When you’re investing in dive equipment, you’re not just buying a product. You’re choosing where your advice, support and peace of mind come from - often for years to come.
In the UK and across Europe, many dive stores describe themselves as “the biggest”. And that’s understandable. When you’re spending serious money on dive gear, choosing a retailer that feels established and dependable is reassuring.
But in diving, size only really matters if it translates into something meaningful for the diver.
At Mike’s Dive Store, being a large dive retailer isn’t a slogan. It’s the result of years spent making sure the equipment divers rely on is genuinely available - in the right sizes, colours and configurations - when it’s actually needed.
In simple terms, we are the UK’s largest specialist scuba diving retailer. Not because we say so lightly, but because of the scale of stock we hold, the breadth of choice we offer across categories, and the volume of divers we support every year. Being “the biggest” only matters if it results in better availability and better outcomes for the people using the gear - and that has always been the point.
Dive gear is personal. A mask that works perfectly for one diver may leak for another. A wetsuit that looks ideal on paper can feel restrictive or cold in the water. A regulator or BCD setup that suits one style of diving may not be right for someone else. That’s why having access to real choice matters. Not just brand names on a website, but depth within each category that allows divers to refine their setup rather than settle for what happens to be left.
That depth becomes especially important when time matters. Preparing for a trip, a course, or a change in the type of diving you do often comes with deadlines. Waiting weeks for an item to arrive, or discovering too late that there are no alternatives available, can quickly turn an exciting plan into a frustrating one. Having equipment physically in stock removes much of that uncertainty.
Where you buy your gear also shapes what happens after the purchase. Adjustments, exchanges and returns are a normal part of building a dive setup. Fit issues don’t mean you made a mistake - they’re part of the process. When buying from overseas, those small changes can become unexpectedly costly and time-consuming. Return shipping alone can be expensive, and warranty or servicing queries often involve sending equipment back across borders and waiting far longer than expected.
Buying from a UK-based dive store keeps things simpler. Returns are more straightforward, communication is clearer, and support is close at hand if something needs to be changed or checked. For equipment you rely on underwater, that reassurance is difficult to overstate.
Good dive shops also don’t disappear once an order is placed. Advice doesn’t stop at checkout. Sometimes you only realise what you need once you’ve tried the gear on, or after a few dives in real conditions. Having access to knowledgeable support - not to upsell, but to help you get it right - makes the whole experience far less stressful.
Being a large dive retailer only matters if it results in better availability, genuine choice and dependable support for divers. That means holding stock, understanding how equipment is actually used, and being there when questions come up - before and after the sale.
In the end, most divers aren’t looking for bold claims or loud marketing. They’re looking for confidence. Confidence that the gear they’re buying is right for them, that help is available if something doesn’t fit or doesn’t feel quite right, and that the people behind the store understand diving beyond a product description.
That sense of reassurance is what makes the difference - and it’s what many divers value most when choosing where to buy their kit.
About Us: Built by Divers, Shaped by Experience
Mike’s Dive Store may have been established more than thirty years ago, but its story began long before the doors officially opened.
Its founder, Mike Calder - known to many simply as “Big Mike” - was a larger-than-life figure in the UK diving community. A West London local, Mike earned his reputation as a diver first and a retailer second. While working at a dive shop on Fulham Palace Road, he became known for something simple but rare: taking the time to understand what each diver actually needed. Word spread quickly, and divers travelled from all over the country to seek his advice.
Mike believed that if you looked after divers properly, they would come back. He took the long view, focusing on trust rather than quick sales. His success was such that other shop owners even accused him of distorting the market - a reflection of just how strongly divers responded to honest, experience-led service.
It was only a matter of time before Mike set up on his own. With the help of a local friend, he began selling dive equipment from a warehouse by Richmond’s waterside, before eventually moving the business to the more accessible premises it occupies today.
Mike was a giant of the UK diving industry in more ways than one, and his sudden passing in 2009 came as a shock to everyone who knew him. But the principles he built the shop on did not disappear with him.
Scuba Steve’s own diving journey began early. Still in his teens, he learned to dive in the Sinai in 1989, during the pioneering days of Red Sea liveaboard diving. He joined skipper Jan Ellingsen aboard Colona IV on a 1,200-nautical-mile expedition to Sudan, learning to dive along the way. Encounters with grey reef sharks sealed it - diving wasn’t just a hobby, it was a lifelong passion.
Steve went on to work alongside Mike, and when Mike’s Dive Store became available, Mike’s son chose to sell the business to him. He recognised the same mindset in Steve that had defined his father’s approach: a deep understanding of diving, a respect for the diver, and a belief that good advice matters more than shifting boxes.
Today, that philosophy remains unchanged. Mike’s Dive Store has never been about volume for its own sake. It has always been about patience, understanding, and matching the right equipment to the right diver. Many long-standing customers still talk about the first set of gear Mike helped them choose, just as newer divers now benefit from the same careful approach under Steve’s leadership.
Sustainability is also a natural extension of that long-term thinking. Protecting the underwater world we dive in is not a marketing exercise - it’s a responsibility. The shop and warehouse are powered entirely by 100% renewable energy, helping to conserve 20 acres of Amazon rainforest. Energy efficiency has been improved through LED lighting and eco-friendly aluminium fittings, while unnecessary plastic packaging has been removed in favour of paper tape and cardboard alternatives. Packaging is reused wherever possible to reduce waste further.
The commitment extends beyond operations. A dedicated range of ‘greener’ dive products supports more sustainable choices, equipment has been donated to the Ullapool snorkel club to help inspire young divers, and customers can offset carbon emissions from deliveries through the Shop Pay app.
Mike may no longer be with us, but his values remain very much alive. Under Steve’s stewardship, Mike’s Dive Store continues to serve divers in the same spirit it always has - with experience, integrity, and a genuine respect for the underwater world and the people who explore it.
If you ever want advice, reassurance, or simply a second opinion before committing to new gear, our team is always happy to help. Sometimes a quick conversation is all it takes to get the decision right.
We’re always happy to hear about your diving so far and what you’re looking for in your own kit. If you have any questions along the way, you’re very welcome to email us at support@mikesdivestore.com, schedule a video consultation, or drop by our Chiswick store for expert, face-to-face advice.
