Gear

What's better than New World Publication's Tropical Pacific Reef Fish ID book? The eBook version for your mobile devices

Reviews of scuba-diving apps for your mobile device. This week: DiveLogBook.

Reviews of scuba-diving apps for your mobile device. This week: Aqua Life Images

An evolution of our popular MityLite™ 1900, the Nemo™ 1960 LED brings the latest in LED technology to the dive market.

TUSA’s BCJ-4000 — the Soverin — is made of 500 Denier Cordura nylon and is loaded with features. The Ultimate Stabilizing Harness uses strategically placed rails to hold the tank in place.

Traveling divers who like jacket-style BCs are going to love SCUBAPRO’s GO. Although lightweight, this is a full-featured BC with a super-secure integrated weight system, huge cargo pockets with mesh reinforcements and zippered closures, lightweight shoulder strap buckles and large aluminum D-rings.

SCUBAPRO has designed the surprisingly comfortable Form Tek harness for double-tank configurations, though it can be converted for single-tank use. Sixty pounds of lift and a stainless-steel back plate make this harness an ideal foundation for serious technical diving.

A behind-the-scenes look at ScubaLab’s BC testing in the pool and the open ocean

SCUBAPRO’s Meridian combines a classy timepiece with an advanced dive computer. The housing is made of marine grade 316-L stainless-steel with a two-toned brushed finish. The display uses bold digits and icons, and is flanked by four control buttons for navigating through the system.

You won’t find a more compact console-style air-integrated dive computer than Subgear’s X-P-H. Measuring just over two inches in diameter and weighing a featherlight five ounces, this single-gas data cruncher is an air-integrated dive computer that reads up to 4,350 psi in 10 psi increments.

These fully loaded dive computers do everything except dive for you

Reviews of scuba-diving apps for your mobile device. This week: Wrecks of the Adriatic.

Critical scuba diving gear often needs some special TLC. Here’s our guide to keeping your mask in tiptop shape in 5 easy steps.

If you have a need for specialized mask lenses, IST Proline has multiple options for you. The OL80 dive mask lenses are available in clear, tinted and optical corrections and can be fitted to a number of different mask styles.

ScubaLab examines 18 new masks to help you find one that will fit your face — and style of diving. Here we review the Tusa Panthes.

ScubaLab examines 18 new masks to help you find one that will fit your face — and style of diving. Here we review the Sherwood Scuba Allure.

The Pro Light is an extremely light and well-balanced fin that’s surprisingly responsive and powerful. The compact blade features a soft rubber center panel that’s flanked by thermoplastic stiffeners and flexible yet supportive side rails. This combination provides nice blade flex when kicking, and allows you to maintain stability whether you prefer flutter, scissor or frog style kicking. The fin has two flaps along the end of the blade, a design that allows divers to change direction with only minimal kicking effort.

The Express Adjustable delivers kicking power and comfort for year-round diving in all conditions. Now available in an open-heeled version, the Express Adjustable Fin uses Aqua Lung’s patented mid-foot flex joint to take strain off the toes and ankle.

The Hotshot is part of Aqua Lung’s new line of travel gear. It’s a real rocket fin whose multiple kicking characteristics give it a lot of versatility.

The X-Stream is constructed of three distinct materials, each with its own mission. It starts with a thermoplastic blade frame and footboard.

Seasoft’s frameless Visionmaster Super Mask features lenses made of H-G-G glass with Crystal ARC anti-reflective coatings that virtually eliminate glare. HGG glass and Crystal ARC coatings are found on the optics of leading riflescopes and camera lenses and allow up to 20% more light to reach your eyes.

The New Mantis 5 has the same frame as our standard Mantis mask with a new low volume skirt offering 20 degrees more visibility. Fits medium to wide face shapes. Optical lenses available upon request.

You saw it coming… or did you?  Our ever-popular G-series gets even better: smaller, more ergonomic and just as affordable. Accessorize with a choice of wide angle options for exactly the shot you want.

Take your PowerShot to the next level. 200ft (60m) depth rating with access to all camera options and easy drop-in loading. Compatible with external wide angle and macro lens options.

Affordable ease. For those interested in stepping up from point-and-shoot to a Digital SLR. Electrical TTL strobe operation provides faster recycle times, longer battery life and more accurate exposure by eliminating the need for the camera’s flash to fire.

Nauticam’s experience building professional-grade aluminum housings for the compact digital camera market shows with its NAS110. 

Of the 13 scuba diving regulator models tested for 2012, four models stood out as Testers' Choice or Best Buys. Check out complete info on these two top models from Aqua Lung.

Cressi’s XS Compact/MC9 is designed for all divers, but is especially well-suited to the traveling diver. The hyper-balanced diaphragm MC9 first stage has a small, chromium-plated brass body that’s protected by a special elastomer skin.

The new RS-790 is Tusa’s flagship regulator. Its first stage, the R-700, is a balanced diaphragm design with a dry ambient pressure chamber for cold-water diving. Its ribbed top cap nearly doubles the surface area for thermal exchange—which is all-important for minimizing freeze-ups in ultra-cold conditions.

Our top performing balanced piston first stage paired with our high performance air balanced second stage; this combination is SCUBAPRO's most popular regulator combination.

This suit uses Metalite-coated neoprene to “reflect” warmth back to the body and increase heat retention, while shedding water quickly to help protect against wind chill when you’re back on shore.

ScubaLab reviews the Tilos Men’s 3/2 mm Delphite SuperStretch Jumpsuit

True to its name, the Thermocline from Fourth Element provides as much thermal protection as a typical 2.5 mm wetsuit but weights just 2.2 pounds. It can be layered under other wetsuits without the need for extra lead.

IST is a family owned and operated manufacturer with three separate equipment lines available to the diving community. We have been manufacturing quality watersports equipment for others as well as ourselves for over 35 years, so while you may not have seen our logo frequently, chances are you have enjoyed our gear somewhere before.

This rear-entry, 4 mm, high-density neoprene dry suit weighs 50 percent less than traditional neoprene dry suits. When ScubaLab tested dry suits this past winter, the immediate reaction from every tester was “Is this a dry suit?”

Winner of the 2011 APEX Award from Polartec for the “most outstanding Polartec based product", the SB SYSTEM Mid Layer is built from the first and only fleece fabric designed specifically to be worn under a drysuit.

The rugged D10 is a tough, comfortable, warm drysuit packed with features that cold-water divers will love. Kevlar boots, 3-D knee guards and a heavy-duty cordura crotch panel join with Waterproof’s exclusive “seat that grips” for a non-slip grip and extra protection.

The Testers’ Choice for female neoprene suits, the Everydry 4 was comfortable, lightweight and, best of all, warm.

ScubaLab tests more equipment and collects more data than anybody in diving, and the annual regulator evaluation is our test team’s favorite. From a data-gathering perspective, a reg’s complex design allows us to really peel back the performance layers — using both sophisticated lab machinery as well as down-and-dirty dive work.

This year’s undisputed favorite among test divers, the Aquaride Elite is well built with virtually no inherent buoyancy.

Here’s something you don’t usually see on a snorkel: ball-joint connections. On IST Sports’ 3-D Flex Dry Snorkel you have two of them: one at the base of the mouthpiece, and one where the purge body connects to the breathing tube.

This kicker turned in some of the best overall in-water performance scores, earning the highest scores for acceleration. Test divers liked the fin’s exceptional maneuverability, and noted its ability to negotiate turns with minimal foot action.