PADI X Mike Coots Signature Collection

We're thrilled to collaborate with suffer, photographer, shark attack survivor, shark advocate and PADI Ambassadiver Mike Coots to create a collection that celebrates the powerful beauty and importance of sharks - a maligned and misunderstood species. 

A collection with a cause:
Not only does 15% of the proceeds fund marine conservation, but it’s our joint hope the gear will encourage others to rethink the shark – a species critical to the health of our oceans and a species that desperately needs our help.

Meet Mike Coots:
An avid surfer from Hawaii, Mike lost his leg in a shark attack as a teen. He has since dedicated his life protecting the species that nearly took his life. Between lobbying lawmakers on shark protection legislation to sharing compelling imagery on social media with hopes of shifting the stigma of sharks, you can find him diving or riding the waves on his custom surfing prosthetic leg. 

“Losing a leg to a shark changed my life instantly, and I would not have wanted it any differently. After the attack, I learned a lot about what sharks were doing to humans and had no idea what we were doing to sharks, or why we need them for a healthy ocean. I feel compelled in my unique situation to be a voice for sharks and to champion for their protection.”

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Go Behind the Lens
“There is much more to a shark than a set of teeth. They are both brawn and brains, full of beauty. And we need these majestic animals for a healthy ocean and planet. We can, and we must coexist. Not only does their fate require it, but so does ours.

I use my skills as a photographer to share the side of sharks that Hollywood doesn’t show you: their beauty, brains and true nature. My goal is to shift the narrative from Jaws to the true reality of sharks. And to use the irony of my attack: if I can love sharks, so can you.” - Mike Coots

15% of proceeds donated to charity:
Mike chose Sustainable Coastlines Hawaiʻi, a nonprofit organization based on Oʻahu with a mission to inspire local communities to care for their coastlines through fun hands-on beach cleanups, educational programs, waste diversion services, and public awareness campaigns, as our charity partner for the collection.

"As sharks are a big casualty of plastic pollution, it made sense to partner with a group of passionate ocean lovers doing trash cleanups at beaches in my home state of Hawaii. If we can prevent plastic from entering into the ocean, then we can prevent a huge killer of wildlife like sharks from the deadly microplastic."

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Take a stand for sharks:
“Our ocean's health is at a critical junction, and as a lover of the sea you have a voice to ensure its abundance.

No one has your talents or experiences but YOU. Find what that talent is, use that, and not run but sprint with it. Future generations of ocean lovers will thank you.

And so will the tiniest plankton to the largest whale, as their very existence depends on your unique contribution.”  

Become a Torchbearer