BETTER VALUE We have been told that the price of the US-made NiteRider HID lamp and ni-mh battery pack shown alongside it in our recent comparison test of HID lamps was incorrect. It's much better value than it appeared. The NiteRider HID with its 10W Welch Allyn lamp costs around £450, depending on the prevailing US $ exchange-rate. It has a burntime of four hours and recharges in less time than that. A version with wet connections to its umbilical lead costs £550.

Dive Lights Int 001858 2683850

PONY TRAP This is the recently improved mount for a pony cylinder from Kent Tooling. You use it in combination with jubilee clips which attach one part to, for example, a 3 litre cylinder and the other to a camband like that on your BC for your main cylinder. The two then mate together precisely and can be demounted quickly using an easily accessed spring-loaded knob. In stainless-steel, it costs £47 plus p&p.

Kent Tooling & Components 0122 7700015

INLAND LANCS Eccleston Delph Scuba Diving Centre is set in 4.5 acres of water said to be well-stocked with trout, koi carp, roach, rudd, and perch, close to Chorley in Lancashire. It has been dived for years but the present owners say they have upgraded the facilities at what was once an abandoned slate and stone quarry after draining, cleaning and refilling it. More than 15,000 tonnes of rock were moved in the redesign of the lake and a further 5,000 tonnes moved to create a beach area.

Eccleston Delph, www.thedelph.com

GONE SOFT Something for the baby in the family, this soft toy diver is one of a series. Press its tummy and its torch comes alight and it begins to make bubbling noises too. It proved a great hit with a four-year-old tester. Order on-line.

Aquamarinetoys, aquamarinetoys.com

FLICK ON, TAP OFF This unique little diving torch is certified watertight to 100m deep. It has a single 80 lumen LED that runs on two 3V lithium batteries and a blue tactile finish that not only gives a good grip but is claimed to be durable and resistant to seawater and most chemicals. You turn it on with a flick of the wrist and turn it off by tapping its base in the palm of your other hand. The Fliklite LS3 DIVE costs £79.95 including p&p, complete with lanyard and batteries.

Enjay Marine 01202 481286

BACK TO BASICS Part of the SeaLife ReefMaster camera range, this Shark Diver SL300 camera is very basic but at a very basic price. With a single exposure setting and a fixed-focus lens, it promises to make snap-taking easy down to a depth of 25m. The simple camera is enclosed in a clear plastic case and sealed with a thick gasket. It has a built-in flash. Your 400 ISO 35mm print film is advanced and rewound automatically and the unit is powered by two AA batteries (not included). It costs £25 from good camera shops.

Sangers 0844 4770121

GIFTUN THREAT The Red Sea Association For Diving & Watersports together with HEPCA (Hurghada Environmental Protection and Conservation Association) is alarmed that an group of Italian investors is examining commercial development of the Giftun Islands, a popular diving destination close to Hurghada. They claim that the environmental impact of any such plan would be catastrophic. If you wish to add your voice to its protest, send a message of support to:

association@redseaexperience.com

SNORKEL PRO Snorkelling kits used to be made from the cheapest materials and there was always a ping-pong ball at the top of the narrow-bore snorkel tube. Not any more. Scubapro has introduced some economically priced mask-and-snorkel sets that feature a low-volume mask with quick-adjusting buckles to its strap that is good enough to scuba with, and a wide-bore clip-on snorkel-tube that has a purge valve and a novel system for keeping splashes at bay at the top end. The Trinidad Snorkel Pro set shown costs £40.

Scubapro UK 01256 812636

DRY STANDING Some of us have been doing it for years. What? Standing in our dive bags while we change into or out of our diving suits. Now the Moonbag goes that little bit further. It's been designed for the job! When this bag is fully unzipped it forms a perfectly round mat and provides a dry, clean surface on which to stand. £28.45 inc. p&p

Frostfire, www.frostfirestore.com

POCKET BC The OceanPro FX represents Oceanic's latest thinking regarding waistcoat-style BC design. Integrated-weight pouches secured by special quick-release buckles are augmented by trim-weight pockets at the rear. Capacious zipped pockets are easily accessed but carry ancillary kit securely. A specially designed pocket houses the optional Personal Safety Device, which doubles as a surface safety sausage and an emergency flotation device. Big D-rings and three ways to dump air complete the picture. Price is £286 (PSD £25).

Oceanic SW 01404891819

WELCOME IN WALES All medical emergencies in Wales and the West Country that require hyperbaric treatment are currently redirected to medical facilities in Plymouth or Liverpool. This escalates the cost, especially as numerous emergency services such as road and/or air ambulance may be involved. Some non-emergencies must travel by ambulance, which can take up to five hours. Hyperbaric treatment has long been under-developed in Wales - a situation Cardiff Hyperbaric Centre in Pentwyn, the culmination of a four-year project, hopes to address.

Cardiff Hyperbaric Centre, 08700 920920

TOP-END TRIPS Award-winning tour specialist Regaldive is offering experienced divers the chance to take part in expeditions to one of the world's premier dive destinations, the Galapagos Islands. With five departure dates in 2005, the trips take in diving at Wolf and Darwin Islands, among scalloped hammerhead sharks in their hundreds, whale sharks, sea iguanas, the Galapagos shark, melon headed, pilot and humpback whales, penguins, sea-lions, fur seals, sailfish, seahorses, green sea turtles, manta rays, red-lipped batfish and much more. The 15-night trips start from £2999, including flights from Heathrow and domestic flights to the Galapagos.

Regaldive 0870 2201 777

SNAP DECISION This autumn heralds the 8th Open FotoSub international underwater photography contest in the waters around El Hierro, the island that marks the westernmost point in the Spanish-owned Canary Islands. Although it attracts some of Europe's best underwater photographers, little British talent seems yet to have exposed itself to this increasingly prestigious event - perhaps because the photographers didn't know about it. Find out more on the website...

Open FotoSub, www.openfotosub.com