Kit Reviews

Ambient Pressure

Evolution Closed Circuit Rebreather

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Evolution Closed Circuit Rebreather

It’s so good, it needs a page all of it’s own...

Please click the image for a full review

 

 

 

 

 

 

OMG Azimuth SCR

OMG Azimuth Rebreather

A couple of years ago there was a rumour of Mares launching a rebreather... this is it!!! However it is sold by the original manufacturer OMG of Italy.

This is a “near constant mass flow” semi closed system working on the same basic principles as the Draeger Dolphin and Ray.

I’m not going to go into basic rebreather theory, I’ll tell you how this differs from ALL other SCR’s on the market and why I think it’s the best there is:-

The rebreather is housed in a wonderful “clamshell” which contains the scrubber unit (stainless steel - not plastic), counter lungs and twin cylinders.

Yup... This is a twin-set rebreather!!!! Giving you the ability to run either two different mixes, bottom and travel (although the instructions tell you not to run it this way) or the option of extended gas time.

It also has a fully variable flow rate... so what? This means that if you have the relevant knowledge, skill and experience, you can tune the system to your own metabolic rate. Again not the official line, but it can be done. In comparision to the Dolphin, what this means is you can drive it on any Nitrox mix and adjust the flow rate to match... no changing of sensitive flow nozzels here.

In use it’s a dream... although I wouldn’t dive any rebreather without the ability to measure the ppO2. (I use a VR3)

What can I say? Get the training (PADI or TDI available) and try one out.

No bubbles (very few anyway), silence, extended gas time, warm breathing all go to make this an excellent option for cold UK waters. Although rebreather bouyancy control is completely different from Open Circuit... so go in with an open mind and learn to dive all over again.

I seldom dive anything else these days

Training in the Uk is avilable from:-

Melton Rebreathers

They can also supply and service the units. Tell Terry that Mark suggested you try it out

 

Gilan Traveller Plus - HID

Gilan Traveller Plus - The Flexible HID...

At the LIDS Dive show in March this year, Gilan, a small company from the Netherlands, launched their latest Hi-Tech lamp onto the UK dive market.

This was done on the back of a very favourable review in Diver Magazine and as such it got an excellent reception at the show. Having seen one up close I had to be one of the first to buy.

Like many hi-tech lights on the market, the lamp runs on a HID (High Intensity Discharge) bulb which is extremely efficient, runs at near daylight colour temperature (that unusual blue light you see from some car headlamps is HID) and produces less heat that a tungsten filament. The blue light tends to travel further underwater that a redder tungsten lamp due to the absorption of the red light from a tungsten lamp

So how does this lamp differ from every other HID on the market... It’s down to its flexible configuration.

With a 12W HID and it’s main canister it’ll run for 2.75 hours - Not bad for an equivalent light output of a 35W tungsten.... but the Traveller goes a step further. Remove the canister, insert a battery pack consisting of 8 “AA” cells and you have an absolutely stunning handheld torch - same brightness and a burn time with 2200mA cells of 90 minutes (I know ‘cos I’ve measured it!!!)

The picture opposite shows it with the umbilical canister and a spare “AA” battery pack... this gives you an idea just how small the lamp is.

At this point you think great... but it has another trick up its sleeve, the lamp can also run on dry cells... so you have a light that is powerful and extremely lightweight for travelling - I guess this is where it gets it name

Personally I’ve covered mine in bicycle inner tube, giving it a very robust rubber coating... might not look pretty, but it protects the brushed aluminium on those rough diving trips..

The light comes with an intelligent charger which can recharge the cells from any state of charge, so no problems with memory effect... unlike me... now where did I leave that torch????!!!!

I’ve stopped using all my other dive lights and believe me I have plenty and this is now my favourite lamp.

Have a look at their web site www.gilan.nl ... they sell direct so their prices are very keen.

 

pDivelog for Compaq iPaq

 

pDivelog - Dive logs & profiles for Windows CE - get it now...

Want to log your dives, display your profiles and generally show off on the dive boat?....They you have to get this piece of software and one of the many Pocket PC's on the market and an interface cable made with £2 worth of components. This has to be one of the best bits of amateur software I've seen to date.

Chris Jackson has created an excellent application and is offering it free to poor divers like ourselves. It holds not only the profiles, but you can enter all the other typical data such as dive site, buddies names, dive type and air consumption

Chris is constantly updating the software, it currently works with Aladin & Suunto dive computers and the Reefnet dive logger.

Logs are stored in the UWatec Datatrak native log format so can be copied to and from your desktop with ease.

For divers, this piece of software makes it worth buying the handheld. I currently run it on a Compaq iPaq, but have also run it successfully on an old Cassiopeia E105 which you can pick up second-hand for about £150, don't bother with the Memomouse.

Let's be honest, second only to getting wet...the main reason we dive is 'cos of the Boy's Toys...and when it comes to "dive envy" this ranks with the best toys around.

Oh yea...and it's dead useful too...

Get it...get it now.

Visit Chris' website....pDive Log...for lots more info and download files for most varieties of CE

 

Oceanic Chute 2 Wing

"Winging" its way to the top of the BCD Charts...

The Oceanic Chute 2 is a modular wing system ideal for leisure/recreational divers. Comprising a harness with 8 stainless steel welded "D" rings, integral pockets and weight system and an interchangeable "Kevlar - bioflex" aircell.

What makes this system different is a combination of the aircell...made from flexible, stretchable "bioflex" woven with Kevlar, the same material used in bullet-proof vests and Formula 1 race cars. Because it is a single skinned aircell it is difficult for air to become trapped and "undumpable"...and the fact the you can position up to 8lbs of lead in pockets between the harness and aircell giving the opportunity to "trim" your kit for that perfect diving position.

Air cells are available in either 45lb lift or 65lb lift (ideal for twinsets). The harness comes with a hard backpack and single cam-band. This single band is the only real downside as it is difficult to mount a single steel 15l cylinder without it having a tendency to slip...double bands would have been better. The rigid backpack comes with lumbar support that makes the whole unit VERY comfortable out of water, even when mounted with twins.

Wings are far superior to traditional "jacket" style BCDs, removing clutter from the front of the diver, positioning the bouyancy in the ideal position for the dive, the tendency to push the diver forward on the surface is removed by the positioning of the fixed weights at the back

 

Treble_Light 5.7c Dive Lantern

Step back Kowalski there is a new torch in town

This German made torch is everything a torch should be. 35w halogen bulb overdriven to 48w....burntime of almost an hour at full power, recharge time of less than two hours from any state. (The new versions now have a NiMH battery giving full power for over 70 mins)

Made from aircraft grade aluminium with a crystal glass port, the torch is tested to 200m (significantly more than I am!) The glass port appears to be over 5 mm thick and has proved more than upto the rough and tumble of a British dive boat. The unit comes with a separate fast charger and although you need to open the torch to charge, it is sealed by dual zero force O-rings. This means that unlike the Kowalski it is designed to be repeatedly opened and hence bulb changing is a doddle.

The torch has a charge state indicator at the rear which will always show how much life is left and when the unit either needs recharging or to decide to switch to one of the three lower power settings to increase burn time available.

Buy one now!!!!!!

 

Oceanhaus PC5 Video Housing

 

What's small, blue & perfectly formed...

I've been looking for a video housing for some time...in fact ever since Sea & Sea stopped making the PC1 housing. Boy am I glad I waited.

I have the first of what is going to be a very popular American made housing...ok I know it sounds German, but not all quality engineering is.

This baby is as small as it gets, the PC5 fits inside so snugly that it doesn't even have any mounting screws...it's literally like a glove. This means that it physically couldn't be any smaller. All control line with with zero effort...this is too good to be true...

OK so size isn't everything, the housing allows access to all the main controls, Record, autofocus on/off, photo, backlight and zoom controls. As standard it comes with a wide angle port which gives a 110 deg. field of view, however exhibits some vignetting at the extreme wide angle end.

I was worried about it not having a hydrophone...oh how I low the sound of bubbles, however, being machined from a solid block of aluminium sound is transmitted and picked up extremely well be the on camera microphone.

Being miniDV in format, the camera gives near broadcast quality videos which can be easily edited on a PC.

The housing is available from Cameras Underwater in the UK and ABsea.Net in the US.

If your looking at underwater video, look very closely at these...there is also a PC110 housing available if you want the improved still photo quality...at the cost of a slightly bigger device.

Look at either of the links and tell them Mark Daly sent you...

Cameras Underwater

ABsea

 

Custom Divers TDB - Technical Wing

Custom Divers TDB - "The Dogs B*ll*cks..."

Although The Custom Divers website refers to this as "Technical Diving Buoyancy" this wing appears to have gained the enviable nickname above among the UK Technical diving fraternity...

Having recently switched to a twin set, I decided to get a dedicated wing for the purpose...

Consisting of a stainless steel backplate, fully adjustable harness and either a single or double bladder configuration of aircells, the simplicity and customisation possible make this a true "techies" wing.

Why use this type of rig?...put simply it puts the lift where you need it and keeps the front of the diver uncluttered and free for other equipment

 

Updated September  2007