Atomic Aquatics UltraClear Mask Line to Begin Shipping March 10, 2006
Posted by Andy Carroll in : Equipment , add a commentSaw this press release regarding a new range of masks coming from Atomic. The Atomic regulators seem to be well regarded, but the split fins are nonsense (sorry, its just the way I feel) and now they are releasing anew range of ‘professional’ dive masks. Here is their press release;
Atomic Aquatics continues to turn the dive industry on edge with its innovative products. First came the ground-breaking Atomic regulator family, followed by the award-winning SplitFins. Atomic Aquatics is pleased to unveil its new Atomic-Vision ULTRACLEAR line of professional dive masks. Both will be available March 1st.
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Scubapro changes warranty procedures for Twin Jet Fins December 15, 2005
Posted by Andy Carroll in : Equipment , add a comment
ScubaPro Uwatec have recently announced that they are stamping their twin jet fins with serial numbers to ‘further position Twin Jet Fins as the preeminent fin in the industry’.
How does a serial number do that exactly?
It is important to note that any and all existing SCUBAPRO Twin Jet Fins which do not bear serial numbers are still 100% covered by the SCUBAPRO Limited Lifetime Warranty, assuming proof of purchase is provided with claim. Equally important, any SCUBAPRO Twin Jet Fin bearing a serial number that has been defaced or destroyed will not be covered by the warranty.
And now we get to the real reason. To the outsider, (and this is speculation only you understand), it would appear that there are some grey imports of these fins being manufactured and sold as scubapro fins, and some of these fins have perhaps made it back to Scubapro as warranty repairs. This is ScubaPros way of protecting their brand. I see no problem with this, but why try dressing it up as a product improvement? Marketing people… Go figure.
Anyway, should anyone be looking to purchase some of these fins (the traditional Jet Fins are a much better buy IMO), then check for the serial number if you wish to benefit from the limited lifetime warranty.
Source: SportDiver
OMS announce release of Stainless Steel Scuba Diving Fin Straps December 8, 2005
Posted by Andy Carroll in : Equipment , add a commentAnyone who has scuba dived for any length of time will know how frustrating it is for a scuba diving fin strap to break, seconds before you are about to jump off a boat, fully kitted up, and looking forward to enjoy a nice scuba dive. Stainless steel fin straps prevent this and are virually indestructible, putting an end to those frustrating moments.
OMS have recently announced their stainless steel scuba fin strap offerings in the form of two models, the FS, for ScubaPro Jetfins, and similar fins which have a ‘wire’ point of attachment, and the FT, which use the typical ‘nailhead’ or ‘mushroom’ type of attachment. You can see both styles below.
Details from the OMS Site
OMS� Spring heel straps come in sizes S, M, L, and XL to insure proper fit and help eliminate excessive coil expansion and entanglements! The springs expand and contract to automatically adjust and compensate for expansion and compression of the divers dry suit boot. The 4.5� Achilles rubber pad provides unprecedented comfort in the heel area and aids in donning and doffing of the fin.
Halcyon Evolve aims to improve scuba diving with twinset and wing December 7, 2005
Posted by Andy Carroll in : Equipment, News , add a commentHalcyon has always had the reputation for good quality equipment and their emphasis on minimalist diving equipment preferred by DIR divers. They have recently announced and released their new ‘Evolve’ wing, which is set to improve the feel and stability of their already successful Explorer Wing.
The divers who I know have tried it have indeed stated it is an improvement over the horseshoe style Explorer wing. It has a slimmer design and places less buoyancy around the lower part of the scuba tanks, which gives less of a head heavy feeling. Having seen it in the water, it does look a lot slimmer, although the only thing I saw which seemed a downside was that the long hose, popular with these setups, did not tuck in as neatly. Hopefully I will be able to try one myself soon.
