FAQs
On this page, you can find frequently asked questions regarding The Dive Centre, Learning to Dive, Servicing and Repairs, and Diving with Us
The Dive Centre
Our store opening hours are as follows:
Tuesday to Saturday - 10:00 to 16:00
Sunday & Monday - Off diving
Yes! We have limited spaces outside our shop, and there is plenty of free, on-street parking.
Please be considerate and do not block anyone's driveway.
Yes! We'll even put the kettle on!
We can fill up to 4 cylinders at a time, although the more you bring, the longer the process will take. Filling typically takes around 10–15 minutes per cylinder.
If you'd like your cylinders filled the same day, please bring them to the shop before 3:30 pm.
If you have multiple cylinders, you're more than welcome to leave them with us and collect them later in the day or the following day.
Sorry, at this time we do not buy second-hand equipment. However, if you need to dispose of gear, such as old cylinders, do get in touch as we can assist with safe disposal.
Our shop may be small, but it's well stocked with a wide range of diving equipment and accessories to suit all needs and sizes.
If we don't have exactly what you're looking for in stock, we'll do our best to find the closest suitable alternative, or we are more than happy to place a special order to get exactly what you want.
At Hidden Depths Dive Centre, we offer a fantastic selection of dive equipment for beginners and experienced divers alike. From masks, snorkels and fins to dive computers, regulators and BCDs, we have everything you need for your next underwater adventure.
We also stock a great range of wetsuits, hoods and gloves, available in thicknesses from 2mm to 7mm, helping you stay comfortable whatever the activity or water temperature.
For those essential extras, we offer dive torches, dive knives and line cutters, SMBs and reels, as well as earplugs and other useful accessories.
If diving isn’t quite your thing, we also have a range of swimming equipment, including rash vests, swim goggles and swim floats.
And, of course, don’t forget to check out our Hidden Depths apparel range, featuring Dryrobes, hoodies, hats, T-shirts and water bottles.
We have a selection of freediving masks and snorkels in stock, as well as accessories like rubber weight belts and lead. At this time, we do not stock other freediving-specific gear such as fins and dedicated freediving wetsuits.
Most special orders arrive within 10 days, although some brands and suppliers can take a little longer.
If you're ordering something for a specific date or trip, just let us know what you need and when you will need it. We can check availability with our suppliers and give you the most accurate delivery estimate possible.
Yes, we can. Arranging deliveries is on a need basis. For large clients, we can happily organise courier delivery of goods; for small one-off items, we can do this if you are outside Bristol and cannot make it to our shop. In all cases, customers must cover the cost of postage and packaging.
If you’re not satisfied with your purchase, we offer a 30-day return policy on eligible items.
Items may be returned in-store or by post. Please contact us via email at info@hiddendepthsscuba.co.uk first to explain the issue so we can arrange an exchange, store credit, or refund.
Postal returns are at the buyer’s expense. Please package items securely - damage caused by poor packaging may affect your refund. Where possible, items should be returned in their original packaging.
Please note:
- Proof of purchase is required for all returns.
- Returns must be unused, unworn, and in immaculate condition. Any evidence of water use may result in the return being rejected and the item being sent back to you.
- Prescription lenses are non-refundable due to customisation.
- Certain hygiene items may not be eligible for return once opened.
- Masks: If you are worried about your mask fogging up, this is often a common issue. Please ensure you conduct pre-treatment before first use. Do contact us for guidance. We cannot accept returns on masks that have been treated.
Damaged or faulty items:
We take great care to ensure all products meet quality standards. If your item develops a fault, please contact us as soon as possible at info@hiddendepthsscuba.co.uk, explaining the issue.
In most cases, we’ll arrange a replacement, credit, or full refund. For faults occurring during use (such as equipment flooding), the item may need manufacturer inspection before approval. We’ll keep you informed throughout this process.
Manufacturer warranties apply where applicable.
Special Orders:
Special orders are products sourced specifically for you and are not part of our regular stock.
Returns are generally not accepted unless there is a confirmed defect or warranty issue. A 20% restocking fee may apply at our discretion.
Online orders and cancellations:
- Online orders are usually dispatched within 2 working days.
- Once an order has been shipped, it cannot be cancelled, but it may still be returned within the applicable timeframe.
- To cancel or return an order, please notify us by phone, email, or in-store.
- Items specially ordered in will be reviewed on an individual basis. Refunds or replacements are at our discretion.
- All returns are made at the buyer's expense unless the item is confirmed faulty.
Learning to Dive
Learning to scuba dive with Hidden Depths Dive Centre is an incredible adventure! Your training includes three main sections, and upon successful completion of all course elements, you will have earned your new scuba certification!
1. Knowledge Development
During the first phase of your PADI Open Water Diver course, you develop an understanding of the basic principles of scuba diving. You learn things like how pressure affects your body, how to choose the best scuba gear and what to consider when planning dives. Your dive theory is delivered using PADI's eLearning system, where you complete five sections, which finish with knowledge reviews and quizzes to confirm you've taken in the information.
At the end of the course, you'll take an eLearning review with your instructor that makes sure you have all the key concepts and ideas down. You and your Instructor will review anything that you don't quite get until it's clear.
2. Confined Water Dives
This is what it's all about – diving. You develop basic scuba skills by scuba diving in a pool. Here you'll learn everything from setting up your scuba gear to how to easily get water out of your scuba mask without surfacing. You'll also practice some emergency skills, like sharing air or replacing your scuba mask. Plus, you will have time to practice your new skills, make new friends and have a great time. There are five confined water dives, with each building upon the previous. Over the course of these five dives, you attain the skills you need to dive in open water.
3. Open Water Dives
After your confined water dives, you and the new friends you've made continue learning during four open water dives with your Instructor at a dive site. This is where you fully experience the underwater adventure. We try to arrange this either at a local beach, or one of the local inland sites. You can even do this abroad if you choose to join us on a dive holiday!
At Hidden Depths Dive Centre, we offer a variety of course schedules to fit individual student needs. Our regular Open Water Diver course includes 6 weekly pool dives to complete your confined water dives, followed by a weekend of diving in open water to complete your course. This schedule is great as it allows plenty of time between pool dives for you to complete your home-study dive theory and make sure you're prepared for the next dive.
If you're a little short of time, it's possible to complete your confined and open water dives in as few as four days by taking part in an intensive-style course. This includes two full days of confined water training, followed by two days of diving in open water to complete your course. With this style of course, you would need to have completed the online eLearning before the course begins.
During either course style, your instructor's interest is in your learning to scuba dive, not in how long you take to complete the course. So, training is based upon demonstrating that you know what you need to know and can do what you need to do. This means that you progress at your own pace – faster or slower depending upon the time you need to become a confident scuba diver who dives regularly. You can start learning to scuba dive online right now with Hidden Depths Dive Centre and PADI eLearning.
Compared with getting started in other popular adventure sports and outdoor activities, learning to scuba dive isn't expensive.
For example, you can expect to pay about the same as you would for:
- a full day of surfing lessons
- a weekend of rock climbing lessons
- a weekend of kayaking lessons
- a weekend of fly-fishing lessons
- about three hours of private golf lessons
- about three hours of private water skiing lessons
- one amazing night out at the pub!
Learning to scuba dive is a great value when you consider that you learn to dive under the guidance and attention of our highly trained and highly experienced Instructors. From the first day, scuba diving starts transforming your life with new experiences.
Choosing and using your scuba gear is part of the fun of diving. We can help advise and guide you in finding the right gear, best suited to you at the Hidden Depths Dive Centre Shop.
When you start learning to scuba dive with us, we can provide all the equipment you need, but we do advise that at a minimum, you may want to consider the following:
- scuba mask & snorkel
- scuba fins & boots
These have a personal fit, and we can help you choose ones best suited to you. As you progressit's recommended that you invest in your own scuba equipment when you start your course because:
- you're more comfortable using scuba gear fitted for you
- you're more comfortable learning to scuba dive using gear you've chosen
- scuba divers who own their own scuba diving equipment find it more convenient to go diving
- having your own scuba diving gear is part of the fun of diving
Easy. There is no best gear, but there is the best gear for you. Our team at Hidden Depths Dive Centre are trained to help you find scuba gear that best matches your preferences, fit and budget. Either pop into the shop or talk to one of our instructors, and we can get you set with the right kit that will support you for years of enjoyable and dependable use.
If you have an appetite for excitement and adventure, odds are you can become a scuba diver. You'll also want to keep in mind these requirements:
Minimum Age: 10 years old (8 years old for pool training)
Medical: For safety, all students complete a scuba medical questionnaire that asks about medical conditions that could be a problem while diving. If none of these apply, sign the form and you're ready to start. If any of these apply to you, as a safety precaution your doctor must assess the condition as it relates to diving and sign a medical form to confirm that you're fit to dive. We can recommend dive doctors if required
Waterskills: When completing the PADI Open Water Diver course, your instructor will have you demonstrate basic waterskill comfort by having you:
- swim 200 metres (or 300 metres/yards in mask, fins and snorkel). There is no time limit for this, and you may use any swimming strokes you want.
- float and tread water for 10 minutes, again using any methods that you want.
Physical Challenges: Any individual who can meet the performance requirements of the course qualifies for certification. We can use many adaptive techniques to enable individuals with physical or neurological diversities and challenges to meet these requirements. Just get in touch to let us know about any requirements or adjustments you may need, and we’ll be happy to discuss how we can best support you.
Learning Materials: We provide our students with PADI eLearning, allowing you to complete your dive theory at a time and place to suit you. If you would rather study with the traditional course manual and DVD, we're also able to provide these.
No, you don't need to be the best at swimming to scuba dive. Comfort in and around water will really help you, but the only requirements relating to swimming are as follows:
Before completing the PADI Open Water Diver course, your instructor will have you demonstrate basic water skills and comfort by having you:
- swim 200 metres (or 300 metres/yards in mask, fins and snorkel). There is no time limit for this, and you may use any swimming strokes you want.
- float and tread water for 10 minutes, again using any methods that you want.
If you're looking for a bit of coaching to help you meet these requirements, we can provide a swim teacher for you to make sure you're able to meet the swim requirements when learning to dive.
You can dive practically anywhere there's water – from tropical seas to mid-ocean and all points in between. It can also include the UK coast, inland dive sites, lakes, rivers and springs. Where you can scuba dive is determined by your:
- Experience
- Certification level
- Access
- Conditions
- Personal interests
When you complete your Open Water course with us, you receive a one-year membership to our Dive club. Anyone qualified to dive, at whatever level, can join. We host a monthly club shore dive, boat trips and even holidays, to help you keep diving and grow our community. All trips can be found on our trips page here.
The only truly important thing about where you dive is that you have the scuba diving training and experience appropriate for diving there, and that you have a dive buddy to go with you.
No, assuming you have no irregularities in your ears and sinuses. The discomfort is the normal effect of water pressure pressing in on your ears. Fortunately, our bodies are designed to adjust for pressure changes in our ears – you just need to learn how. If you have no difficulties adjusting to air pressure during flying, you'll probably experience no problem learning to adjust to water pressure while diving.
Not necessarily. Any condition that affects the ears, sinuses, respiratory function or heart function or may alter consciousness, is a concern, but only a physician can assess a person's individual risk. Physicians can consult with the Divers Alert Network (DAN) as necessary when assessing a scuba candidate. DAN has information available online if you wish to do some research, but your best way forward is to plan a consultation with your doctor to discuss your suitability for scuba diving. If you are struggling to reach your usual GP, we can assist.
With the necessary training and experience, the limit for recreational scuba diving is 40 metres. Beginner scuba divers stay shallower than 18 metres (unless you are a Junior Scuba Diver - then it is 12 metres). Although these are the limits, some of the most popular diving is no deeper than 12 metres, where the water is warmer, and the colours are brighter.
Some divers are keen to progress to deeper sites that are beyond recreational limits. Diving deeper than 40m is considered technical diving, and we offer courses to allow you to reach greater depths. Check out our technical courses for more information.
That's not likely because you have a gauge that tells you how much air you have at all times. This way, you can return to the surface with a safety reserve remaining. But to answer the question, if you run out of air, your buddy has a spare mouthpiece that allows you to share a single air supply while swimming to the surface. There are also other options you'll learn in your PADI Open Water course.
People find the “weightlessness” of scuba diving to be quite liberating. Modern scuba masks are available with a clear silicone surround to let in plenty of light, which you may prefer if a mask makes you feel closed in. During your scuba diving training with Hidden Depths Dive Centre, your instructor gives you plenty of time and coaching to become comfortable with each stage of learning. Your scuba instructor works with you at your own pace to ensure you master each skill necessary to become a capable scuba diver who dives regularly.
Hidden Depths Dive Centre keeps classes small so that we can give you more time to get comfortable with the amazing world of diving.
Servicing and Repairs
We service most makes and models of regulators, including Apeks, Mares, Aqualung, Atomic and many more!
Parts for some older regulators are now obsolete. If this is the case for your equipment, we will suggest alternative options such as new or ex-rental kits as replacement options.
All our servicing is done through brand-certified technicians.
This is down to the manufacturer's service kits. Many are around £140-£160, but some brands such as Oceanic, Atomic and Scubapro can be around £230.
For all regulator servicing, we take a £75 deposit; this will then be taken off the final balance when you collect the equipment.
Yes! Just bring in your cylinders, and we can arrange a visual inspection, hydrostatic test or O2 clean for you.
When you drop off your cylinders, we require the full test fee to be paid. Should your cylinder fail the test, you will receive a partial refund.
Yes! We offer both as a package or as individual services.
We cover all major brands, including Suunto, Mares, Shearwater & many more.
We usually recommend allowing 14 days for an item to be serviced, particularly over the summer period. We will give you a call as soon as it’s done.
If there are any delays, such as ordering parts, we will inform you as soon as possible.
We can run an express service if you need your equipment back sooner and if availability allows, though this will incur an additional charge.
Yes - We can service most BCD’s, including those with Auto-air regulators.
Currently, we can only offer seal replacements in-house if they have a changeable ring system (such as the Si-Tech quick neck system or the fitted Kubi glove system). We can arrange to send your suit away for larger repairs, such as pressure testing, zip or boot replacement. Quotes can be provided on request.
We do not offer wetsuit repairs, but we do stock neoprene glue and patches for minor tears and holes.
Diving with Us
Being a Hidden Depths Dive club member gets you exclusive access to our community and includes the following:
- Priority booking for club dives & events
- Free cylinder hire
- 50% discount on kit hire for both club trips and individual use
- Discounted PADI Speciality programmes
- Member-only instructor-led coaching sessions
- Member-only special offers
- Expert advice and guidance whenever you need it
- Hidden Depths Beanie Hat
- NEW Access to our exclusive Facebook and WhatsApp Community groups!
- Club updates via newsletter
To find out more and join the club, you can do so here
Many of the trips we arrange are exclusively for club members, or are offered to club members first.
This is because trips are often arranged several months in advance and spaces can fill up very quickly. If spaces become available on any trips, we may open them up to the wider public. These trips will be listed on our Dive Trips page.
If you are not familiar with diving in UK waters, please also see the information below.
Absolutely! You’re more than welcome to join the club, and our regular shore dives are a great way to experience UK diving and build your confidence in local waters.
That said, UK diving can be quite different from diving abroad. Visibility can be more limited, and the water is often much colder. This means you’ll need additional thermal protection, such as a hood and gloves, along with either a thicker wetsuit or a drysuit. The extra exposure protection can also affect your buoyancy and the amount of weight you need to carry.
If you haven’t dived in the UK before, we recommend considering a ReActivate course. It’s a great opportunity to refresh your skills, become familiar with UK equipment and conditions, and learn how to adapt your weighting and buoyancy for colder water.
Alternatively, just get in touch with us. We’ll be happy to chat through your experience, answer any questions, and help you get started.
As a club member, you’ll also have access to our community WhatsApp group, where you can meet other members and our staff, find dive buddies, and arrange dives with more experienced UK divers.
It is possible but at an additional charge.
UK diving regulations mean any dive arranged through the centre needs to have two in-water personnel and one on shore. This incurs a cost for everyone's time.
We recommend trying to arrange this across one of our club shore dive days where we will have numerous people, as well as experienced non-staff you can buddy with.
