Scubatude

Through a good friend I found fhis place. I found them to be professional, knowledgeable and very likable! I’ve made some new friends and dive buddies and look forward to some fascinating new adventures in the near future.

I went in when my Suunto D4i wasn’t reading my psi from the transmitter. I wish I had caught her name, but a fabulous employee took the time to change the battery and get everything back in working shape in about 20 minutes. I was thrilled and I am beyond excited to have a dive shop back in the Santa Clarita Valley.

My wife and I just completed the open water diver course and it was fantastic, Robert is great teacher! When he gave us the final word that we were certified divers, we had no doubt that we had the abilities to dive safely and have a lot of fun! Robert is very approachable and is always willing to help and answer questions. Scubatude is awesome and I can’t recommend it enough!

Great people, knowledgable and professional. But not stuck up no-​it-​alls. You have a question, they have an answer. It’s great to finally have a dedicated dive shop in the SCV.

As all of the reviews state, this is an A+ establishment. Robert is a fantastic diver and his shop has no frills, everything is laid out neatly and he doesn’t try to sell unnecessary items. I got HOG’ed out at his shop and will absolutely come back for whatever I need in the future. Thanks Robert!

I initially came across Robert’s shop by searching Unilocal after deciding to get back into diving after about 10 years off. I knew there had to be a better choice than Sport Chalet for training and as it turned out, Robert Arak and Scubatude was exactly what I was looking for. I called the shop and spoke to Nicole (Instructor/​Divemaster) on the phone and explained that I wanted to get back in the water and needed a refresher and my wife wanted her Open Water. Since I was also changing to a BP/​W from a jacket BC, my idea was to just go through the full Open Water training. This would enable me to get comfortable in the new gear as well as be my wife’s buddy for the class. Nicole put me in touch with Robert, we discussed some options for our training and gear upgrades and it turned out we had a friend in common. Robert suggested I contact my friend to get her opinion before making any decisions and she stated, «You’d be an idiot if you didn’t have Robert do your training.» She explained that Robert only works with small groups of students and that he would have my wife weighted properly and hovering in proper trim in a Backplate and Wing by the end of the pool session. This was exactly the training environment I was looking for as I’m not a fan of the large group, over weighted, knees on the bottom style that I got when I did my Open Water.
I met Robert at his shop a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving and immediately knew I had found the right instructor. We discussed options for the new gear I was interested in as well as what would be involved in the training. Robert had the BP/​W and Regulators that I was looking for in stock that day but suggested I wait a few weeks to buy since he would be having a Grand Opening/​Black Friday sale and I could save some money. Telling me about the upcoming sale and helping me save a considerable amount of money speaks volumes to his character.
Robert is not just out to make a quick buck. He cares that you get the right equipment and training and are absolutely satisfied with every aspect of it.
My wife began her online training and I followed along to refresh my memory. Robert stayed in contact and made sure all the material was understood and that no questions were left unanswered. The confined water training day arrived (that’s right, you complete your confined water training in a single day, not multiple days like at Sport Chalet) and just like my friend stated, my wife was hovering at the bottom of the pool in no time at all. Our class consisted of 4 divers (2 new and 2 refreshers), Robert as lead instructor and Nicole as Assistant Instructor/​Divemaster. It was the perfect learning environment and most of all, it was fun.
The very next weekend we traveled to Catalina for two days of open water dives. Robert thoroughly briefed everything we were going to do before entering the water and also debriefed every dive immediately after. All questions were answered and issues sorted out before progressing to the next stage. The weekend flew by and before we knew it we were done with our training and headed home, but not before forging some awesome new friendships. We are already planning local boat trips as well as a weeklong trip to Fiji with Scubatude.
We felt welcomed and comfortable every step of the way. It is obvious that Robert is not about churning out students but molding safe, competent divers and more importantly having fun and building relationships while sharing his passion for diving.

I have been to a lot of local dive shops and Scubatude is just different. In a great way. Everyone involved in the shop is just glowing with the passion for diving and passion to help fellow divers. Shop doesn’t just stock bunch of random stuff but it seems to only have equipment that you would actually get AFTER getting some experience under your belt. Starting your diving carrier here would save you bunch of money in a long run since you’d start out with the equipment you would want down the road vs. first spending on the «starter» stuff and then replacing it.

I had the great experience of getting my basic open water certification with Robert Arak at Scubatude. My fiancé (now wife) and I were planning our honeymoon to St. Lucia and planned on diving. She had been certified for years, and I had been wanting to get certified for the past 20+ years. From the classroom work, to the pool skills, to my first ocean dives on Catalina, Robert was a great instructor. During classroom work he made sure I understood everything that we were covering, and that any questions I had were answered. I felt like I could ask him anything, no matter how stupid I thought it was. Not only did I get the answer, I also got an understanding of the answer. While in the water Robert always made sure I knew exactly what skills we were going to work on, and why we were working on them. I never felt pressured to do any skill that I wasn’t completely comfortable and ready to do. After getting my certification Robert told me that I would be a «rockstar» when I went diving on my honeymoon, and I really did feel like a rockstar! Because of his knowledge and his true love and passion for diving, and teaching others to dive, I would never let any of my friends or family go to anybody but Robert Arak for instruction. Thanks again Robert, and I can’t wait to do my advanced class!!!

Soon after becoming a certified instructor in 2002, I was forced to stop diving due to an inner ear issue which prevented me from equalizing. The doctors said I needed to take a several year break, so I did just that. I sold all my gear and pursued an entirely different career. More then eight years later, I met Robert at the local SCUBA show. Not knowing me from adam, he offered an opportunity to try diving in a local pool to see if my ear was fixed. Within a few weeks, I was in the pool and wouldn’t you know it, my ear issue was completely remedied. It didn’t take long before he helped me get new gear and introduced me to his friends who are regular divers in the area.
Had I not met Robert, had that opportunity not presented itself, I would absolutely not be diving today. See, that’s what makes Robert special in my book. He didn’t look at me as another paycheck, he looked at me as someone interested in pursuing my dream and he helped me fulfill that. Since then, I’ve been diving many times both on the east coast and west coast, as if I never stopped.
I can’t thank Robert enough for getting me back in the water, helping with an excellent deal on new equipment, keeping updated through Facebook and e-​mails and meeting new people at events he puts on. Its a diving community and all he wants to see is more people in the water.
Thanks again!

Best of the best! My son talked me into learning to dive (used LA Dive and Ride in 2011). When we were interested in our advanced, Andy at LA D&R was busy and suggested Robert, owner at Scubatude. What a fortunate happenstance!
We did a pool dive first with Robert, as it had been awhile since we had last dove. It was us and one other person. Robert keeps his classes small and personal. There are the basics of diving (which you can learn from the PADI on-​line classes and books) and the nuances of diving (do it this way, it is a lot easier; when you do this, you will make this mistake — here is what to do next). Robert easily and personably teaches the basics, but also includes the nuances. Even though we had done a number of dives, we learned a number of things in the pool that day.
Even better, we asked Robert to come with us on a 2-​day trip on the Great Escape (great San Pedro based dive boat, by the way) to get our advanced. He took a day off work to make it happen. He listened to what we hoped to get out of it (navigation and buoyancy skills), and tailored the class to us. Again, we knew the basics, but he added the «common sense» things that made it click. We have been practicing those skill since, and diving is a lot more fun and less stressful.
So if you want small group instruction, from a expert who loves to dive and teach, none better than Robert at Scubatude!

Robert is an incredible instructor who teaches with as much instinct as he has skill. He is intuitive, patient, and very knowledgeable about all aspects in diving. Whether he is teaching a new student or helping an advanced student succeed further, he is exceptional. He is not only focused on safety but on making sure that his students have both a fantastic class and a wonderful experience underwater.

I needed a mask with prescription lenses for a special trip to Hawaii. Robert set me up with a perfectly fitting mask and the correction was just right. (I could drive in this mask if I had to!) I just spent a week snorkeling off the Big Island and the mask performed perfectly, no leaks and still comfortable. My view of the beautiful fish was perfect. I am far from an expert on diving gear and Robert set me up with exactly what I needed. I highly recommend Robert and Scubatude.