What’s New

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

MARES ERGOTRIM GUARDIAN AND GRACE SLS BCDS | SRP: £674

Over 20 years ago, Mares was the first scuba manufacturer to introduce an alternative buoyancy system called Airtrim. This high-functioning power inflator was one of the most-innovative designs in BCD history, and many other equipment manufacturers quickly followed suit, however, none compared to the performance of the pneumatically balanced Airtrim. Although the Mares Airtrim is still the pioneer in power inflators, it has remained unchanged for many years. Over the past several years, Mares has been hard at work engineering, not just a ‘restyling’ of this vital product, but a new system altogether.

The Ergotrim is a revolutionary concept that will bring the BCD market to a new era. The Mares Ergotrim incorporates Airtrim 2.0 technology into an ergonomic configuration with pneumatic deflation. A rocker switch lies on top of the inflate and pneumatic deflate buttons to prevent operation at the same time and facilitate smooth airflow. Divers can use the Ergotrim to deflate the BCD no matter their diving position and inflate it at a 40% higher flow rate than original Airtrim.

The new Ergotrim also features a traditional oral inflation button - a quick-release clip allows you to quickly disconnect the system from the BCD for oral inflation use.

However, one of the most-exciting features is that the Ergotrim is conducive to scuba instruction. Dive pros can use the Ergotrim in the standard position while teaching to demonstrate skills to their students, and then put it into the lower position when pleasure diving.

The Mares Ergotrim is now available on the Guardian and Grace BCDs, which are typically well-specced jacket-style units, with SLS integrated weights. www.mares.com FOURTH ELEMENT TIDAL ROBE | SRP: £169.95

First there was the Storm poncho, and now there is the Tidal Robe. Made from recycled material, this fullzip Tidal Robe has been built to keep the warmth in and the elements out. Tested by hardy ocean users, this super soft fleecelined robe, with handwarmer pockets and an adjustable hood, is perfect for keeping cosy after time spent in the water. Use it to warm up after a session in or on the water, or to cover up between dives. This robe is fully fleece-lined for after-swim warmth and is made using approximately 50 recycled plastic bottles. It is available in vibrant orange and a more-muted green. www.fourthelement.com

APEKS HALO | SRP: £114

The Halo spool is the latest addition to the Apeks Lifeline Spool family and is a true innovation in the diving market. The large diameter of the Halo fits perfectly in the hand and allows simple, controlled deployment of the DSMB, and rapid line retrieval, even when wearing thick gloves. Once the DSMB is launched, it is extremely comfortable to hook three fingers through the Halo and ‘hang’ on the line to keep the marker buoy upright on the surface. Like the Apeks spools, it is made from anodised aircraft-grade aluminium, it comes with a stainless steel boltsnap, and the orange, high-visibility line is sewn instead of tied to increase strength. www.apeksdiving.com

Over a decade in the making, Fourth Element have introduced their brand-new undersuit, HALO A°R. Incorporating highly advanced thermal technology and one of the most-insulating materials ever developed, the HALO A°R’s performance exceeds expectations of any diving undersuit.

Using technology originally created for space exploration and cryogenics, the HALO A°R features the extreme insulation material A°RGON aerogel in a compression resistant matrix. With phenomenal insulation properties, this material enables the HALO A°R to achieve extreme thermal protection from a thinner, less-buoyant diving undersuit. With a wind and waterrepellent stretch outer layer, comfortable thumb loops and foot stirrups, this is a garment which can be worn in total comfort, all day. Fourth Element Director Jim Standing said: “Building on Fourth Element’s experience in thermal protection and bodymapping, we have extensively assessed the HALO A°R with thermal imaging cameras to improve and modify prototypes. It’s been a long process to get this right, but what we have now is the most-advanced technology you’ll find on the market.”

The offset chest zip and baffles ensure that heat lost from the torso is minimised when in horizontal trim. All the body from shoulders to knees is protected by a layer of A°RGON, while other critical areas also benefit from this enhanced insulation without compromising mobility or creating bulk.

Routing a valve in this diving undersuit is as simple as adjusting the two-way zipper in the fly and a zippered pocket provides a secure place to store keys, credit cards and cash.

The HALO A°R is available in sizes S-XL. www.fourthelement.com Tecline have been establishing themselves in the market when it comes to masks, fins, wetsuits and backplate-andwings, and now they are adding regulators to their resume.

The V1 Ice Tec II set-up is designed for single-cylinder diving, and they then have variants for sidemount and twinset diving. The V1 Ice is a neat-looking balanced diaphragm first stage which has two high-pressure ports and four low-pressure ports which are all arranged for optimum hose routing. This V-shape also means that the hoses are very streamlined when you are in a flat trim position. The V1 Ice is made from maritime bronze and features a dry chamber and cold kit, so you can take the plunge when the temperatures drop with no concerns about freeflows.The Tec II second stage is pneumatically balanced and has a large venturi lever and a cracking resistance control knob. The body is made of lightweight but robust materials, and it has an eye-catching outer ring of stainless steel on the front.

There is a Teflon coating of metal parts, and an additional heat exchanger for cold waters. The V1 Ice Tec II set-up comes in a distinctive red Tecline bag. www.teclinediving.eu

PARALENZ VAQUITA FLIP MOUNT AND MACRO LENS BUNDLE | SRP: €179

The Paralenz Vaquita is an easy-to-use point-and-shoot underwater camera that tracks your dive depth, temperature and GPS location. With the patented Automatic DepthControlled Colour Correction, you can focus on your dive as it adjusts the white balance relative to your depth. No filters, no housing needed down to 350m - a camera made by divers for diving. Paralenz has now released the Vaquita Flip Mount and Macro Lens Bundle. The included accessory macro lens which mounts on the Paralenz Vaquita Flip Mount can be clicked on and off during the course of the dive. It is perfect for shooting close-up images of fish, corals, textures and more. The macro lens magnifies the subject and enables the camera to focus on short distances for creating super-sharp images. In the box you get a flip mount, allen key, macro lens and a macro lens pouch. www.paralenz.com