Denver Divers

I took the Try Scuba class first to see if I wanted to pursue the Open Water Certification and had a less than positive experience. The instructor, I don’t remember his name, was not very good at explaining concepts or answering questions and it felt like he just did those classes to stroke his ego. He talked the most about his own gear and how it was better than rental gear and how he worked with Denver Divers so he could get discounts. I still liked the experience enough to pursue the certification. So, after ensuring that I would have a different and much more experienced instructor, I signed up for the class. My instructor was John Sherman and he was assisted by Devin (unsure of the spelling), who was in training. The class went very well. There was one troublesome character in our class, but the instructors did a good job of splitting them off from the group and keeping things moving as much as possible. John shared his passion without throwing it in your face and did a great job making the class work for everyone. When you got confused or needed a reminder about what to do underwater, he was calm, clear and patient. I also did the certification dives with him in New Mexico (at the Blue Hole) and thought that process worked well. Though certainly not the best adventure, the trip got the job done and I was able to go diving on my vacation with confidence.

Lynn was an excellent instructor for snorkel lessons. Highly recommended this place !!

Denver Divers is a class act diving school and dive shop. My beau and I completed the SSI Open Water Diver Certification class recently and could not glow more about my experience with these folks! The instructors, Eric and Greg were infinitely patient, thorough and most importantly, responsive to each individual student. The teaching team and shop staff went out of their way to ensure that everyone felt like a part of the diving community. I wrapped up my long weekend of training feeling like a confident new diver and had all the info I need to proceed with the next steps to my open water credentials. There are lots of places to get certified. Glad I did my homework and landed up at Denver Divers! Highly recommended. Thanks DD Team!

My daughter and I went through Denver Divers to get our scuba certification. The staff was very helpful and friendly. The instructors were informative, professional and very patient and considerate. The atmosphere is very laid back which was conducive to a great learning experience. I highly recommend Denver Divers!

I took my open water certification at Denver divers with Nelson and Lin and then travelled to the blue hole with mark and heather. The experience with Denver divers from start to finish could not have been any better. The staff are all very thorough and use high quality equipment. Everyone was very patient. I learned to dive for an upcoming vacation and have absolutely fallen in love! If you want to learn to dive don’t bother looking anywhere else!

I took their open water certification course. Mark was my instructor, he was very through and explained everything in detail. I learned so much. He gave tips and advice and was highly professional. I appreciate that they notified me that once I took the class that I would only have 6 months to get my 4 certified dives in to get my license. It was good, cause I could plan my vacations around the class and save up the money that is needed for such endevours. Although, I went last march when it was still snowing and the pool heater had broken on several occasions. Which was a bummer, but they put me in the proper wet suit and it helped with acclimating my body to colder dives. Which I do feel they should have talked a little more about, but with all the different things to learn, I felt they did an excellent job.
The staff is nice, laid back and informative and will answer any question you have with a high level of knowledgeable advice. I highly recommend this great little scuba shop.

This review is about Denver Diver’s kids’ SCUBA class — not the swimming lessons.
One of my kids went through an amazing certification program down at A-​1 scuba (a PADI place) but the other had a friend signed up with DD so we decided to give it a shot. How different could they be? NIGHT and DAY. The curriculum here (SSI) was not half as in-​depth yet was much more difficult to learn because of the organization and wording of the manual and online/​video segments. At times it was almost as if it had been translated into English from another language with the use of a computer.
I also didn’t like that the instructors changed from lesson to lesson (ok for adults, not so much with kids) and that I got no feedback from them. My child sat out a whole lesson and I was never told — even thought I’d chatted with the instructors after class. More worrying was the fact that they seemed determined to pass everyone regardless of whether they understood the material or were really prepared to dive. I actually made my child take the class again at a different dive shop because I was that concerned.
On the positive side, it’s kind of a laid-​back hip place for 20 somethings and for those who just want a rubber stamp certification but I can’t recommend it in good conscience as a place for serious high-​quality dive instruction.

Little Man N looooovves the water. Be it pool, bath, or puddle, if he sees something wet he wants to hop into it. And so I thought that he’d appreciate knowing how to swim (and I knew it would help my nervousness for him around the water) so I looked up places that teach tots the ropes in the water and found The Swim School of Denver which operates out of Denver Divers.
I think that the instructors here have the patience of saints. Not only do most little ones hate their first few swimming lessons with a passion (a screaming, crying, sometimes puking-​in-​the-​water passion) it’s a tough job even once that passes. I think our kiddo might have a slightly longer attention span than a goldfish, but it’s a tough contest. And from what I can see that’s fairly normal and lasts, I don’t know, into your earlier twenties? So taking these little guys and gals from the kid of person who swallows about a gallon of water in 10 minutes on accident into a little swimmer fish is no mean feat. And they do it over and over again. I’m impressed.
Our lessons started with Ms. Michelle and I really liked her. However, Michelle recently moved out of state and now we have Ms. Melissa who is equally awesome. The lessons only last 15 minutes and initially I thought that would be too short until I went to the first lesson and realized it was plenty enough time. We do private 1:1 lessons, but the also do group or mommy and me style lessons as well. Ephraim started about 2 months ago and the initial focus was on survival skills, things like how to float, how to turn over onto your back when you find yourself under water, and how to reach for walls and hang on, and so on. He’s still working on those, but his lessons have also started to incorporate kicking for actual swimming and going underwater to grab toys and get back to the surface with them. I can see more experienced kids around us jumping off the side into the pool and swimming to an instructor or holding on to a wall and using their hands to «walk» over to a specific point to get out among other fun general swimming skills.
It is tough as a mom to watch your toddler learn to swim initially if he reacts anything like mine did during his first lessons, but it is pretty amazing to see his skills grow each week and watch him become more comfortable in (and under) the water, and I know that next summer both he and I will be happy for a winter’s worth of lessons when we head to the pools. Maybe we’ll even get a little crazy and go to Water World.

We began our relationship with Denver Divers with a scuba birthday party for our son who was turning 9. Now, he is an open water certified diver, and his brother (almost 10 now) is going through the Scuba Rangers Plus class in preparation for his open water certification. They really know how to make scuba safe and fun for kids (and adults!) We cannot say enough positive things about this shop, its owners (Bonnie and Carl) or its instructors. They went through a major renovation last year, refinishing their pool and the interiors, and they carry excellent products. They even rent equipment if you are going on a trip. They offer amazing dive trips, either just for the adults or for the whole family. They get involved with and support incredible non-​profits that help sea life and the oceans, and they give their customers the chance to participate as well. We can’t imagine going anywhere else for our scuba fun.

This is a great dive shop, the workers are very helpful and friendly. They have all sorts of diving and snorkeling lessons here, for all levels. My kids’ took the scuba rangers program here and they were super comfortable doing it. Scuba rangers is a great program that helps get kids’ ready for when it is time to actually dive!
They sell every piece of gear that you could need for any type of water sport, child and adult. They also rent gear, so if you just need to use it once or you aren’t sure you will like it… or if you have a child who needs a wetsuit or something, it is better to rent because they are always outgrowing gear that you buy.

Learning how to swim as an adult isn’t easy, but Ross changes your fear of being in the water to love going to the pool. This isn’t a short and sweet skill to learn as you get older. It takes time and Denver Divers has all the accessories to make you feel comfortable. With a large pool with a 4′ side and a 10′ side you can swim and scuba here. They have lessons for children, privates for adults, snorkeling and scuba. The price is fair and the staff are fantastic. I still go to Denver Divers as I never feel rushed to learn any skill here. I recommend them over SwimLabs and believe they are some of the best you will find.

My to-​do list this past Saturday:
1) Meet the in-​laws for lunch
2) Find snorkel gear
Having never heard of Denver Divers, what are the chances that my fiancé and I just happened to stroll past this place on our walk back from lunch in Cherry Creek? Pretty perfect.
The owner of the store was very friendly and informative. He and one of the dive instructors helped find a snorkel mask that fit me well, so I don’t have to worry about water seeping in while I’m exploring Jamaica’s waters. My high-​quality snorkel set cost about $ 45.
They also assisted my fiancé in exploring his options, since he has terrible eyesight. Denver Divers sells scuba masks that can accommodate prescription lenses. If you have a pretty typical prescription, they can fit you there and each lens is about $ 36. If you have an astigmatism, they can send the mask out for custom lenses.
The store itself is pretty neat and I would never have expected from the outside of the store that there would be a pool inside for scuba lessons. We’re considering signing up for the $ 25 first time intro class to see if it’d be something we’d be into.

I just finished my scuba certification classes and I was really happy with Denver Divers. It’s a family owned business with friendly and helpful staff and it gives off a good vibe. I would definitely recommend Denver Divers to my friends for scuba training and gear.

I just finished the pool/​classroom portion of my scuba dive certification and I have nothing but praise for Denver Divers!
Our instructors, Eric and Paul, were amazing — funny, attentive, and informative. They answered any question we had for them and were very patient with us in the pool.
Denver Divers is also hospitable and accommodating! Every morning, they had bagels and cream cheese and orange juice for us for breakfast. They also finish up our course with a champagne toast (non-​alcoholic available as well ;]). None of the upcoming open water dive trips to the Blue Hole in New Mexico worked for my group of friends, so we asked if there was anything we could do because we wanted to get certified before going on trips. They got right on it and found an instructor to take us during an off weekend for them that worked with our schedules. AMAZING.
Super excited to complete our certification, and also continue our relationship with Denver Divers. It really does feel like a family in there in how they care for you and your scuba diving needs. Love love love.

Spent the weekend in a great class with Dave and Erin as the instructors! It was fun, educational and I learned a ton!

I can’t say enough about this organization! I just completed my open water certification class and our instructors (Mark, Paul and Glenn) were friendly, knowledgeable, passionate and very helpful. They take the diving process (which can be stressful for some of us) at a very good pace and prepare you fully for going underwater and don’t make you feel pressured to do anything you don’t want to until you are 100% comfortable. They prepared our class very throughly for our written and practical tests. I have already recommended Denver Divers to my close friends who are interested in diving and would recommend this to anyone!

My fiancé and I just finished our weekend open water course with Denver Divers, and I can’t say enough good things. Mark and Troy, our instructors, were interesting, laid back, and most importantly very knowledgeable guys. They managed to make our course fun while instilling in us complete confidence that we would both pass the test (always nerve-​wracking) and be honestly comfortable with the sport of diving. It was a long weekend, but it was never boring and totally worth it to feel so prepared for our upcoming dive vacation.
The shop facilities aren’t fancy, but they are very comfortable — I already feel like it is my own personal dive shop. They go for the little details that make a difference — fresh bagels every morning, good coffee, a fridge stocked with drinks, even a champagne toast upon completing the course. The pool is lovely, with plenty of room even with our maxed-​out class of 8 divers. Equipment selection seems decent — I don’t have much to compare it to, but as another reviewer mentioned, while you could probably find cheaper stuff online, DD is very accommodating about letting you try it out and helping you find the right fit for you.
DD is a family-​run business that wears its values on its sleeve, and makes you feel like part of their family. We will definitely be back for any and all future diving needs.

In need of scuba/​snorkeling equipment I set off in my search of scuba shops in this land-​locked state of ours. Denver Diver’s popped up and thanks to fellow Unilocalers, I decided to give it a try.
The equipment area is not as large as some others I have seen, but the service and attention was top-​notch. They have a pool (salt-​water and 86-​degrees) that they were more than willing to let me demo all their masks, fins, snorkels, etc. before purchasing. I called three other shops and none were willing or able to let me do the same.
Despite coming in only a few minutes before closing time on Sunday, they were gracious with their time and I had to be dragged out of the pool — so nice and warm ;)!
The reason for 4 stars vs. five:
–Limited selection of brands, though they do carry TUSA masks (all highly rated)
–Brick & Mortar pricing. While I could find all the equipment I bought a bit cheaper online, there is no substitute (especially for masks) for trying it on, spending time in the pool, and getting one-​on-​one service. Overall, the prices are very fair and reasonable compared to online.

UPDATE: .
O o
I did decide to pay the $ 100 and get SSI certified as well. 3 certifications can NEVER hurt, right?
. o O
Our first trip to Cozumel Mexico was great!
. O
. o O .
. o
O
I really like the new renovation Denver Divers did of their shop. I need a «refresher» soon… I just want to jump in that new pool!!!
O o
. O
o

We are getting ready for a trip to Belize and Denver Divers has been a huge help getting us ready to dive. I think they were as excited about our diving trip as we were! The open water scuba class was awesome. My husband and I lucked out and were the only ones in the 2 day class, so it was like getting a private lesson. The entire staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and they will take all the time needed to make sure all questions are answered. If you dive or have ever thought about it, this is the place to check out.