Dive Shops
Below is a partial listing of only those dive shops with which we've had enough dealings to be able to form an opinion. This is NOT to be considered a comprehensive review by any means!
DIR-Friendly Dive Shops
International Diving Centre
Vancouver, BC
Review
Staff: 5/5 - Most of the staff have taken DIR courses to at least Fundamentals level; the Manager is a serious, bona-fide GUE diver with Tech 1 and Cave 1 credentials; and GUE Senior Instructor Dan Mackay teaches courses (Fundamentals through to Tech 2) through the shop regularly.
Additionally, IDC has recently been awarded official GUE Support Facility status - a sure sign that they provide meaningful support to the DIR community.
Stock: 4.5/5 - IDC stocks a comprehensive selection of DIR-compliant gear made by Halcyon, Apeks, Atomic, DUI, Heiser, etc. The only major brand missing is Scubapro. Prices at IDC are somewhat on the higher end of the scale, but they provide good service to back it up.
Courses: 4/5 - IDC hosts four or more GUE courses a year - taught by GUE Senior Instructor Dan Mackay - from Fundamentals of DIR to Tech 2. IDC actively promotes these courses to their clientele.
Gases: 4.5/5 - IDC offers the full range of gases, including all nitrox mixes up to 100% O2, trimix, and argon. They often bank 32%, but the rest is usually created with partial pressure blending. IDC has a high-end O2 booster, so top-ups are possible. IDC offers yearly unlimited Nitrox fills for $475.
Charters: 2/5 - IDC does not have its own dive boat, but subcontracts its dive trips out to local independent operators. Trips are fairly infrequent - less than 10 a year. IDC does, for the most part, choose the more reputable outfits for its dive charters, but the trips tend to cater to the recreational crowd.
OVERALL: 4/5
DIR Agencies: GUE [web]
DIR Gear Rentals: Halcyon Single-Tank backplate/wings, DUI TLS350 Drysuits, 02-clean AL80 rigged stages w/ DIN valves.
Gear Brands Sold: Apeks, Atomic Aquatics, Bare, Dive Xtras, DUI, Halcyon, Heiser, Highland Mills, Luxfer, Suunto, Worthington
Opening Hours: Mon-Thurs: 10am-7pm; Fri: 10am-8pm; Sat: 9:30am-6pm; Sun: 10am-5pm
Address: 2572 Arbutus Street, Vancouver, BC, V6J 3Y2 [map]
Phone: (604) 736-2541
Web: www.diveidc.com
DIR Staff Contact: Alan Johnson [email]
Ocean Quest Water Sports
Burnaby, BC
Review
Staff: 4/5 - Most of the staff are not DIR, but the store manager, Todd Powell, is a highly-qualified DIR diver, instructor and instructor trainer.
Stock: 4/5 - Oceanquest stocks or can order in a really good selection of DIR-compliant gear made by Oxycheq, Apeks, Salvo, etc. Prices at Oceanquest are quite reasonable.
Courses: 4/5 - OceanQuest hosts several DIR courses a year, some taught by Todd Powell, others by Andrew Georgitsis.
Gases: 3.5/5 - Ocean Quest offers the full range of gases, including all nitrox mixes up to 100% O2, trimix, and argon. They have no O2 booster though, so top-ups of trimix are not possible. Prices for helium and argon are moderate.
Charters: 2/5 - Ocean Quest does not have its own dive boat, but subcontracts its dive trips out to local independent operators. For the most part, they choose the more reputable outfits for their dive charters, and sometimes will organize trips specifically to cater to DIR divers.
OVERALL: 3.5/5
DIR Agencies: ANDI [web]
Courses Taught: ANDI Trimix Level III
Gas: Nitrox, Triox, Trimix, Deco Gases. No 02 booster - blends require draining of tanks.
DIR Gear Rentals: None, only standard recreational gear.
Gear Brands Sold: Aladin, Apeks, Dive Rite, Dive Xtras, Luxfer, OMS, Oxycheq, Salvo, Scubapro, Whites
Opening Hours: Mon-Fri: 10am-6pm; Sat: 9am-5pm; Sun: 10am-4pm
Address: #107 - 3790 Canada Way, Burnaby, BC, V5G 1G4
Phone: (604) 436-1157
DIR Staff Contact: Todd Powell [email]
Non-DIR Dive Shops
Beyond Deep Diving
Victoria, BC
Review
Staff: 2/5 - The new owner of this shop, Dave Healy, has taken some training from GUE, maintains strong contacts with local DIR divers, and has made great strides towards making the store much more DIR-friendly. At this time we cannot vouch for other staff, so we suggest you deal with Dave.
Stock: 3/5 - Beyond Deep Diving stocks useful DIR-compliant gear from DUI, Atomic Aquatics, Salvo and Dive Rite.
Courses: 2/5 - Beyond Deep Diving does not yet offer any fully DIR-compliant courses, but owner Dave Healy has made a commitment to help support the DIR community, so we expect that over time his course offerings will likely reflect this. Watch this space.
Gases: 4/5 - Banked 32%, O2, Helium, Argon - probably the only thing missing is an O2 booster. Nice.
Charters: 2/5 - Beyond Deep Diving does not offer any charter services except through third party providers.
OVERALL: 3/5
DIR Agencies: None [web]
Courses Taught: None
Gas: Nitrox, Trimix, Deco Gases, Argon. No 02 booster - blends require draining of tanks.
DIR Gear Rentals: None, only standard recreational gear.
Gear Brands Sold: DUI, Salvo, Atomic, Dive Rite, Turtle
Opening Hours: Mon-Fri: 10am-6pm; Sat: 9am-5pm; Sun: 10am-4pm
Address: 1636 Cedar Hill X Rd, Victoria, BC V8P 2P6
Phone: (250) 475-2202
Wilson Diving
Victoria, BC
Review
Staff: 2/5 - The business owner is a "been there, done that" ex-Navy clearance diver and very knowledgeable regarding regulator and equipment repair. He is aware of DIR but not entirely familiar with the ins and outs of DIR diving. The majority of staff in the shop have no familiarity with DIR; however they are very friendly and try to be helpful.
Stock: 3/5 - Wilson Diving is an Apeks and Dive Rite dealer and at any given time you can find DIR compatible gear in the shop. Unfortunately, like most dive shops this day and age, the majority of gear the store sells needs to be ordered in, so expect at least 1 week turnaround. Wilson Diving has, of late, made a commitment to help support technical diving. The last time I was in the shop, I spotted two 7' hoses hanging on the wall beside some zipper wax...
Courses: 3/5 - Wilson Diving has recently made the commitment to help support the growth of tech diving in the Victoria area. They are supporting a local DIR tech instructor and actively support the local DIR group by providing access to the store's mailing list for passing on information regarding DIR tech courses and seminars such as Ratio Deco. All in all, a good start and the best available in Victoria.
Gases: 2.5/5 - Partial pressure blending of any percentage of Nitrox up to and including 100% 02 is available. They do not offer trimix yet, but it is in the works.
Charters: 2/5 -Wilson Diving does not offer any charter services except through third party providers such as Docside Charters.
OVERALL: 2.5/5
DIR Agencies: ANDI [web]
Courses Taught: ANDI Level II [Intro to Tech], Level III [Intermediate Trimix]
Gas: Nitrox, Deco Gases. No 02 booster - blends require draining of tanks.
DIR Gear Rentals: None, only standard recreational gear.
Gear Brands Sold: Dive Rite, OMS, Whites
Opening Hours: Mon-Fri: 10am-6pm; Sat: 9am-5pm; Sun: 10am-4pm
Address: 105-1790 Old Island Highway, Victoria, BC, V9B 1H8
Phone: (250) 478-4488
Web: www.wilsondiving.com
Ogden Point Dive Centre
Victoria, BC
Review
Staff: 1/5 - They are aware of DIR but have no actual understanding of it. They see the usefulness of it only from the aspect of selling "DIR" gear.
Stock: 2/5 - They carry a limited offering of Halcyon and Oxycheq gear, predominantly aimed at single-tank customers. Items such as canister lights, doubles wings or drysuits need to be ordered on an individual basis. Their line of Scubapro regulators is sold at high end retail prices with no or minimal discounts offered.
Courses: 1/5 - The shop is not running, nor it is interested in running, any DIR courses. They will post a pamphlet with a course like Ratio Deco in their shop, but there is no actual promotional afford made.
Gases: 2/5 - The shop is able to do continuous flow Nitrox, which is useful for top-ups. However, they are not interested in providing any Trimix. If 50% deco is required, a prior arrangement has to be made to ensure that they have enough O2 as this gas is done by partial pressure blending.
Charters: 2/5 -DIR divers will find that Ogden Point will generally only run to two locations: Race Rocks and HMSC McKenzie. Both locations are OK but unless the whole boat is booked by your group you will find yourself surrounded by divers of all skill levels. Usually the lowest levels of skill, though. Ogden Point operates two boats: Cape Able (retired
RCMP boat) that will comfortable accommodate 8 divers with doubles. The shop will frequently book up to 12 divers, which makes the boat quite crowded. Their second boat is an open aluminum skiff that they use for Race Rocks. Six divers should be the max, but the boat will frequently have 8 divers on.
RCMP boat) that will comfortable accommodate 8 divers with doubles. The shop will frequently book up to 12 divers, which makes the boat quite crowded. Their second boat is an open aluminum skiff that they use for Race Rocks. Six divers should be the max, but the boat will frequently have 8 divers on.
OVERALL: 1.5/5
DIR Agencies: None
Courses Taught: n/a
Gas:Nitrox, up to 50%
DIR Gear Rentals: None, only standard recreational gear.
Gear Brands Sold: Scubapro, Halcyon, Oxycheq
Opening Hours: Mon-Sun: 9am-6pm
Address: 199 Dallas Rd, Victoria, BC V8V1A1
Phone: 250-380-9119
Web: www.divevictoria.com
Rowand's Reef
Vancouver, BC
Review
Staff: 1/5 - Largely clueless about DIR.
Stock: 1/5 - Their inventory is almost entirely devoid of anything DIR-compliant. Useful for the emergency purchase of zipper wax. Maybe.
Courses: 1/5 - The shop does not run DIR courses at all.
Gases: 1/5 - Air only. "Tech" diversfrom their shop get their fills of 70% at other shops...
Charters: 2/5 - Organize semi-regular trips on local boats, but unlikely to be very accommodating of DIR practices.
OVERALL: 1.2/5
DIR Agencies: None
Courses Taught: n/a
Gas:Air Only
DIR Gear Rentals: None, only standard recreational gear.
Gear Brands Sold: none.
Opening Hours: Mon-Sun: 9am-6pm
Address:1512 Duranleau Street, Granville Island, Vancouver, BC V6H 3S4
Phone: (604) 669-3483
Web: www.rowandsreef.com
BC Dive Adventures
Vancouver, BC
Review
Staff: 1/5 - The staff have heard of DIR, but have no real understanding of it beyond a superficial notion of gear configuration.
Stock: 2/5 - They carry a limited number of DIR-compliant brands, most notably DUI drysuits. Be aware, though, that you cannot rely on receiving good advice on the proper specs or sizing of drysuits. DIR items such as canister lights, backplate/wings, etc. would probably need to be special orders.
Courses: 1/5 - The shop does not offer any DIR courses. They will post a pamphlet with a course like Ratio Deco in their shop, but there is no actual promotional afford made.
Gases: 4/5 - The shop offers a full range of gas fills, including Nitrox, Trimix and Argon. Prices are moderate, but turnaround can sometimes be slowish.
Charters: 3/5 - BC Dive has a charter boat, the Adventure II, that operates primarily in Howe Sound. We have no direct first-hand knowledge of the quality of service, but assume that it is a standard recreational boat with little allowance made for DIR practices.
OVERALL: 2.2/5
DIR Agencies: None
Courses Taught: n/a
Gas:Nitrox, Trimix, Argon
DIR Gear Rentals: None, only standard recreational gear.
Gear Brands Sold: Apeks, Dive-Rite, DUI
Opening Hours: Mon-Sat: 10am-6pm
Address: 1695 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V6J 1L9
Phone: (604) 732-1344
Web: www.bcdive.com
Frank White's
Victoria, BC
Review
Staff: 1/5 - This shop is a revolving door with a number of people working there, usually for a short period of time. This is due to their 'bread and butter' business which is the "zero to hero" PADI Instructor Development Course. The only staff worth talking to is Howie who has been their head instructor for a number of years.
Stock: 2/5 - The shop carries a full line of Apeks products including their back plate and their somewhat convoluted wing and harness. The Apeks regulators are reasonably priced. As their name implies they also carry a full compliment of Whites drysuits and undergarments. The newest buzz is their Fussion drysuit that has a potential if they can put meaningfully sized pockets and a pee valve on it. The knack on their suits is far below average quality and even worse customer service.
Courses: 1/5 - Unless your idea of a DIR course starts with the PADI prefix... you are out of luck.
Gases: 1/5 - It's only been little over a year since they've been able to pump HP tanks. Strictly Air only.
Charters: 2/5 - The shop contracts out their charters to complete unknowns. Be aware and stay clear of the charters.
OVERALL: 1/5
DIR Agencies: None
Courses Taught: n/a
Gas: Air only
DIR Gear Rentals: None, only standard recreational gear.
Gear Brands Sold: Whites
Opening Hours:
Address: 1620 Blanshard St, Victoria, BC
Phone: (250) 385-4713
Web: www.frankwhites.com
The Diving Locker
Vancouver, BC
Review
Staff: 1/5 - This shop is a revolving door for staff, none of whom know anything about DIR.
Stock: 1/5 - They stock Scubapro gear, but that's it.
Courses: 1/5 - Unless your idea of a DIR course starts with the PADI prefix... you are out of luck.
Gases: 1/5 - Strictly Air only.
Charters: 2/5 - The shop contracts out their charters to complete unknowns. Be aware and stay clear of the charters.
OVERALL: 1.2/5
DIR Agencies: None
Courses Taught: n/a
Gas: Air only
DIR Gear Rentals: None, only standard recreational gear.
Gear Brands Sold: Scubapro, Bare
Opening Hours: Mon-Fri: 10am-6pm; Sat: 9am-5pm; Sun: 10am-4pm
Address:2745 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V6K 1P9
Phone: (604) 736-2681
Footnote: What makes a shop "DIR-Friendly"?
For a dive shop to make this list, we feel it must meet three criteria:
- The shop must have at least one full-time member of staff who is an active, committed DIR diver.
- The shop must offer regular DIR courses taught by an instructor on our list of approved DIR instructors.
- The shop must offer a decent range of DIR-compliant gear for sale, sufficient to completely outfit a fundamentals-level DIR diver from scratch.
As you can see, that makes for a rather short list. The above dive shops are the only dive shops in BC that we feel comfortable recommending. And even then, we strongly suggest that you try to talk to the DIR Staff Contacts listed; we cannot guarantee that other employees will understand DIR well.