scuba diving, I started to look around for another dive shop to gain my confidence back, and that's when I found Pro Scuba Dive Center. It may have been just a little further away for me, but that was the best place. When I first went to the shop, Dave showed me around their shop showing me where you are able to wash off all of your dive equipment in the wash bins outside, he showed me where they fill all of their tanks, he showed me where they teach their dive classes and he showed me where they do repairs on some of the equipment. I informed Dave that I needed my confidence for diving back, and Dave and Cheryl being so knowledgeable, they answered every question I had. I ended up re-taking the advanced certification class with them, but now I have the excitement back with me to keep on diving!!! Dave and Cheryl have such a great dive shop. They are not there to just try and sell you things. They want you to be the best driver you can be, and to have the confidence to be a strong and safe scuba diver. Thank you both for everything you have done for me!!!! You always be my number one dive shop!!! read more

Pro Scuba is the most professional dive shop and school anywhere in The Monterey Bay area. All of their equipment is top of the line .The staff has many decades of dive experience an they are friendly to talk to . Pro Squca makes me feel like Im speaking to family , not salsas persons. Join the SCUBA Squad dive club and make life time friends. read more

This scuba shop and NAUI training facility is outstanding! Dave, Cheryl and their team are thoughtful, encouraging and excellent instructors. My 15 year old daughter and I did the basic training together. It was exciting, challenging and rewarding! I highly recommend learning to scuba dive, and if you do, go with Pro Scuba! read more

Very nice couple that owns the shop, I have been a few times to buy things for my son and they are always extremely friendly and helpful. My son took lessons there and really enjoyed it, and still goes back to rent gear. Great little local shop with good selection and very high quality rental gear! read more