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

APEKS EXOTEC | SRP: £747

The Apeks Exotec BCD is a revolution in diving comfort, functionality and seductive engineering design. Created to fit like no other BCD and flow with the natural movement of the diver’s body, through the innovative BioReact articulation, and constructed with the usual exacting Apeks build quality, the Exotec is a paradigm of form and function.

The BioReact articulating waist system allows maximum comfort and freedom of movement, while GripTek fabric keeps the BCD is place both on the surface and underwater.

The bladder is constructed from super-tough Armoguard slick skin for increased abrasion resistance, faster drying and a reduced risk of bacterial growth due to the slick surface.

Anodised aluminium hardware is both strong and lightweight, and the G-hook chest strap and tank retainer allow for one-handed simple operation. The three-position height-adjustable backplate allows for optimum fit, and it has adjustable waist and shoulders. Two large pockets can be folded up flat when not in use to reduce drag.

The SureLock I Mechanical Weight Release System (patented) provides a safe, single-pull release. Inserting weight is as simple as insert and ‘click’. With SureLock, your weights are secure in the BC. Once engaged, the only way to release the weight is to pull on the handle.

There are four dump valves in all, one in each corner. Three are proprietary flat valves, very streamlined and effective, while the dump valve on the upper left is the rapid exhaust valve found at the top of the Powerline inflator, which boasts one of the fastest inflation rates in the industry. www.apeksdiving.com FOURTH ELEMENT MASKS

Fourth Element Navigator (SRP: £74.95)

The innovative Fourth Element Scout mask has been joined by two more masks. First up, the Navigator, which is a dual-lens mask with large, almost teardropshaped lenses, which offer wide peripheral vision all-round.

The soft silicone skirt ensures a good, comfortable fit, and it is available in classic and wide-fit, so you will be able to find one for you regardless of your face-shape!

The tempered glass lenses come in Clarity (designed to maximise the amount of transmitted light, without any tint from impurities in the glass, and thus the ideal lens for night divers and photographers), and Enhance (filtering ultraviolet and HEV (High Energy Visible) radiation, the Enhance lens is designed to protect the eye and enhance the visual experience). The Navigator comes with a moulded silicone strap, but you can retro-fit the elasticated Fourth Element mask strap (available separately).

Fourth Element Aquanaut (SRP: £64.95)

The Aquanaut mask is an extremely compact, low-profile dual-lens mask, which makes for a great all-round dive mask, but is especially suited to freediving.

The mask has a soft silicone skirt, which sits comfortably on your face, and it comes with a moulded silicone strap (but like the Navigator, you can retrofit the elasticated strap).

The Aquanaut is available in black or white, and comes in black or white with a Clarity lens (in black or white), or in black with Contrast (When diving in temperate (green) waters, images seen through this lens show an increase in contrast, accentuating brighter and darker areas, increasing the perception of visual acuity).

Both masks come with the half-shell cushioned EVA mask case, which protects the lens during transport and storage, and can be tucked into a fin pocket thanks to its compact size. www.fourthelement.com

Tecline has launched a wetsuit offering protection for a range of water temperatures, in the form of the Protherm.

The Protherm is available as a full-suit in both 5mm and 7mm, and there is also a shortie (again in 5mm and 7mm) complete with integral hood to add additional warmth around the torso. This can also be worn independently in warmer waters.

The wetsuit has been designed to be unisex, and easy to take on and off thanks to the supersoft, supple material used in the construction. A plush liner adds a further degree of warmth and comfort. The wrists and ankles feature double-seals to minimize water ingress, and zippers to aid with donning, while Kevlar patches on the knees and shoulders help prevent abrasion damage in these high-wear areas. www.teclinediving.eu

SeaLife has introduced a new ultra-wide angle dome lens for the Microseries and ReefMaster underwater cameras that increases the camera’s field-of-view by almost 50%, allowing photographers to get three times closer to the subject.

The wide-angle dome lens design uses high-grade optical glass components arranged in a 4-element/4-group array that delivers crisp edge-to-edge sharpness. All optical elements are fully, multi-coated to prevent internal glare and maximize light transmission. The lens has a 13.3mm filmequivalent effective focal length when used with the SeaLife Micro 3.0 and is waterproof to 60m.

The lens fits all SeaLife Micro-series cameras (Micro HD, HD+, Micro 2.0, Micro 3.0) and works with the SeaLife ReefMaster RM-4K, increasing the tiny camera’s shooting angle to a massive 196°. The new lens is a ‘wet lens’ and easily attaches and removes underwater. A locking ring prevents the lens from accidently detaching when bumped or in rougher water conditions. The SeaLife Dome Lens weighs 331 grams and is negatively buoyant.

The inner airspace is backfilled with nitrogen to prevent fogging in extreme temperature conditions. The rotatable light shade prevents unwanted glare from external lighting or sunlight, as well as protect the dome lens from bumps. www.sealife-cameras.com Scubapro’s Seawing Supernova represents the next generation of powerful Scubapro fins. Winner of the prestigious, internationally recognised Red Dot Award for product design, the new Seawing Supernova is a step up from the Seawing Nova in performance, construction, fit and versatility. The proven Pivot Control Technology (PCT) works in tandem with the unique Auto-Adjust central panel to always provide the optimal angle of attack for the blade. The PCT hinges pre-set the blade in the 40º to 50º range that is ideal for converting kicks into forward motion.

The flexible Auto-Adjust central panel then fine-tunes the angle of attack according to the strength of kick by counterpivoting, providing a milder angle of attack for comfort when kicking gently, a more-aggressive angle of attack when kicking at full strength, and anything in between. When it comes to frog and alternate kicks, the new twin-tip winglets (which can be colour-coded to match your other dive kit) increase control and markedly improve manoeuvrability.

The Seawing Supernova’s innovative two-piece design, with blade and foot pocket molded separately, makes transport easy, and with the optional full-foot pocket (£42), the fin can be modified to handle any warm-water dive scenario. The Supernova is made from premium Monprene for durability, and the open-heel foot pocket features an upgraded heavy-duty bungee strap that allows for microadjustments to accommodate different boot types, while extended grip pads provide an improved non-skid grip on wet surfaces.

A durable Socket-Lock Connecting System allows for easy construction, and a key fob-style multi-purpose tool is included for assembly and disassembly of the foot pocket and blade, along with a travel-friendly storage bag. www.scubapro.com

SEALIFE ULTRA-WIDE ANGLE DOME LENS SRP: £370