Scuba Lab First Look: October 2008
From the October, 2008 issue of Scuba Diving Magazine. What's new in dive gear
Scubapro: Whitetip Knife Kit
The Whitetip is a super compact knife, measuring only 6 inches overall, with a variety of cutting edges designed to dispatch fishing line, kelp and rope of all kinds. The 2.5-inch blade offers an inch of serrated edge, an inch of smooth edge, and an angled tanto tip with a sharpened smooth edge. The blade and handle are made from a single length of 304-grade hard-tempered stainless steel--the handle portion is over-molded to provide an easy grip. The knife locks into its sheath and stays there until the release button is pushed. The kit comes with everything you need to mount the knife on a console hose or BC pocket (you have to punch holes in the material, so be careful not to puncture the bladder). You can also thread a pair of rubber straps on the sheath for mounting on an arm or leg, old-school-style. If none of these options suits you, the Whitetip is so small it will probably fit into your BC pocket. Retail price: Contact: scubapro.com |
Pinnacle: Kodiak 8/6 Semi-Dry Wetsuit
A superb sealing system makes the Kodiak a winner--a wetsuit that's about as close to a dry suit as you can get. The suit's ankles use what Pinnacle calls chimney seals, smooth-skin fold-under seals with zippered overcuffs. Three-inch gusset-style smooth-skin seals are located on the forearms and backed by smooth-skin O-ring seals at the wrists. Because the zipper doesn't interfere with the collar, the neck has an excellent fold-under smooth-skin seal backed by a hood dam. If you wear a dry suit hood, you can pull the hood over the neck seal and sandwich its hem between collar and hood dam, in effect creating a double-locking sealing system. A unique feature: Pinnacle says that the offset teeth of the unique, Swiss-designed Riri zipper is water- and airtight except when there's a pressure imbalance--to maintain proper equalization, the zipper allows water or air to enter or exit as necessary. The suit is made of stretchy titanium-lined Elastiprene neoprene, with 8mm neoprene in the torso area for maximum core warmth and 6mm neoprene in the pre-bent arms and legs to maximize range of motion. High-flex patches inside the elbows and behind the knees further enhance flexibility. The interior is lined with Merino, while seams are double-glued and blind-stitched and backed up with stress disks at all internal intersections. Add the 10mm spine/kidney pad that cushions the tank, Kevlar knee pads and molded rubber shoulder pads, and you've got a rugged, comfortable suit designed to keep the warmth in and the water out. Available in 13 men's and 11 women's sizes. Retail price: Contact: pinnacleaquatics.com |
Camaro: Seamless 1mm Diving Gloves
Actually, this high-flex glove does have seams, the seams just don't have stitches. Made with four-way-stretch 1mm neoprene, the glove's seam edges are glued together, then overlayed with a flexible tape that is "welded" onto the seam using pressure and heat. A stitch-free glove is more comfortable than a standard stitched glove because stitched seams press against your skin. The lack of stitches also smoothes out the fingertips, making it easier to pick up small items or turn tiny camera knobs. Stitch-free gloves are also supposed to prevent water from seeping through the seams. We did experience some seepage with this glove; specifically, in the web areas between the fingers, but because the glove is designed for warm water, we don't consider this a deal-breaker. The palms and finger pads are coated with a smooth, nonslip material to improve grip, yet still allows you to adjust a mask or brush hair out of your face without scratching your skin. The glove is also available in 3mm and 5mm, in XS/S, M/L, and XL/XXL. Note: these gloves are cut small, so consider getting one size larger than you might normally wear. Retail price: Contact: camaro.at |
More Mares Fin Choices
Two of Mares' most popular fins, the Quattro Excel and the Raptor, just got better. The Quattro Excel fin now features ABS Plus buckles with quick-release cams, so you can remove the fin without having to adjust the strap. This buckle is a much improved, easier-to-use upgrade to the original ABS buckle system. Mares also added to the color and size options on the popular Quattro Excel. The fin is now available in pink (in addition to silver, blue, yellow and red) and in extra-small (in addition to small, regular and extra-large). The Raptor, Mares' first split fin, now comes in black (in addition to blue, red, yellow and green). The Raptor uses natural rubber rails that taper at the fin tip to enhance blade flex, and like the Quattro Excel, it has ABS Plus buckles. It's available in small, regular and extra-large sizes. Retail price: Quattro Excel ABS Plus, ; Raptor, . Contact: mares.com |
Waterproof Dive Maps
Colorful, highly detailed and loaded with practical dive information, these waterproof dive site maps offer depictions of a veritable fleet of popular sunken wrecks, like the Spiegel Grove, Eagle and Oriskany. On each double-sided PVC plastic card you get a bit of history on the wreck, its position on the bottom relative to compass direction, prevailing currents, depths to the superstructure, decks and keel, tips on how to best approach the wreck, and a whole lot more. Study the map before the dive to get a crisp visual image of the wreck and its environs, and then take the card along for reference while actually exploring the wreck. Maps are three-hole punched to fit in standard logbooks. Currently available are maps for wreck sites and popular dive sites in Hawaii, Florida, California, North Carolina and the Cayman Islands. Retail price: each. Contact: or your local dive retailer. |
