BC Zeagle Stiletto

Appeared in DIVER May 2013

IT WAS TECHNICAL-DIVING PIONEER Rob Palmer who introduced me to the idea of a wing BC. The advantage is that it can provide a massive amount of lift without encumbering the diver with a lot of clutter on the chest.
That was a long time ago. Today, half the BCs available in the shops are wing-style. more...

Light Beaver Quasar

Appeared in DIVER May 2013

SINCE THE WHOLE MANIFEST of passengers went missing from a liveaboard at the Red Sea’s Brother Islands, and were found bobbing in the sea only once it got dark and they could be spotted by the light of their torches, it has been a rule that every diver visiting the Egyptian marine parks must carry a lamp. more...

Drysuit Typhoon Evolution

Appeared in DIVER May 2013

Overall, this looks like a tough, business-like suit that proves ideal for heavy use. more...

Computer Liquivision KAON

If it’s in our nature to bash things to get them to work, Liquivision has borne this human trait in mind when designing its computers. The Kaon is the latest of these to come my way.
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Side-mount kit Dive System Manta

IT WAS MY FAULT. I’d been away on another trip and had one day to pack my bag. The Dive System Manta Side-mount Kit arrived, and I was grateful that it neither weighed too much, at around 3.1kg complete with all its bands and piston-clips, nor took up too much space.
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Light Kowalski Pico

A back-up can be very useful. more...

Drysuit Bare XCS2 Tech Dry

The Bare XCS2 Tech Dry drysuit is a top-quality suit with a lifetime guarantee and it’s sold at a price to match. more...

Light UK Aqualite 90 eLED

The UK AquaLite 90 eLED is intended more for looking at small animals hiding under ledges and in holes where little ambient light penetrates. It is not suitable for lighting up the interior of the Albert Hall, even at its maximum power setting. Used as intended, it’s a useful little lamp. more...

Computer Shearwater Petrel

If you’re interested and have not already done so, I suggest that you read my review of the Predator on Divernet.com, because the Petrel has a lot in common with it. One could almost say that it is a Predator with improvements.
It begs the inevitable comparison. It’s smaller, lighter and less expensive to buy. more...

Gloves Fourth Element Thermoflex mitts

SOME PEOPLE LOVE COLD WEATHER. Not me! Some people relish coldwater diving. I can’t say I’m a fan. However, we all have jobs to do and I can’t complain if my job involves going diving often, even if it does mean I need to immerse myself from time to time in a freezing-cold lake. more...

APDs made easy

The new ‘rec’ rebreather on the block is the agency-approved APD Evolution and Inspiration Recreational CCR. How does it stack up against existing competition? JOHN BANTIN takes it to remote Cocos to find out, before delving back into CCR history more...

Computer-watch SUUNTO DX

You may be asking, what makes the DX different from the D9tx? Well, as many of you are aware, get into diving, get into deep diving and the path often leads you to the purchase of a closed-circuit rebreather. more...

Regulator Oceanic ALPHA 9 CDX

WHEN WE STARTED DOING DEEP-WATER side-by-side regulator tests, many years ago, one of the surprise performers was the inexpensive Oceanic Alpha in its earliest incarnation. more...

Light ARCHON D100

“WELL, I BUMPED INTO A MAN who’d been a diver and asked him what had been his greatest night. He looked into the corners of his memory, searching for a picture of the dive, but he said he always had a feeling that he lacked a little extra light.” more...

Camera arms Hugyfot Float

A FELLOW-DIVER ONCE BOASTED to me that he couldn’t lose his little compact digital camera in its plastic housing because it floated.
This was before he slammed into me and pushed me out of the way to get a picture of the schooling barracuda at Ras Mohammed.
I commented later that I hoped he got a good picture, but it seems that his camera was on a lanyard and came loose as he climbed back into the RIB after the dive. more...

Computer Dive System ORCA

Dive System is a small company in Italy that makes its entire range of diving equipment in-house.
As such, I’m told that it tests everything it makes multiple times to achieve 100% reliability.
The Orca computer is subject to this same testing. I got it out of its box and, by means of its two buttons, set it up to go diving. It was so easy that even I could use it. more...

Regulator Dive System X-TEC CLV

This mid-price-range regulator gave me all the air I needed and there was no tendency to wetness. Tekkies will love it, although there was no sign of that “gushing” effect beloved of so many of them. more...

Fins Cetatek Aqua Bionic Warp 1

At first glance these fins resemble the lightweight Mares X-Stream design, but that is where any similarity stops.
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