DEMA Show 2018: Live Scuba Gear and News Updates
The 2018 DEMA Show — short for Diving Equipment & Manufacturing Association — has drawn the scuba diving industry to Las Vegas Nov. 14-17. Here, scuba gear manufacturers will release new gear products and many other big players in the dive industry will make announcements and presentations.
Scuba Diving magazine will be on the floor at DEMA all week to provide you with exclusive announcements and check-ins for all the latest dive gear and industry news. Stay tuned for live updates, videos and photos from the floor.
Andy ZunzDEMA Show 2018 in Las Vegas
NEW GEAR AND UPDATES
SCUBAPRO Go Sport Fins
The Scubapro Go fins impressed our ScubaLab test divers so much that they earned Testers Choice honors in 2017. Now, Scubapro has updated the successful fins with the Go Sport. Rhys Couzyn, the designer of the Go Sport fins, took the time to show us the features and designs that make the Go go.
Cressi New Products
We dropped by the Cressi booth to get the details on some of their new products, including the Digi 2, Neon computer and Scorpion BC.
Indigo Industries Adaptive Scuba Gear
Indigo Industries unveiled new scuba equipment made specifically for adaptive divers — they're the first to do so, according to CEO and co-founder Ranch Pratt. Their adaptive fin has been created to fit amputees and, according to Kenneth Hoser, "unlike a regular scuba fin, this fin gets power from both directions." Recently, they trained a quad amputee with these fins and she was swimming faster in the pool than anyone else, according to Hoser. Pratt, is very passionate about this project and said "there are great organizations out there training adaptive divers but no one is creating scuba gear specifically for them."
Instead of adaptive divers having to create DIY gear or try to modify the more traditional gear, they now have a line of gear that has been designed specifically for them.
Aqua Lung New Products
We stopped by Aqua Lung's booth to see their new BCs that will come out in 2019. Check out the new tank-band mechanism and colorful bladder covers.
Shearwater Teric Dive Computer
The Shearwater Teric — Shearwater's first watch-style computer and ScubaLab's Testers Choice winner — is creating a lot of buzz at DEMA. Check out the details in the video below.
Garmin Descent Mk1 Dive Watch
Garmin’s first dive computer — the Descent Mk1 — turned heads with its release at DEMA last year. (Read more about it in our latest ScubaLab dive computer review.) For 2019, Garmin announced that it is updating the computer. The Descent Mk1 is now available with a gray titanium bezel, sapphire lens and black silicone band. The Silver Sapphire with Black Band is $999.99, the Gray Sapphire with DLC Titanium is $1,499.99, and the Gray Sapphire with Black Band is $1,299.99.
Garmin also plans to add a software update that includes closed circuit rebreather capabilities.
See more on Garmin's website.
Courtesy GarminThe Garmin Secent Mk1 Gray Sapphire with Black Band
Garmin VIRB Ultra 30
Garmin's VIRB Ultra 30 is an action camera that comes with an underwater housing. We stopped by Garmin's booth to learn more about it.
SeaLife's New Products
SeaLife Sea Dragon 2000F Photo/Video Light
Here’s some info on the new product, from SeaLife: “The new Sea Dragon 2000F UW photo-video-dive light delivers 2,000 true lumens and a smooth, even 120-degree-wide beam angle. This revolutionary COB LED array technology produces an 80 CRI (color rendering index) that mimics natural daylight. Most other LED’s have 70 CRI, missing wavelengths of the visible light spectrum.”
SeaLife Sea Dragon 3000 Auto Underwater Photo/Video LED Light
Here’s some info on the new product, from SeaLife:
“New and improved COB design delivers 3,000 lumens over 120-degree smooth, even beam angle without a hotspot. Two red LED’s emit an 88-degree wide beam that won’t scare away nighttime sea creatures and preserves your eye’s natural night vision.
The Auto Bright mode automatically adjusts from 300 to 3,000 lumens to preserve your eye’s natural night vision and extends battery life. Aim the light at your dive computer or other close-up objects and the light will automatically dim. Aim the light at far-away objects for maximum brightness.”
See more at SeaLife's website.
DIVE INDUSTRY NEWS
Coral Gardener Coral Diver Course
Scuba Diving magazine columnist and coral expert Nicole Helgason has developed a five-dive course that teaches divers to appreciate, identify and replant corals. The course is currently offered exclusively at Murex Dive Resorts in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. It takes three days and includes six video sessions and five dives. The course aims to open divers' eyes to the importance of coral species and help them enrich the diving experience by being able to identify corals.
"It's a fun way to teach people about corals," says Helgason. "When you learn about corals the way you look at the underwater landscape evolves."
Helgason says she hopes to expand the program at more locations in Indonesia. Check out this video to get a taste of what the course includes, and visit Ocean Gardener's website for more info.
Seiko Honors Sea Hero of the Year .
Sea Hero of the Year, Ken Stewart is celebrated at the Seiko Watch of America booth. He shared some advice with industry leaders and attendees to, “reach out to a young person and mentor them because young people are our future.”
Stewart was named Sea Hero of the Year, earlier in November for his work with Diving with a Purpose. The organization, which he founded, teaches divers the principals of marine archaeology in order to foster exploration of submerged cultural treasures.
PADI Partners with GoPro
PADI announced a partnership with GoPro on Friday, saying that the two brands are "joining forces to help millions of divers share their stories of underwater exploration and ocean encounters." PADI and GoPro will work together to provide tools and tips aimed at divers, with the ultimate goal of making it easier for divers to share their experiences with great video content.
American Airlines and St. Vincent and the Grenadines
American Airlines will offer year-round flights to St. Vincent and the Grenadines from Miami International Airport (MIA). Starting Dec. 15, an Airbus A319 will visit St. Vincent and the Grenadines every Saturday, making it easier for divers to travel to the Caribbean hot spot year-round.
DEMA TRAVEL DEALS
Many operators and resorts are offering travel specials this week. We’ve rounded up the deals that caught our eye so you can take advantage.
Scuba Club Cozumel
Divers who book a seven-night package for May or June 2019 can save 10 percent on the regular dive package price. For groups, one diver goes free for every nine paid. The package includes: seven nights five days of diving, three meals a day and unlimited beach diving. Offer expires Jan. 15, 2019.
Call 1-844-792-6976 or email [email protected] for more details.
CoCo View Resort
Eight stay and dive for the price of seven for travel in 2019. Offer expires in 2018.
Call 1-800-510-8164 or email [email protected] more details.
Riding Rock Resort and Marina
This dive resort in San Salvador, Bahamas is offering 16 day dives, seven nights stay, 21 meals and free airport transfers for $1,592 per diver/double occupancy.
Call 800-272-1492 or email [email protected] for more details.
Goby Divers Curaçao
Goby Divers is offering two DEMA specials: five days of two-tank boat dives with six days of unlimited air and seven nights at the Ritz Villas (per person/double occupancy) for $922; or five days of two-tank boat dives with six days of unlimited air and seven nights at Hector Suites for $1,049. Reservations must be made before Dec. 16 and the trip must be taken Jan. 15, 2019 through Dec. 20, 2019.
Visit goby-divers.com for more details.
