Florida Freedivers — Attraction in North Palm Beach

This is why retail is dead... I really wanted to support this shop, so I came in to replace my older model Cressi mask and snorkel. Prices were not bad either. I tried some on, and the girl that 'helped' me didn't seem very knowledgeable about anything. I had to literally go onto websites to get any answers. At least she admitted being unsure. I decided on the Riffe M5 over the big eye Cressi since it fit well, had decently low volume, and I liked the removable mount system. I asked one of the girls to pull it from stock.

In the meantime, my son and I browsed the store. They had a happy old dog running around the store, and he was cool. It seemed like they were clueless about the fact that my son was eager to pet the dog (just like everyone else) as it approached. A girl yanked the good-fella away as the other employees argued about where to put him. I saw my son's shoulders slump, defeated. We are big dog people, so the fact that they couldn't read the room was disheartening, but not a deal breaker.

As she pulled the dog to the back room, the other girl followed. And the guy they worked with began helping service a gun for some spearo guides. I decided it was time to pay and leave, so I gathered a couple more items and stood at the counter. After standing there for 5 minutes, I noticed neither of the girls were coming to ring us up. I started putting items back... The guy was obviously too busy and didn't say a word. I waited for a bit more, and then we left.

I don't really feel like they took us seriously as customers. Maybe they judged us? I am middle-aged and overweight... My son is 10 and obviously a grom. We were still a little wet from our last dive. It's not like we flipped a coin to decide between this place and Walmart.

As a native who grew up spearfishing, I wanted to share a cool experience with my youngest son. Which was accomplished... I also wanted to find a cool shop to patronize instead of gearing up from Mako or something. Added a star since we still like the YT vids, and the owners behind the store seem to be real pros. I wish the help were...

Made the drive to Florida Freedivers from Tampa, because we have zero freedive-specific shops on the Gulf Coast.

We have tons of dive shops, but most have a very slim selection of freedive equipment, usually in the back corner and usually just a few select items. Some low-volume masks from big names like Mares and Cressi, some j-snorkels, cheap plastic fins, maybe three or four sizes available. No open cell neoprene. Basically nothing.

Anyway, I called ahead, letting them know I’d be coming in (making a LONG drive, roughly 4 hours each way) to try on Cetma S-WiNG footpockets for the Prana blades I just bought online from another retailer. Florida Freedivers doesn’t carry CETMA blades (yet 😉), just the footpockets.

They held the two sizes I needed, in the color I needed, with my name on it for when I arrived.

First off, the staff is awesome. Every single person working that day was super chill and accommodating.

Once I figured out the size I needed, they spent the time to mold the footpockets to my feet. This is definitely a process that needs to be done by someone who knows what they’re doing, and it was obvious they knew what they were doing. I forget the dude’s name that helped mold them, but he nailed it.

After we molded the footpockets, I asked for a quick tutorial on how to properly glue the Prana blades to my new S-WiNGs. He showed me in extreme detail how to get it right. They also provided me with a bottle of glue to use.

Florida Freedivers is an institution. Simple as that. They carry the best names in the freediving and spearfishing game and provide top-tier customer service.

... I just wish they were closer! Please franchise out and build a shop on the Gulf Coast ASAP!

Thanks to all three of you guys and gal that helped me out...

I visited the shop in early December 2020. I live in Hawaii but was in town for a sailing trip and in desperate need of a wetsuit. When I saw the Waihana suits on the first racks as I walked in the front door, I knew it was meant to be. I had my eye on those suits for quite some time but never got around to trying them on. The guys working the front desk could not have been more helpful. They rolled out the red carpet, offering me expert guidance on the intended fit/expectations and allowed me to try on two different sizes with a nice warm shower. I wish I remembered the gentlemen’s name who helped me pick out the suit (he deserves to be acknowledge by name) but Larry rang me up at the cash register and sent me on my way with a friendly smile and his business card in hand.

I ended up having a minor issue with the wetsuit. I was super bummed so I reached out to Larry for assistance. He contacted Waihana directly and when they would not cover replacement or repair under their warranty policy, Larry went above and beyond to make things right. He turned a stressful and disappointing situation around, and some! He really puts himself in the customers shoes and did everything in his power to create a positive experience. He's good people.

Florida Freedivers is the ONLY dive shop people should go to in...