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DESIGNER CHRISTMAS?
STEVE WEINMAN, EDITOR
HERE AT DIVER WE'RE IN TUNE WITH THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS (wanton excess, shopping till you drop, goodwill to all men and women, you know the sort of thing). And we reflect all that in this issue, which unashamedly devotes a fair amount of space to celebrating consumables.
Louise Trewavas takes a look at past and current trends in diving gear, and defies those who claim that keeping up with the diver next door has no place in our sport. She says we have finally accepted that ours is a lifestyle choice, just like that of surfers or skiers. So being in tune with fashion now matters, both in and out of the water.
If you choose your regs or T-shirts purely on grounds of practicality, never giving brand image a thought, feel free to disagree. Even so, Louise's feature may help you to choose that ideal gift for a special dive buddy. It might also focus you on the sort of equipment you wouldn't mind finding gift-wrapped with your name on the tag, at this time of giving and receiving.
Meanwhile, John Bantin has been to the DEMA dive-trade show in Las Vegas where, traditionally, the products you buy next year make their first blushing appearances.
Not so much now, it seems - DEMA is gradually turning into a holiday fair and many manufacturers are slipping their products straight onto the market without the fanfare. Still, John's report hints at certain welcome developments that may or may not become reality - single housings to fit many digital cameras, anyone?
As usual, we have in-depth tests of new diving products, news of kit as yet untested in Just Surfaced (call us finicky, but we've always liked to take gear under water before pronouncing on its quality) and you'll find pages of reviews of books and DVDs, always a sound option as a gift for a diver (subscriptions to diver are good, too!).
And while you're in the mood for considering the quality of goods, don't forget to cast your votes for your favourite gear, publications and so on in the diver Awards.
You may be saying to yourself, this is all very well, and I enjoy finding a new HID torch or underwater MP3 player in my stocking as much as the next diver, but what of the deeper meaning of Christmas?
Well, in the literal sense of "deeper", we're interested to know how many of you are going, or want to be going, diving over the holiday instead of spending it at home. Hence this month's online Big Question. We'll let you know the results in January.
But we all know that the real meaning of Christmas is about thinking of others and putting their needs before our own. Put that thought into action, and your buddy may be in for a pleasant surprise on your next dive! Otherwise, why not send a handsome donation to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, or one of those other charities that put themselves out on behalf of divers year after year?
Best wishes for the festive season.
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