AWARD WINNER ROUND-UP

Normally, each month, the SCUBA DIVER test team assembles to rate and review a selection of dive equipment from a range of manufacturers. Products are split into price categories and are then evaluated for performance, comfort, ease of use, build quality, looks and value for money. The Test Team comprises Editor in Chief Mark Evans and a squad of volunteers, whose dive experience ranges from a couple of hundred dives to well over 6,000.

With the COVID-19 pandemic raging around the world, and the UK - as with many other countries - on lockdown with only essential travel allowed, the Test Team has obviously not been able to get out and run the next group tests, which were due to be mid-price regulators and then top-ofthe-range regulators. These tests will be conducted as soon as we are permitted to travel. In the meantime, we thought we’d bring you a round-up of our previous Group Test Choice and Best Value winners.

Mark getting ready to test

ON TEST THIS MONTH:

• PRIMARY CUTTING TOOLS

• BACK-UP CUTTING TOOLS

• PRIMARY DIVE LIGHTS

• BACK-UP DIVE LIGHTS

• ENTRY-LEVEL REGULATORS

Location: Tested at Vivian Dive Centre, Llanberis www.viviandivecentre.com

Torch test group

AQUA LUNG SMALL SQUEEZE KNIFE | SRP: £30-£61

Aqua Lung have become experts at producing well-made and useable dive knives, and the Small Squeeze Knife range continue this tradition. That name is used to signify the use of Aqua Lung’s patented ‘Squeeze Lock’ design, which securely holds the knife in its sheath, but when the diver needs it, a simple squeeze of the hand and the knife is deployed with a minimum of fuss. The handle and sheath are nylon with fibreglass fill. There is a lanyard hole in the hilt, and the sheath has drainholes. It comes with mounts to attach it to grommets in your BCD or wing. The 304 stainless steel versions (£35) come in either blunt tip or sheep tip. The blunt tip has a screwdriver tip, sharp section, serrated section, line cutter and a bottle opener. The sheep tip has sharp section, serrated section, line cutter and bottle opener. There is also a spear tip version in titanium (£68) which is supremely lightweight. This has all the features of the others just with an extremely sharp spear tip. All three easily sliced through every test, and the handle was comfy and easy to use even with thick gloves on. All-round winner. www.aqualung.com/uk

CHOICE 2019 GROUP TEST KNIVES

AQUA LUNG SMALL SQUEEZE KNIFE

TECH SPECS & VERDICT

WEIGHT: titanium 72g / sheep 111g / blunt 103g VERDICT: The perfect BCD knife, whichever version you choose. Lots of features, and efficient locking/release system, and a very competitive price.

SCORE • • • • • • • • • •

MARES HAND LINE-CUTTER B TITANIUM | SRP: £49

The styling of the Trilobite is also evident in this line-cutter from Mares. However, Mares being Mares, they have elevated it to another level with this ‘B’ version. The ‘B’ version features a ceramic cutting blade on one side, which is ultra-sharp and needs no apres-dive care as it won’t rust, and a military-grade titanium serrated blade on the other, which is safely behind a hinged protective shield. When you need to use it, you just flip up this shield and away you go. There is also an ‘A’ version (£35), which more-closely resembles the Trilobite, and has a line-cutter on either side, but each of these blades is ceramic, so it will never rust and needs no after-dive care. Both versions have a finger hole to aid deployment from its webbing sheath - which can attach anywhere on your BCD or wing - and a webbing ‘hilt’, but they also have generous thumb and forefinger grips so you can firmly hold it in use. Well designed and with two very useful sections, it proved a formidable tool, slicing through every test product with ease and being easy to handle even with thick gloves on. Great as a primary or back-up cutting tool. www.mares.com

CHOICE 2019 GROUP TEST KNIVES

MARES HAND LINE-CUTTER B TITANIUM

TECH SPECS & VERDICT

WEIGHT: 36g VERDICT: The Trilobite influence is easy to see, but Mares have lifted it to another level. We like the blend of cutting blade and serrated edge, and the use of ceramic/titanium.

SCORE • • • • • • • • • •

AQUA LUNG MICRO SQUEEZE KNIFE | SRP: £25

Aqua Lung totally nailed it with the Squeeze Knife range, making a compact knife that attached to your BCD and was useable whether you were in this country or in warmer waters. However, they also noted the rise of cutting tools like the Trilobite, which could be mounted pretty much anyway on your BCD or wing, and were even small enough to go on your dive computer strap. Hence, the launch of the Micro Squeeze Knife range. Unlike the big brother, there is no titanium version here, just two 304 stainless versions - blunt tip and sheep tip. The sheep tip has a serrated section and a line cutter, while the blunt tip manages to cram a screwdriver tip, sharp section, serrated section, line cutter and a bottle opener into a 5.1cm blade. It is undeniably cute. The knives use the same squeeze technology as the bigger knives, but as you only have a dinky hilt that fits between thumb and forefinger, they have added a length of webbing - a la Trilobite style - which sits in your hand and provides a rudimentary ‘hilt’ Not as easy to handle with gloved hands as the bigger versions, as you’d expect, but just as efficient at cutting. I’d be tempted to have one of these as a back-up to a full-size Squeeze. www.aqualung.com/uk

BEST VALUE 2019 GROUP TEST KNIVES

AQUA LUNG MICRO SQUEEZE KNIFE

TECH SPECS & VERDICT

WEIGHT: blunt 64g / sheep 68g VERDICT: Not as easy to use with thick gloves on, but equipped with efficient blades, a quality locking mechanism and a keen price. A great little back-up unit.

SCORE • • • • • • • •

EEZYCUT TRILOBITE | SRP: £31.95

The Eezycut Trilobite turned the diving world on its head when it showed up, being an efficient cutting tool for line, thinner ropes (up to 8mm diameter) and webbing, but also being compact and durable. Since then there have been various pretenders to the throne, and while some have built on its basic design (like the Mares unit), there is no getting away from the simplicity and ease of use of the Trilobite. The business end of the Trilobite incorporates two razor blades, one on either side, and in use you slot a forefinger through the hole and use the webbing as a ‘hilt’. Trilobites are available in a wide range of colours, including glow-in-the-dark, highvis and phosphoresence. The Trilobite comes with two spare blades and a sheath, of which there are various versions - a flexi pouch, a harness mount and a wrist mount. In the test, it easily sliced through all of the test lines, ropes and webbing. The compact size of the Trilobite means it is the perfect back-up cutting tool, and so small you could mount a couple on your BCD/dive computer to be ultra-safe. Easy to use with bare hands and wearing gloves. www.nautilusdiving.co.uk

BEST VALUE 2019 GROUP TEST KNIVES

EEZYCUT TRILOBITE

TECH SPECS & VERDICT

WEIGHT: 26g VERDICT: The Eezycut Trilobite turned the diving world on its head when it was released, and it is still a great bit of kit. Very efficient, keenly priced - a must-have product.

SCORE • • • • • • • • • •

BIGBLUE TL3500 | SRP: £299

BigBlue have successfully carved out a niche for themselves in the competitive world of underwater lighting, and I am seeing many videographers utilising their products now, as well as divers for general lighting purposes. The TL3500 delivers - as the name suggests - 3,500 lumens at full power for oneand-a-half hours via its three ultra-highintensity LEDs, and while much of this is concentrated in a ten-degree spot, there is also a wide peripherary beam as well. This makes it great for penetrating through floating detritus - as often encountered in UK waters - and also for signalling. The halo of peripheral light is also enough to illuminate wider surroundings without burning everything out. There are four power settings - 100 percent, 50 percent, 25 percent and 10 percent, with the latter giving an awesome burntime of 15 hours! There is also an SOS setting. The push button is easy to operate even wearing thick gloves, and the colour indicator - blue at full charge, green as the power drops, and red when nearing re-charge time - is handy too. It is quite comfortable just held in your hand, but also comes with a lantern-style handle, and a soft Goodman handle. www.liquidsports.co.uk

CHOICE 2019 GROUP TEST TORCHES

TECH SPECS & VERDICT

WEIGHT: 447g RECHARGEABLE: Yes VERDICT: The BigBlue TL3500 is a compact unit, but it sure pumps out some light, and we like the design of the push-button on/off with indicator light.

SCORE • • • • • • • • • •

MARES EOS 20RZ | SRP: £266

Mares have produced a strong line-up of torches with the EOS RZ range, and the 20RZ is the top of the line, but it doesn’t have a ridiculous price point, coming in at £266. It is one of the larger units in this review, and it weighs in at 594g, but even then, it is no beast, comfortably sitting in your hand. Part of the reason for the weight is the enlarged front of the light, which offers a nifty zoom function - twist that chunky head and you can alter the beam from a tight, bright 11 degree spot to a wide 75 degree flood, which still retains an even spread. A narrower beam penetrates well in lower vis, and the wider beam can light up a wide area when things are clearer. The three CREE XP-L LEDs put out 2,300 lumens at full power, and it has three settings - high (100 minute burntime), low (three-hour burntime) and SOS mode. It is depth-rated to 120m, and recharges by simply unscrewing the end cap and then plugging in a cable to your laptop or a wall socket (via a mains/USB plug). To turn the 20RZ on and off is easy - you just slide the locking mechanism across and thumb the slide switch forward. Ever push forward cycles through the settings. www.mares.com

BEST VALUE 2019 GROUP TEST TORCHES

TECH SPECS & VERDICT

WEIGHT: 594g RECHARGEABLE: Yes VERDICT: Great torch for use as a primary dive light. The zoom beam is a neat feature, and the on/off is simple to use even with gloves on. Great unit.

SCORE • • • • • • • • • •

ANCHOR DIVE LIGHTS SERIES 1K SPOT AND WIDE | SRP: €175-€225

Anchor Dive Lights are an Ireland-based company that is earning high acclaim in the world of underwater lighting. The Series 1K is one of their staple products, and there are two versions - the Spot and the Wide. Both are made from aviationgrade anodised aluminium - with a nifty, distinctive blue head - depth-rated to 100m, and come with battery and charger. They have three power settings, and burn times of around 70-80 minutes on full, two and a half hours at 50 percent, and five hours at 25 percent. It is simple to cycle through the different power settings by pressing the on/off button, which also features illumination to let you know the charge level of the battery. The Spot, with its CREE XM-L T6 LED, produces a tightly focused, bright ten degree beam which still has some peripheral light that illuminates around the main beam. The Wide, with its CREE XM-L U2 LED, puts out a 72 degree wide beam, which literally illuminates a huge area with a bright, even flood light. The Spot and the Wide are powerful enough to be used as a primary in UK waters, and are so small - and well-priced - that you could buy both and be able to switch between a spot light and a wide beam as conditions dictate. You also have a builtin redundancy then too! Either of these would also be great for a tropical night dive, but knock it down to 50 percent power. www.anchordivelights.com

CHOICE 2019 GROUP TEST TORCHES

TECH SPECS & VERDICT

WEIGHT: 156g RECHARGEABLE: Yes VERDICT: Compact back-up lights that produce a hell of a beam for their size. Easy to use, durably built - all-round quality package.

SCORE • • • • • • • • • •

DIVEPRO D5-3 | SRP: £79.95

The DivePro D5-3 is made from aircraftgrade anodised aluminium and boasts a single CREE XP-L LED pushing out an impressive 1,380 lumens into a bright spot, with a light peripheral halo around it. The D5-3 is turned on and off with a twist of the head, which is easy to do even wearing gloves. However, by turning it on and off within two seconds, you can cycle through high, medium and low power settings, and a strobe and an SOS mode, which is pretty neat. You get a burntime of one-and-a-half hours on full power, and eight hours on low power. The small nature of the D5-3, along with its relatively low weight (for a metal torch) and good burntime means it is a good option as a primary torch for use abroad, as it won’t eat up too much luggage allowance, and as it comes with a battery and charger, you don’t have to haul packs of batteries with you. It is depth-rated to 100m, so will even suit most techies wanting a compact but bright redundant torch. Finally, let’s touch on that stunning price point. Under £80 for a metal-bodied rechargeable torch of this quality is fantastic value for money. www.nautilusdiving.co.uk

BEST VALUE 2019 GROUP TEST TORCHES

TECH SPECS & VERDICT

WEIGHT: 135g RECHARGEABLE: Yes VERDICT: Extremely compact dive torch, with a bright beam. Easy twist on/off, great burntime and an astonishing price. Great for a powerful UK back-up or tropical primary.

SCORE • • • • • • • • •