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The new Gilan Navigator lamp comes in two parts connected by nearly a metre of cable, but this umbilical arrangement is not intended only for technical divers. The long, slim battery-pack (5cm by 43cm) is designed to hook under the camband of any BC, and so fit neatly alongside a conventional single tank. With a standard 30W equivalent halogen bulb in the lamphead, it gives a claimed burntime of 105min at full power on one charge. By replacing the bulb with higher wattages, burntime is reduced.
We are told that this lamp has digital brains! It is switched on by rotating the collar on the permanently sealed lamphead three times, and turned off in the same way, to get round any accidental switching-on that might flatten the battery as the light burns a hole in your wetsuit. This is also meant to allow you to run the lamp at reduced light output, infinitely variable from full- to quarter-power. There is also an SOS signalling function.
The Gilan Navigator is supplied in a highly polished finish and is depth-rated to 200m. It costs £285, complete with charger.
Gilan, www.gilan.nl
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Icebreaker is a New Zealand clothing company that makes both base-layers and thick sweaters from Merino wool, a natural fibre with some remarkable properties. Each Merino sheep from New Zealand's southern alps produces enough wool for five Icebreakers every year.
Said to be soft, breathable, itch-free, odourless and easy to care for, Icebreaker is claimed to be the best-performing underwear in the world. Already known to mountaineers and skiers, now drysuit divers are discovering the comfort and warmth of Merino wool. It's warm when it gets wet and said to have extraordinary wicking properties so that you stay dry even if you get hot.
The manufacturer claims that it suits those who wear their underwear for days at a time (we're talking Antarctic explorers here!) Available in lightweight combinations as Skin 200 at around £40 per garment, some colder-water divers might prefer to use garments from the mid-weight 260gm/sq m Bodyfit range (£50).
Icebreaker, www.icebreaker.com
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A new semi-closed rebreather is to be distributed in the UK. It is available with a TDI or PSAi training course, and awaiting approval from BSAC. The Submatix costs £2895, including a 25kg lift wing, a "unique" backplate system, quick-release harness, trim-weights, two flow jets for different mixes, a flow-meter and a connector for a ppO2 monitor. The unit is upgradeable from single-mix or two-mix/twin-flow SCR for extended range diving to a fully-fledged manually driven closed-circuit unit. CE approval is pending for both courses and upgrades.
Abyss, www.abyssuk.com
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Now with a new UK distributor, Torpedo DPVs are serious products intended for serious divers. With a main housing made from reinforced glass fibre, handles and shroud of aluminium, and catches, clips and latches of stainless steel, they appear built to last. A Mercury Marine 12V trolling motor supplies the thrust to give speeds claimed to be between 2 and 3.5mph. Each machine is said to be factory-depth-tested to 52m. The Torpedo 2000, with around 14kg of thrust, costs £599, while the more powerful 3500 model (21kg thrust) costs £699. Run-times are claimed to be between 45 and 80 minutes. Add-on accessories include a buoyancy-bag and a camera platform.
Starlight Distribution 01803 855225
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Underwater lights from this German manufacturer have caught the imagination of the British diving public because they are reckoned to combine high performance with reliability and less chance of malfunction through user-error.
With all the features that have made Kowalski torches popular with divers, such as external charging connections and a three-year guarantee on parts (not the bulb) and workmanship, this new model boasts a charge-at-any-state battery pack, a 10W HID bulb, an 80-minute charge time, 90 minutes of burntime at full light output, and a new adjustable dimmer switch that drops the power consumption in order almost to double the burntime. The Kowalski Mini Xenon lamp costs £535.
Lighthouse Diving 01599 577277
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Fancy something a bit special? This Mares Metal Tech regulator is part of a series of new products being produced in limited numbers. We are told that only 2000 of each line are being made for worldwide distribution, and only 100 of these will be available from selected dealers in the UK.
So what's special? This regulator has the smallest of balanced-diaphragm first stages and the smallest all-metal second-stage. Metal makes it suitable for use in cold fresh water. Both parts are made of high-resistant moulded nickel-and-chrome-plated brass, covered with titanium carbonitride and stainless steel.
To make sure no-one picks up your £415 reg by mistake, Mares can personalise its front cover with your name. There are also matching Quattro Excel Metal fins and a Morphos Metal BC in Limited Edition livery.
Blandford Sub-Aqua 01923 801572
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Ever wondered how to clean your wetsuit or drysuit without affecting the neoprene? Soap Flakes are said to be the most economical solution available. Their maker Dri-Pak claims that by rinsing the suit and then washing it in warm soapy water, you are left with an unharmed suit that smells less organic and a lot better than it did! Dri-Pak soap flakes cost £1.50 from leading supermarkets.
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Combining three different materials in a single fin, the new SF-6 Tri-Ex fin is claimed to give an extremely effective paddle-fin effect combined with a comfortable soft foot-pocket. It represents the latest development in a fin design that has found favour, according to TUSA, with more than 600,000 divers worldwide. Available in sizes XS, S, M, L, and in six colours including pale blue and pastel pink, they cost £67 per pair.
CPS Partnership 01424 442663
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