ScubaLab March/April 2013 First Look
Take a sneak peek at what's new in the world of dive gear.
Aqua Lung’s new kicker uses an elastomer blade that’s designed with a high-flex center panel and a unique “Power Zone” blade-to-foot-pocket connection. This combination is supposed to enable more power to be transferred from foot pocket to fin tip. The foot pocket itself features an inner sole that creates a grip effect on the foot, minimizing slippage inside the foot pocket, one of the most common causes of diminishing kicking power. The fin comes with a nice spring strap.
Info: aqualung.com
Atomic’s dominance in the high-performance, high-dollar regulator arena is once again on display with the new T3. The T3’s titanium body and featherweight component parts make it super light for travel; its low work of breathing and high reserve capacity mean it can be dived virtually anywhere with confidence; and now it comes with a three-year, 300-dive service-interval noncontingent lifetime warranty. Also included: a deluxe padded travel bag.
Info: atomicaquatics.com
This new jacket-style BC is loaded with padding, and its contoured cummerbund is secured with a 2-inch double-pull overstrap. The integrated-weight system is Cressi’s new Flat Lock design. You also get a molded lift handle, a couple of big zippered cargo pockets, and plenty of exhaust valves. The BC is available in five sizes — chances are excellent you will find a good fit — offering buoyant lift ranging from 17 to 36 pounds.
Info: cressi.com
The Proline 5 mm delivers an additional level of warmth over standard 3 mm suits, but you don’t really feel like you’re wearing thicker neoprene. This is because Proline neoprene is ultrastretchy, so it fits like a second skin. Seams are triple glued and double blind stitched, the wrist and ankles are fitted with smoothskin seals, and a smooth-skin gusset underlays the rear YKK No. 10 zipper track, so you’ve got a suit that will hold in body warmth while keeping water out.
Info: istsports.com
Since its introduction in 2007, the Nemo Wide has enjoyed a solid reputation as a reliable, basic wrist-mount computer. However, this year’s version can no longer be described as “basic.” The new Nemo Wide can monitor three gas mixes up to 99 percent nitrox, plus it features a bottom-timer mode with a stopwatch function for technical diving. Its screen layout has also been redesigned to better organize data, and it has a more intuitive interface, so now it’s even easier to use.
Info: mares.com
SCUBAPRO has taken its Mark 11 balanced-diaphragm first stage and teamed it with a new second stage. The R-195 is based on Scubapro’s R-190, known for its reliability. The R-195 combines a classic downstream valve with a large diaphragm and centercase purge button; the second stage comes with a dive/predive switch that’s shaped and sized for easy grabbing, and helps prevent surface free-flows.
Info: scubapro.com
Stahlsac designers started with its popular Caicos Cargo Pack, then went bigger and tougher. The result is this new heavy-duty roller bag. Built with a tough tarpaulin exterior fabric, the bag has a beefed-up bottom and rugged reinforcements in all the high-wear areas. Ready to take on all kinds of abuse, the bag offers lots of compartments and pockets for organizing and packing clothes and dive gear, and throws in some compression straps to secure the load while out on the road.
Info: stahlsac.com
Take a sneak peek at what's new in the world of dive gear.