HIGH SPEC The ND Guardian G-Tek is a heavyweight BC that offers lots of features at a competitive price. A hard backpack, masses of D-rings, big pockets, integrated weights plus trim-weight pockets at the rear, multiple straps, reflective panels, an airhorn and an integrated hose/dump are all included for only £235.
Northern Diver 01257 254444

DO YOU KNOW YOUR SEAWAY CODE? The Seaway Code is the marine equivalent of the Highway Code and is issued by the Stationery Office in conjunction with the Royal Yacht Association. Anyone who ventures out in a small boat needs to know and understand its content. It contains a CG66 Safety Identification Scheme application form. £4.99.
The Stationery Office 0870 600 5522

NO MESSING The Dive range of RIBs from Ribeye have no frills but a double-jockey console that encloses a 90 litre fuel tank and a large locker. A six-way switch panel comes as standard and this features a circuit-breaker and 12V circuit, in addition to the wiring loom pre-installed. Steering gear, mechanical or hydraulic, is included too. In four lengths from 5.4 to 7.2m, prices start at £8950. Ribeye recommends Yamaha motors.
Ribeye 01803 832060

TANK-TRAPPING Do you suffer from bruised fingers after a long diving week-end? The Namron cylinder-neck handle is designed to take some of the pain out of handling cylinders and stays as a permanent fixture. £9.42.
Namron Scuba 01709 371006

BALD FACTS The Scuba Do Rag is headgear for the more flamboyant diver with lots of hair. Wrap it up and keep it tidy with this Spandex head cloth, said to be less constricting and more comfortable than a hood. If you have no hair, it also provides protection from the sun between dives, and even has a secret compartment to take some small valuable item. Available in a choice of 12 colourful fabrics. US$35.
CoCoCheznaynay www.cococheznaynay.com

WHAT "TWO-PIECE RULE? " Stahlsac, manufacturer of those expensive but long-lasting bags, comes the Diver's Transporter system, claimed to "redefine how divers travel". No, you don't climb inside and send yourself cargo, but by connecting three bags together you can check it in at the airport for trans-Atlantic runs as one piece, provided it weighs no more than 32kg. With units also available individually, the complete Transporter system (W411-B) costs £310.
Markat 01935 815424

TOP DRAWER Lavishly illustrated, the Harlequin Worldwide Connoisseurs Collection "Scuba Diving" brochure could be described as the definitive catalogue of the world's best diving locations. Featured are very different destinations on both the warm and cold sides of the Pacific, in the Caribbean and warm Atlantic, Indian Ocean and the Coral Sea. Whether you prefer to dive with sea-dragons or sea-lions, there is something for every taste.
Harlequin Worldwide 01708 850330

WHAT'S THE CATCH? The Seaka catch bag hails from New Zealand, where there is plenty of marine life and few people to take it. It has a sprung-loaded stainless-steel frame that will open with one hand so that the other is free to man-handle your prize into the bag. In the UK, no more than one non-berried lobster and five proper-size crabs per diver please, and no more than you can eat at one meal! £38.
E-Diver 01603 618195

GET YOUR MOTOR RUNNING Can't decide between east or west Scotland? Mv Woodpecker (self-catering) and mv Faithful (meals included) are offering combined Moray Firth and Oban one-week dive trips - provided you can make your own way between them. From £310 per person.
Woodpecker, 01309 690421, Faithful 07703 166347

WET WEEKEND? US-style Aquashoes are designed for use in the wet conditions usually considered normal by divers. Impervious to salt and chlorinated water, their non-slip soles are handy for use on boat decks, and they have neoprene uppers and cushion insoles for comfort. For pulling on between dives or for splashing about in the margins, some might even use them under water with slipper fins. Available in sizes from child 10 to adult 12, prices range from £9.95 to £19.95 for the Tiger shown.
Aquashoe 01227 793170

SIDEWAYS LOOK The Echopilot Sidescan 3D scans sideways and, coupled with the forward movement of the boat, can produce a three-dimensional image of the seabed. The Sidescan 3D covers an area up to 150m from the boat and 75m deep and at 5 knots, 11,250sq m of seabed can be displayed. With optional changeover switch and a second transducer, the display can be switched quickly from Forward to Sideways mode. From £850.
Echopilot 01425 476211

ROCK WITHOUT ROLL If you like to dive, dive, dive, eat and sleep but get seasick on liveaboards, how about a trip to Layang Layang? The resort is built on an artificial island atop a submerged coral atoll. It's like a liveaboard but is solid as a rock and has the added advantage of an on-board swimming pool! The diving is what you'd expect for a first-division coral reef in the South China Sea. Fly via Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu and consider combining it with other destinations in Sabah, North Borneo. A typical 10-night trip costs around £1650.
Pearls of the Ocean 020 7932 0108