Test Extra

Each issue, the Scuba Diver test team bring you the latest product and equipment releases from the dive industry. Cannot wait for the next edition? Keep up-to-date with all the latest gear news and reviews by heading over to the Scuba Diver YouTube channel! www.youtube.com/ScubaDiverMagazine

FOURTH ELEMENT J2 BASELAYER | SRP: £84.95 EACH

Mark Evans: There is nothing worse than feeling cold when you go for a dive, and if you want to keep diving right here in the UK through the winter months, then some proper, effective thermal protection is essential. I tend to dive in my Fourth Element Halo 3D all year round, and even in the depths of winter, I have generally been able to last for a full dive, but call me nesh, I had taken to wearing a basic base layer under it for that little bit of extra core warmth when it got really cold.

Son and heir Luke was keen to rub in the fact that along with his Fourth Element Hydra neoprene drysuit and Xerotherm undersuit, he also had a J2 baselayer – and I didn’t! – but that was rectified in the run up to Christmas and so we were both able to head off for dives properly bundled up with our J2s under our respective undersuits and drysuits.

Now some people might baulk at the thought of shelling out nearly £170 for a base layer top and bottom, when you can pick up a basic base layer set for under £15 in your local supermarket, but they say you get what you pay for, and in the case of the J2, that certainly holds true. This is not your ‘normal’ baselayer, it is an extremely advanced garment.

The J2 baselayer was developed specifically for the US Deep Caving Team’s 2013 expedition to explore the Cheve cave system in Mexico. Keeping the skin dry can be critical to success on an epic exploration such as this, whether it is staying warm, or preventing infections, and the J2 baselayer was designed to wick perspiration away from the skin and maintain a dry zone next to the skin. Air is a better insulator than water and consequently, the baselayer ensured better thermal protection.

The J2 baselayer system takes this performance further with triedand-tested anti-microbial silver ions embedded within the fibres of the fabric, which enables long, repetitive wear without the risk of skin infections developing – this was critical during the 2013 expedition.

The J2 wicking performance also comes into its own when the fabric gets wet. Water is wicked away from the skin, and with the right combination of drysuit underwear, further away though the fibres of the undersuit. Even in the event of a suit flood, the J2 will retain some of its performance.

Silver ions are incorporated into the fibres when they are manufactured, ensuring that the bacteriostatic and antifungal properties of the fabric last. This cannot be washed off. The silver ions prevent the formation of bacterial cell membranes, preventing most bacteria from growing in the fibres of the garment. However, this will not adversely affect the naturally occurring bacteria on the skin itself.

A simple, close-fitting design with flat seams for next-to-skin comfort offers the perfect solution under any drysuit underwear. This top is not only easy to don, it has good aesthetics and is extremely comfortable thanks to excellent all-way stretch fabric and flat seams.

Each issue, the Scuba Diver test team bring you the latest product and equipment releases from the dive industry. Cannot wait for the next edition? Keep up-to-date with all the latest gear news and reviews by heading over to the Scuba Diver YouTube channel! www.youtube.com/ScubaDiverMagazine

FOURTH ELEMENT J2 BASELAYER | SRP: £84.95 EACH

We found that you do have a fetching ‘waffle’ pattern left in your skin after wearing it, but it is incredibly comfortable.

You would not think adding a thin baselayer under your undersuit could make such a difference, but it really does – the additional warmth from the J2 was immediately obvious, and even more so towards the end of hour-long dives. I tested the works-when-wet claim when I forgot to adequately treat the zipper on my plastic T-Zip and got a constant trickle into my drysuit for the entire dive. I was wet, but the J2 – and the Halo 3D – kept the water away from my body and I only realised I had suffered a leak when I got out of my suit at the end of the dive.

The thing about the J2 is that it can be employed for many different uses – I have already worn it when walking the dog on frosty winter days, and when mountain biking in North Wales when the temperatures dropped to single figures. It is so comfy, you can even lounge around in it at home! www.fourthelement.com

t: 01202 122006 e: info@dorsetdiving.co.uk a: 25A Ringwood Road, Poole, Dorset, BH14 0RF 5 Star PADI Dive Centre offering PADI Courses, Kit Sales, Servicing, Air Nitrox and Trimix Fills. In house IDEST test station and workshop for on site repairs. www.dorsetdiving.co.uk

t: 01305 824555 e: info@underwaterexplorers.co.uk a: Unit 1, Maritime Business Centre, Mereside, Portland, Dorset, DT5 1FD Leading Dorset dive centre stocking all major brands, air, nitrox, trimix fills, rentals and servicing beside Portland Marina and across from Chesil Beach. www.underwaterexplorers.co.uk

t: 01708 837032 e: contact@bespokescubadiving.co.uk a: Becontree Heath Leisure Centre, Althorne Way, Dagenham, Essex, RM10 7FH Our mission is to provide quality & professional scuba training in a relaxed friendly environment. www.bespokescubadiving.co.uk

t: 07841 561680 e: info@blackwaterdiving.co.uk a: 18 Lower Park Road, Loughton, Essex, IG10 4NA PADI Dive training focussed on beginners. Try Scuba Diving for £20. Private swimming pools. Learn to scuba dive with 1:1 instruction at Blackwater Diving. www.blackwaterdiving.co.uk

t: 01375 892444 e: info@diverse-scuba.co.uk a: Ye Old Plough House Motel, Brentwood Road, Bulphan, Essex, RM14 3SR Diverse Scuba are one of the leading 5 STAR PADI IDC dive centres in the UK providing scuba diving courses and services to the Essex region. www.diverse-scuba.co.uk

t: 01268 520111 e: info@orcascubadivingacademy.co.uk a: 17 Repton Close, Burnt Mills Estate, Basildon, Essex, SS13 1LN Established in 2007 the Academy a vision of Gary to deliver the very best Scuba Diving School in Essex. www.orcascubadivingacademy.co.uk

t: 01622 212022 e: scuba@blueoceandiving.co.uk a: West Park Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME15 7AF 5* PADI scuba diving courses and training, organised diving trips and events, scuba equipment and friendly advice based in Maidstone. www.blueoceandiving.co.uk

t: 01227 700374 e: sales@divingproducts.co.uk a: Windgates, Church Lane, Waltham, Near Canterbury, Kent, CT4 5SS Kent Tooling Diving Products produce the widest range of rebreather and diving supplies and accessories in Kent and the UK. www.divingproducts.co.uk

t: 07779 605863 e: tim@diveshack.uk.com a: 17 Station Parade, Harrogate, HG1 1UF Harrogates number 1 dive store. www.diveshack.uk.com

e: info@dive-site.co.uk a: Jackdaw Quarry, Capernwray Road, Over Kellet, Lancashire, LA6 1AD The UK’s finest inland dive site... Welcome to Capernwray, the beautiful diving venue on the edge of the Lake District. www.dive-site.co.uk

e: info@eastlancsdiving.co.uk a: Daisyfield Pool, Daisy Ln, Blackburn, BB1 5HB East Lancashire’s only PADI approved Dive Centre - Undertaking all PADI courses and Specialities from Try Dive to Professional. www.eastlancsdiving.co.uk

t: 07957 710334 e: contact@mkscubadiving.co.uk a: Unit 50A, I-Centre, Howard Way, Newport Pagnell, Milton Keynes, MK16 9PY Friendly, professional and patient PADI, SDI and TDI scuba instructors, we proudly offer you high quality service, equipment and facilities. www.mkscubadiving.co.uk

t: 01603 485000 e: info@scuba4me.co.uk a: 62 Whiffler Road, Norwich, NR3 2AY We are Norfolk’s Premier dive centre with our own on-site swimming pool and well stocked shop with the latest equipment. www.scuba4me.co.uk

t: 01332 665353 e: sales@godive.net a: Nottingham Road, Spondon, Derby, DE21 7NP Take your diving to the next level with GoDive, the UK’s first fourth element concept store. Start shopping with us today! www.godive.net

t: 01752 228825 e: info@aquanauts.co.uk a: 88 Vauxhall Street, The Barbican, Plymouth, PL4 0EY Waterfront full service centre with direct access to the best wreck and reef diving the UK has to offer. www.aquanauts.co.uk

t: 07976 526050 e: info@dreamdiversltd.co.uk a: 18-20 Greasbrough Rd, Parkgate, Rotherham, S62 6HN PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Centre based in Parkgate, Rotherham. Our instructional team has been teaching PADI courses together in the Rotherham, Barnsley, Doncaster, Sheffield and surrounding areas of South Yorkshire since 2005. www.dreamdivers.co.uk

t: 01939 291303 e: severntecdiving@gmail.com a: Seventec Diving, Unit 1J, Leaton Industrial Estate, Shrewsbury SY4 3AP We are a Scuba Diving Training Center with over 20 years experience with a multi-agency approach to scuba diving. www.severntecdiving.com

t: 01935 353525 e: info@dive.academy a: Unit 7-8 Boundary Avenue, Commerce Park, Yeovil, Somerset, BA22 8UU Somerset’s Premier. Scuba Diving Centre. Book a lesson. www.dive.academy

t: 0800 699 0243 e: info@oysterdiving.com a: Maritime House, Basin Road North, Portslade, E. Sussex, BN41 1WR PADI 5-star IDC centre in London and S.E. Holidays around the world, active club and local dives. Exclusive lake in Surrey. www.oysterdiving.com

t: 07889 883232 e: info@planetdivers.co.uk a: Planet Divers, The Angling Club, Royal Parade, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN22 7AA A Friendly Crew, Great Diving all year round. Excellent, Fun trips UK & Abroad for all levels, non-divers welcomed. www.planetdivers.co.uk

t: 0121 706 6628 e: info@aquasportonline.com a: The Dive Centre, 50 Lincoln Road, Olton, Solihull, West Midlands, B27 6PA The only purpose built diver training centre and dive shop in the West Midlands and the only PADI Dive Centre in the whole of Greater Birmingham and Solihull. www.aquasportonline.com

t: 07920 556116 e: instructor@hotmail.co.uk a: Filton leisure Centre, Elm Park, Fiton BS34 7PS DM Scuba hold pool training sessions in Bristol, Swindon and Bath giving you plenty of choice. www.dm-scuba.co.uk

t: 07967 733764 e: info@belowthesurface.co.uk a: 26 Albert Street, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, HX7 8AH A PADI 5 star centre with over 30 years’ experience, we teach in small groups & at your pace. www.belowthesurface.co.uk

t: 01142 332995 e: info@learn2dive.co.uk a: 185 Holme Lane, Hillsborough, Sheffield, Yorkshire, S6 4JR Welcome to Diveworld, dive school, dive club, dive retail and servicing, dive travel and more, the complete scuba package. www.learn2dive.co.uk

Recreational, Instructor, and Technical Dive Logs Custom Dive Logs Log Book Stamps Gear ScubaTags Compact Lightweight Binders Custom Dive Slates Dive Maps Fish Identification Certification C Card Holders

Richard Aspinall showcases the anthia, a ubquitous sight on the Red Sea reefs.

Mark Wynne and Holly Wakely talk about their inspirational diving YouTube Channel.

There is an amazing diversity of diving at Puerto Galera, as Roni Ben-Aharon explains.

Kurt Storms explores the massive supertanker lying off the coast of Genoa.

Hamish Harper gives us a behind-the-scenes peek at the challenges around planning and filming water-based shoots for TV programmes.

Editor-in-Chief Mark Evans dives the Scubapro Hydros X BCD.