What Mikes Dive Store does

Mike's Dive Store is a UK specialty retailer of scuba diving and snorkelling equipment, founded in 1985 and operating as a privately held, independently owned business with a physical showroom in Chiswick, London and a national e-commerce storefront at mikesdivestore.com. The company self-describes as the UK's No 1 dive store, carrying products from more than 50 premium brands including Scubapro, Suunto, Aqualung, Mares, Fourth Element, TUSA, Shearwater, and Cressi, and it serves individual recreational divers, technical divers, snorkellers, families, beginners, and professional divers across the UK with international shipping available.

The technology layer is a Shopify-based e-commerce platform augmented with custom configuration tools — the Prescription Scuba Diving and Snorkelling Mask Builder, the Scubapro Modular Fin System builder, and the Scubapro Navigator BCD Builder — that allow customers to assemble personalized equipment online. The product catalog spans dive computers, regulators, BCDs (jacket, back-inflate, technical, and wing systems), dive masks, wetsuits and drysuits, fins, snorkels, dive lighting, underwater cameras, dive bags, gauges and compasses, surface marker buoys, underwater scooters, and satellite communicators. Third-party integrations include Rebuy for cart-level product recommendations and AfterShip for shipment tracking.

The business model combines one-time product sales (the primary revenue stream, with prices ranging from roughly £40 entry-level snorkel sets to over £3,000 premium drysuits) with professional services revenue from equipment servicing (regulators, BCDs, drysuits, dive computer batteries, cylinders), course referrals through the PADI partnership for entry-level, continued education, and certified diver training, and retail finance revenue on higher-value purchases. Omnichannel distribution encompasses the London store, nationwide UK delivery with free tracked shipping above £50, click-and-collect, and remote video consultations, while marketing is driven by content marketing (blog and diving guides), email newsletter, organic social, customer reviews (11,108 averaging 4.78 stars), the Plankton Points loyalty program, the Club mobile app, and the Dive Forever marine conservation initiative with Sea-Changers and Ghost Fishing UK.

Name

Mikes Dive Store

Legal name

Mikes Dive Store

Website

https://mikesdivestore.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mikes Dive Store is a UK specialty retailer selling scuba diving and snorkelling equipment from 50+ premium brands through a London showroom and a national e-commerce platform, serving recreational divers, technical divers, snorkellers, and beginners with custom product builders, equipment servicing, and PADI course referrals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Scuba Diving and Snorkelling Equipment Retail

NAICS

Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers (459)

akta.pro primary industry

Diving & Snorkeling Retail (Scuba Gear) (CRAMAIAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Water Sports Equipment Retail (Wake, Ski, Tow, Tubes) (CRAMAIAC)

Keywords

• Scuba diving equipment
• Snorkelling gear retail
• Dive equipment servicing
• Prescription dive masks
• PADI course referral

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Core revenue stream from selling scuba diving and snorkelling equipment including dive computers, BCDs, regulators, wetsuits, masks, fins, and accessories from multiple premium brands. Products range from entry-level to technical diving gear with prices spanning from budget to premium.
2. Equipment Servicing: In-store and mail-in servicing for dive equipment including regulator servicing, BCD servicing, drysuit repairs, dive computer battery replacement, and dive cylinder servicing.
3. Dive Training Courses: Partnership with PADI for entry-level courses, continued education, and certified diver courses. Revenue generated through course referrals and potential bundles with equipment.
4. Retail Finance: Flexible payment options through retail finance plans, allowing customers to spread cost of higher-value equipment purchases.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Mikes Dive Store is a UK specialty retailer that sells scuba diving and snorkelling equipment from more than 50 premium brands (Scubapro, Suunto, Aqualung, Mares, Fourth Element, TUSA, Garmin, Shearwater, Cressi, Apeks, Atomic, Sealife, GoPro, XDEEP, Halcyon, Waterproof) through a London retail showroom and an online storefront. The company complements product sales with equipment servicing (regulator, BCD, drysuit, dive computer battery, and cylinder servicing), custom prescription mask and modular fin builders, retail finance, and PADI course referrals.

Product overview

Mike's Dive Store is a UK-based specialty retailer offering the UK's largest selection of scuba diving and snorkelling equipment through both a physical London store and online platform. The product portfolio centers on core diving gear including dive computers (Suunto, Garmin, Shearwater, Cressi), BCDs (Scubapro, Aqualung, XDEEP, Halcyon), regulators (Scubapro, Mares, Apeks, Aqualung, Atomic), dive masks (TUSA), wetsuits and drysuits (Fourth Element, Waterproof, Cressi), fins, snorkels, dive lights, underwater cameras (Sealife, GoPro), and dive bags. The store differentiates through value-added services including equipment servicing, prescription mask builders, online bundle builders (Scubapro Modular Fin Builder, Navigator BCD Builder), and a mobile app-based loyalty community. Additional offerings include snorkelling gear, freediving equipment, sailing gear, and open water swimming products, with complementary services such as video consultations, click-and-collect, and PADI-certified training partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dive Computers Electronic wrist and console devices from brands such as Suunto, Shearwater, Garmin, and Cressi that track depth, time, no-decompression limits, gas mixtures, and dive profiles for recreational and technical divers.
• Regulators Breathing apparatus from Scubapro, Mares, Apeks, Aqualung, and Atomic that reduce high-pressure air from a tank to ambient pressure, offered as first stages, second stages, octopus configurations, hoses, and accessories.
• BCD (Buoyancy Control Devices) Inflatable buoyancy compensators from Scubapro, Aqualung, XDEEP, and Halcyon available in jacket style, hybrid/back inflate, technical, and wing system configurations with related accessories.
• Dive Masks Sealed underwater eyewear from TUSA and other brands providing visibility and vision correction, including prescription masks, full-face masks, youth masks, kids masks, and mask accessories.
• Wetsuits Neoprene thermal protection suits from Fourth Element, Waterproof, Cressi, and others in thicknesses from 2-3mm to 7mm+, including men's, women's, and kids ranges, shorties, full-length, semi-dry, and accessory items.
• Drysuits Waterproof diving garments for cold water and extended dives, including drysuits, heated undersuits, undersuits for drysuits, and drysuit accessories.
• Fins Footwear attachments for underwater propulsion from Scubapro and other brands in open heel, full foot, travel, and technical/jet styles with fin accessories.
• Snorkels Breathing tubes for surface swimming including dry, semi-dry, and classic/apnea configurations, plus snorkel sets.
• Dive Lights and Torches Underwater illumination devices for night diving, wreck exploration, and video photography in handheld, umbilical, and backup/pocket configurations plus torch accessories.
• Underwater Cameras Waterproof cameras, smartphone housings (including DiveVolk SeaTouch touchscreen housings), camera and lighting kits, lenses/filters, mounts, trays, arms, and batteries for underwater photography and video.
• Gauges and Compasses Single pressure gauges, consoles, digital consoles, and diving compasses for tank pressure, depth, and navigation monitoring.
• Dive Bags Specialised luggage for transporting diving equipment including regulator bags, duffle bags, roller bags, mesh bags, dry bags, and backpacks.
• Underwater Scooters Battery-powered propulsion devices enabling divers to cover greater distances with less effort, suitable for recreational and technical diving.
• Satellite Communicators Emergency communication devices using satellite networks for location sharing and distress signalling during remote diving expeditions.
• Rash Guards and UV Protection Sun-protective swimwear and base layers with UPF ratings for thermal protection and skin protection during surface water activities, including a Mike's Dive Store exclusive Fourth Element Hydro-T rash vest.
• Dive Equipment Packages Bundled combinations of diving equipment at discounted prices, including regulator packages, BCD and regulator combos, lightweight travel packages, and mask, fins, and snorkel sets.
• Prescription Mask Builder Online configuration tool that lets customers select a mask and choose compatible prescription lenses plus accessories for both scuba diving and snorkelling masks.
• Scubapro Modular Fin Builder Interactive online builder that lets divers customise and order Scubapro modular fins with various blade and foot pocket combinations.
• Scubapro Navigator BCD Builder Bundle builder tool for configuring personalised Scubapro Navigator Lite BCD packages with compatible accessories.
• Dive Equipment Servicing In-store and mail-in maintenance and repair services covering dive computer battery replacement, regulator servicing, BCD servicing, drysuit repairs, and cylinder servicing.
• Video Consultation Appointments Remote expert consultation service via video call to assist customers with product selection, fitting advice, and technical questions.
• Mike's Dive Store Club App Mobile application serving as the UK's #1 dive and snorkelling community, offering loyalty points, exclusive deals, and diving community features.
• Plankton Loyalty Points Program Store loyalty rewards programme allowing customers to earn Plankton Points on purchases redeemable for discounts on future orders.
• PADI Courses and Travel Partnership with PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) providing access to certified diving courses, snorkelling trips, and dive travel packages.
• Click and Collect In-store pickup service allowing customers to order online and collect purchases at the London store location.
• Shearwater Swift GPS Transmitter New GPS-enabled transmitter for divers featuring integrated GPS tracking capability.

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PADIcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with PADI, the world's leading scuba training organization, to provide easy access to certified diving and snorkelling courses, exciting trips, and unforgettable ocean experiences. Mike's Dive Store serves as a PADI referral point for entry-level courses, continued education, and certified diver courses, as well as snorkelling trips.
• Sea-ChangerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarine conservation partnership through the Dive Forever initiative. Mike's Dive Store donates 1% of profits from selected Fourth Element wetsuits to Sea-Changers, supporting vital UK marine conservation projects. Company has donated £20,000 to Sea-Changers and raised over £20,800 for marine conservation efforts.
• Ghost Fishing UKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Ghost Fishing UK, a marine conservation organization, as part of the Dive Forever initiative to support ocean conservation efforts.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Backscatter: US-based specialty retailer focused on underwater imaging — cameras, housings, lights, and lenses — a category Mike's Dive Store also carries. Comparable as a niche, content-driven specialty dive retailer with deep category expertise.

Broad incumbents

• REI: Large US outdoor cooperative retailer carrying a selection of snorkelling gear, dive-adjacent products, and apparel. Competes for casual snorkellers and travel divers but does not specialize in technical scuba equipment.
• Mares: Global dive brand offering regulators, BCDs, computers, and wetsuits directly to consumers. Comparable as a competing DTC channel for several core product categories Mike's Dive Store retails.
• Scubapro: Major diving equipment brand (Johnson Outdoors) selling direct to consumers globally. A key supplier to Mike's Dive Store that also competes at the DTC level with the same brands it stocks.
• Fourth Element: Premium UK-based diving apparel and thermal protection brand selling direct, with whom Mike's Dive Store holds an exclusive colourway partnership and co-markets conservation donations. Overlaps as both supplier and DTC competitor.
• Aqualung: Iconic diving equipment brand with global DTC e-commerce selling regulators, BCDs, masks, and wetsuits. Competes with Mike's Dive Store both as a supplier and as a direct destination for divers.

Direct peers

• Simply Scuba: UK-based online specialty retailer of scuba diving equipment, very comparable in product mix, customer base (UK recreational and technical divers), and DTC e-commerce model.
• Divers Supply: US-based specialty dive retailer offering a wide range of scuba and snorkelling equipment plus in-house servicing. Comparable product mix and combined retail/servicing model.
• Leisure Pro: Established US-based online dive equipment retailer with a broad multi-brand catalogue including regulators, BCDs, masks, and snorkelling gear. Directly comparable product breadth and DTC e-commerce motion.
• Scuba.com: Large US-based online dive equipment retailer offering dive computers, BCDs, regulators, wetsuits and accessories. Comparable as a multi-brand specialty dive e-tailer targeting the same recreational and technical diver segments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Mikesdivestore
• YouTubeyoutube.com/Mikesdivestorelondon
• Facebookfacebook.com/MikesDiveStoreLondon
• Instagraminstagram.com/mikesdivestorelondon

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mikes Dive Store