Tacoma SCUBA

"If your looking for high quality, safe, and community oriented dive shop Tacoma Scuba is for you. I’ve called Tacoma Scuba my dive shop for over 10 years and have had amazing adventures and expert guidance on gear and training. The owners are passionate about the sound and offer trips through the shop that are second to none. Stop in, you won’t be disappointed."

"Very helpful shop. Also has a good amount of inventory. Folks have always been friendly there the few times i have popped in, and are willing to entertain questions from a fairly new diver, and bounce ideas back and forth. Solid folks and good service. Never really fealt pressured to buy, or pushed towards brands they carry vs other brands. Usually if i make the trip to Tacoma, i end up with some new idea of something to save up for and snaps or clips to set things up in an improved way."

"This review is long because I want to cover exactly why this shop is above average in my personal experience. I am a beginner diver, but have already experienced several different scuba stores in my journey. Shops where teaching was attempted in a noisy back room while the instructor was simultaneously distracted by servicing tanks. Shops where it was deemed appropriate to take a boat out into a tropical storm for a beginner Open Water certification dive, because profit trumped comfort/safety. Shops where customers are treated as just another customer instead of as personal individuals worthy of retaining. I'm not saying they've all been bad, but just that I've become wary. So after having moved to this area, I knew what I did NOT want. I walked thru the doors of several shops around Puget Sound. For the most part, first impressions were more of the same cold, impersonal business. Including one where I literally walked up to the counter only to find the saleswoman was busy complaining to a friend over the phone about the stupidity of beginner divers, and I was made to wait until they finished their conversation. The difference walking in to Tacoma Scuba was night and day and ended my search on the spot. From the fun music playing on the radio to the fact that I got a high five at the end of that very first interaction ever, this shop has so much enthusiasm for the sport! They're overflowing with a willingness to share the fun. They host an abundance of social opportunities, especially during the summer, and seem genuinely interested in fostering laughter and comraderie​. On an even more important note, Tacoma Scuba's focus on safety has really shone throughout classroom content and casual conversations alike. It's a down-to-earth, very practical focus on safety. Lastly, I have to give kudos for amazing customer service skills. There's great eye contact throughout the staff when listening and giving answers. Even dumb questions are handled with respect. I have been consistently treated with patience despite bad habits like interrupting, and have witnessed random customers breeze in and out thru the door not following instructions and yet being treated with an equally high level of customer service. This is honestly the only dive shop in the Tacoma area I would recommend to a friend. Thanks for being so awesome Tacoma Scuba! :) Keep it up!"

"I don't usually do this but I really feel compelled to share my experience with everyone about this shop. I have been diving in this area for many years, since 1993. I have seen scuba shops come and go. In all those years of using dive shops I have never seen a shop as good as Tacoma Scuba. They are exceptionally good at customer and equipment service. They only carry quality dive gear. You will not see a low end piece of equipment in their store. That is important to me as scuba equipment is life support equipment. I have enjoyed joining in on their shop dives and having fun engaging in conversation just hanging out at the store. All around Tacoma Scuba has everything you need in a dive shop. From entry level beginner expertise on up to the advanced technical training and equipment. I use them because I know the job will get done right."

"The main problem with Tacoma Scuba is that they have set my expectations for gear selection, prices, training, equipment maintenance, and honest customer service unreasonably high. So much so that I am always frustrated when circumstances force me to do business at another shop. Joshua and Kalen, the owners, always seem genuinely interested in selling things they think would be best for my needs, not what brings in the bucks. Also, don't let the fact that they are Washington's premier deep mixed gas diving center make you think they aren't interested in divers at every level. I really valued the entry level training courses I took from them. This is a great place to enter the sport."