FULL METAL JACKET Some tekkies who have gone the stainless-steel-backplate-and-wing route wish they didn't have to dangle all their peripheral kit from D-rings. On the other hand, a BC with capacious pockets will keep things tidy and has less chance of snagging. The Full Metal Jacket is designed to incorporate your backplate and provide that compromise. The waistcoat and harness comes with a soft cushion, multiple D-rings, two capacious pockets and a clip-on SMB-and-reel pouch (£15 extra) if you think you need it. There's a D-ring for a crotch-strap and another for winching your rig on board. Price £205.

COVER YOURSELF Marsh, a risk and insurance provider, has launched a new Internet-based dive and travel insurance programme, DiveAssure. Annual diving-insurance cover is offered at four levels and can also include travel insurance. Discounts are available for groups and families.

SUDDENLY ACCESSIBLE If you want to dive Sha'ab Rumi and Sangeneb Reef or the world-famous wreck of the Umbria in Sudan but don't fancy being on a boat all the time, Emperor Divers now operates a dayboat from its new base at the Hilton Hotel, by the dockside in Port Sudan. Sudan offers superior diving to the Red Sea further north, with reliable shark-encounters and the remnants of Cousteau's Conshelf 2 underwater living experiment.

BOX CLEVER Got something precious you want to keep safe and dry, such as an O2 analyser, a small digital camera, or even a radio unit? This Seahorse drybox seals tight for transport, is filled with soft foam ready to be customised to fit its cargo, and is said to float if accidentally dropped in the oggin. It is further claimed to be watertight, airtight and dustproof and unconditionally guaranteed for a lifetime. It has an automatic purge valve. The SE300 is one of a range of five sizes up to full camera-case and costs £34.

GO NAKED This is the new Naked mask from Scubapro. It's available in either an all-black or an all-clear look. The interchangeable buckles that connect its strap mean that it is possible to give increased breadth of vision over old-fashioned masks, and it costs £35. We bet it works as well for those who use drysuits as for tropical skinny-dippers.

HOLD YOUR BREATH Handy for packing in a rucksack, these compact strap-fins from the TUSA Reef Tourer series should not cause any stress to your leg muscles. Pair them with the new M14 mask, which promises to give a 250% increase in the field of underwater vision over a conventional mask, and the SP-130 Platina Hyperdry oval-design snorkel and you have the latest line-up in TUSA snorkelling gear.

SMOOTH IN SUDAN The mv Connda Vennessa is a purpose-built luxury trawler-yacht designed to go anywhere in the world. Recently re-fitted by Scottish owner/skipper Rosie Frampton, she has been stationed in the Sudan to access some of the Red Sea's best diving sites. The vessel's pocket dimensions take up to eight divers in stately comfort to famed places such as Sangeneb, Sha'ab Rumi, and Angarosh and a high-speed RIB is there to hurtle them to and from her. Access to the Sudan has never been easier, with flights into Port Sudan from Cairo and visas on arrival. A one-week trip costs around £1300.

LUVLY JUBILEE This compact wing-style BC from Mares has the patented MRS integrated-weight system that positively locks the weight-pouches in place until you choose to release them. Trim-weight pockets with buckle closures are also provided for use with a lightweight aluminium tank. Swivelling shoulder-strap buckles and a padded backpack should afford comfort and four stainless-steel D-rings are all most divers really need. The Mares Jubilee BC costs £335.
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FULL FRONTAL Fancy turning your ordinary open-circuit rig into a full-face version? This JMC Super Mask can be fitted with your existing regulator and is easy to use. The lower breathing part unclips when you want to discard your tank so that you can still retain the mask function, and you can choose to hold a mouthpiece in your mouth or not, and breathe through both your mouth or nose at any time during the dive. Components can be bought separately and there is a switching-block available for tekkies and a component that makes it suitable for use with rebreathers. Basic mask and breathing-bib costs £351.

HARD CASE A novel idea from Scubapro is set to combine the robust and easy packing properties of a crate with that of a soft travelling bag. Equipped with wheels and an extending handle, the soft upper section is intended for your clothes and there is both a small zipped section for documents and a detachable bag for valuables that you might prefer not to check in at the airport counter. There are loads of internal pockets too, so that you can pack your gear in an organised way. A Nimbus Dive 'n' Roll Modular costs £145.

KEEP IN TOUCH An innovative online travel service aims to bridge the gap between young travellers on journeys-of-a-lifetime and friends and family back home. OnlineTravelPlans can provide them with a personal travel portal enabling them to store all their travel information in one safe place. A key feature is the ability to allow access to those with whom they want to keep in touch, so that they can keep up to date with changing itineraries, a personal travel log and address book contacts. Membership costs £12 per year.

SPLIT SLIPPERS Prefer slipper fins? Two new types are available with the Nature's Wing Propeller Technology split-blade design. The TUSA Expert Zoom (range of two colours, £30 in sizes 36-47) and the Scubapro Twin Speed FF (range of four colours, £40 in sizes 38-45) promise to do away with muscle fatigue while imparting a scientific thrust to finning effort.

GLOVE STORY More lifestyle accessories have been introduced by Body Glove, the Californian manufacturer of neoprene wetsuits and drysuits. These include cases for personal organisers, digital cameras, CD players, a vast range of different mobile phones, and CD wallets. There is even a larger satchel for the bigger camcorder and an EarGlove for hands-free phone users. Check out the full range online.

DOUBLE BUBBLE Diving holiday operator Aquatours tells us that you can book a Mediterranean diving holiday this summer that includes both Malta and neighbouring Gozo. Diving is with PADI five-star centres and itineraries can be tailored, with duration and accommodation to suit all pockets. Car hire can be part of the package too. Scheduled flights with Air Malta from a choice of UK airports completes the deal.

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