SDI Open Water Scuba Diver Course

The water off Victoria sits near 8°C at depth and barely shifts between January and August, so we stock for cold water first and warm water second. Anything we carry that is rated for tropical use only is flagged as such on its own page. For year round diving here you are looking at a drysuit, a hood and dry gloves rather than a 5mm and optimism. If you are buying one piece of a kit and are not certain it belongs in a cold water setup, call the shop at (250) 544-8944 and tell us where you dive. We would rather talk you out of a purchase than process the return.

Each product page carries that manufacturer's own size chart, and the charts do not translate between brands. A large hood from one maker measures out as a medium from another. Neoprene sizing runs off your actual measurements rather than the shirt size you buy on land, so take a tape to your chest, waist and inseam first. Dry glove rings are a separate problem again, since they size to the glove and the wrist seal rather than to your hand. Send your measurements to info@eightnorthdiving.ca and we will check them against the chart before anything is cut or shipped.

Yes, and it is worth understanding why that question matters more in diving than in most retail. We are an authorized dealer for every brand on this site. Halcyon covers the original purchaser for one year against defects in materials and workmanship, and every claim has to arrive with a receipt from an authorized dealer, which is exactly what a discounted marketplace listing cannot produce. Shearwater works differently and more generously: their two year warranty stays with the computer rather than the buyer, so it survives a private sale. Either way, hang on to your order confirmation, because that is the first document a manufacturer will ask you for.

For local Victoria residents we offer full service and maintenance of our products. Regulators need annual attention to keep their warranty standing, drysuit seals fail years before the suit does, and a dry glove ring that has started weeping is usually a quick fix rather than a new system. Bring it in to 721 Kings Road and we will look at it.

We ship anywhere in Canada. Orders over [$THRESHOLD] go free and everything under it is quoted at [CARRIER] rates at checkout. In stock items leave the shop within [X] business days, with [X] days transit to the Lower Mainland and [X] to most of the rest of the country. Because the order never crosses a border there is no brokerage, no duty and no courier invoice arriving a month later, which is the part that catches people who order dive gear out of the United States. [IF OFFERING PICKUP: Pickup at 721 Kings Road is free and usually ready the same day.]

Unused gear in its original packaging can come back within [X] days of delivery. Anything that has been in the water, had a seal trimmed, or been cut and fitted to you personally cannot, which makes more sense the moment you picture buying somebody else's used wrist seal. Made to measure suits and custom colour or custom lettered items are built against your order and are final sale. Email [EMAIL] with your order number before you send anything back so we can sort out the fastest route.

Made to measure suits, custom colour work and anything with lettering on it get built after you order rather than pulled off a shelf, so plan in weeks rather than days. Current lead time is [X to Y weeks] and we confirm the figure before taking payment. Every measurement and every colour choice goes back to you in writing for sign off before the order reaches the factory, because a suit cut to the wrong chest measurement is not a warranty claim, it is an expensive lesson. If the gear is for a specific trip, give us the date up front and we will tell you straight whether it will arrive in time.

We launch new collections seasonally, offering fresh designs and updated styles so you can always stay motivated and on trend.