What’s New

MARES CRUISE BAG RANGE (SRP: £12-£188)

When you have a load of dive kit, you need something to transport it in, and Mares has a vast array of bags under the Cruise banner. These range from the likes of the Cruise Backpack Pro, Cruise Buddy and Cruise Packpack, which are traditional dive bags with retractable handles, multiple pockets and roller wheels, to the Cruise Backpack Roller, which is an innovative bag that folds up when not in use - perfect for on a liveaboard. These are accompanied by the Cruise Captain, which is ideal for spacious hand luggage, and other useful accessory bags such as the Cruise Backpack Mesh Deluxe and Cruise Backpack Mesh Elite, which can both take a full set of dive kit with ease and are perfect for carting your gear from your room down to the dive centre, etc. The range also includes duffle-bag-style products, such as the Cruise Quick Pack, Cruise X-Strap and Cruise Classic, and then there is the Cruise Journey, which is a well-specced backpack that is great to accompany you to the office or on holiday. The Cruise range is rounded out with an impressive array of dry bags, from huge 75-litre capacity units like the Cruise Dry BP75 Ultralight, to 35-, 25-, ten- and even five-litre bags. Whether you are looking for a weekend bag, something for a longer trip, or just a handy rucksack, Mares has you covered. www.mares.com

THERMOCLINE FRONT-ZIP JACKET AND FULL-SUITS, AND QUARTER-ZIP TOPS (SRP: £138.50-£257.50)

In response to popular demand, Fourth Element has added several front-zipped designs to its OceanPositive Thermocline range. Featuring the same breathable, machinewashable, neutrally buoyant alternative to 2mm neoprene, the new Thermocline garments are made with fabric using ECONYL(R) regenerated nylon from ghost fishing gear and other post-consumer waste. A zip-through jacket for men and women, front-zip full-suits and quarter-zip tops complement the range of existing styles and are available now from retailers. www.fourthelement.com

SCUBAPRO LEVEL (SRP: £389)

The Level front-adjustable BCD, with its Super-Cinch tank band, brings together all the best performance and comfort features you’ll need for any recreational diving scenario. It is lightweight yet extremely rugged – the bladder is made of EndurTex high-tenacity 420 nylon fabric – but what the Level BCD really delivers is comfort. Convenient swivel shoulder buckle straps, a sternum strap and adjustable cummerbund with double-pull over-strap enable you to dial in the perfect fit. The bladder is designed to comfortably wrap around your body without squeeze, and the full-sized backpack, working together with the Super-Cinch tank band, holds the tank rock solid for maximum stability. The integrated weight system loads easy and ditches even easier with its low-profile 40mm flat buckles. Also included are two large Velcro-closing cargo pockets, one of which offers metal grommets for attaching a knife, four D-rings for clipping on additional gear, and two Octo pockets for storing both a safe second and a console hose. www.scubapro.com

HOLLIS KATANA 2 (SRP: £529.95 / DUAL-BLADDER VERSION SRP: £659.95)

According to Hollis, the Katana 2 harness sets a new standard in sidemount diving. Designed in collaboration with Edd Sorenson from Cave Adventurers, Hollis developed a unique new ‘quick-fit system’, which allows users to easily tailor the one-size-fits-all harness to their specific size or adjustment preference in a matter of minutes (the design allows for an H- or Y-style harness configuration, depending on user preference). Hollis has added more lift, more weight capacity, single and dual bladder options, and the best-quality materials the company is renowned for. The Katana 2 is also the first sidemount harness in the world to be designed with closed-circuit sidemount capability, with integrated mounts for the popular KISS sidewinder. www.hollis.com

ATOMIC AQUATICS SCUBA HEAT (SRP: £359.95)

There are all manner of gadgets and equipment designed to keep you warm when diving in cold water, from advanced heat-retaining fabrics to heated undersuits and drygloves. Now Atomic Aquatics has entered the fray with the Scuba Heat, which not only prevents your reg from freezing up and freeflowing, but warms up the air that you are breathing! Described as ‘the personal thermal protection device for you and your regulator’, the Scuba Heat’s coil mounts on to your tank band and is routed between your first and second stage. As air from the first stage enters the coil, it is instantly warmed by the surrounding water, then exits the coil toward your second stage. There are no moving parts, batteries or heating elements. The heat-exchanging coil is made of a special thermally conductive and corrosionresistant copper nickel alloy that will not reduce air flow or otherwise degrade your regulator performance. www.atomicaquatics.com