IST Sports

The Silent Workhorse of the Ocean

In a market obsessed with flashy marketing and “lifestyle” branding, IST Sports quietly gets on with the job of manufacturing some of the most robust diving equipment on the planet. Founded in Taiwan in 1976 by the Lin siblings, IST started as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), building gear for the world’s biggest brands. Today, they are a global powerhouse in their own right, supplying military, commercial, and recreational divers with kit that refuses to break.

For the UK diver, IST is often the “unsung hero.” You have likely used their gear without even realising it. They are the kings of heavy-duty rubber. Their traditional rubber masks and rocket-style fins are favoured by commercial divers who need equipment that can survive contact with oil, chemicals, and concrete. Their Dolphin Tech technical line offers bomb-proof backplates and wings that rival the most expensive boutique brands in durability, but at a price point that makes technical diving accessible to the working diver.

IST’s philosophy is grounded in utility. They don’t add features for the sake of it; they add reinforcement. Whether it’s a torque fin that delivers massive propulsion or a lift bag designed to raise a heavy object from the seabed, IST gear is built to be used, abused, and put away wet. In the harsh environment of a British winter, where delicate plastics shatter and fancy features fail, IST’s over-engineered simplicity is a reassuring presence.