They are really great especially if you are having to chase students. The foot pocket is very comfortable and not to rigid.  The different settings make them great for easy dives or for hard currents. They are easy on the legs, to me, even at the tightest setting. It was even easy to change the setting underwater with gloves. I have used them on a few regular dives with students and on some drysuit dives. They were still powerful with my drysuit.

Plus you’ve gotta like the “mermaids don’t like competition video”!

Trelleborg products are found in a wide variety of contexts worldwide. They seal, damp and protect, both in everyday settings and under extreme conditions.

A Viking wearing a Viking: Robert Hedin, Commercial Diver

If, like my friend Rob, you are a commercial diver (or indeed a hazmat, military, fire & rescue or law-enforcement diver), then you will likely be intimately familiar with at least a couple of Trelleborg’s range of Viking Drysuits, as these are now the industry’s standard. They are impermeable, durable suits that can be used in a wide range of environmental conditions where there exist set standards for safety—they are extremely abrasion-resistant, will protect a diver from any contaminants in the water and can be easily washed down and decontaminated afterward.

If, on the other hand, you are simply diving for pleasure and not intending on exposing yourself to any toxic waste, you should still be aware of the existence of vulcanized rubber suits^*, particularly those with the Swedish Viking brand and specifically their old Sport and new ProVSN drysuits. The EPDM rubber of these suits is amazing stuff. If you cut one of the suits across its seam, you will see that there is actually no seam: the manufacturing process bonds the two separate layers so that they become one, which for you and I means… no leaks!

Viking Sport Drysuits

During the 1980’s Trelleborg introduced their Viking Sport drysuit, aimed at light technical and recreational divers. Although similar in appearance to their red and black commercial siblings, they are made from a lighter-weight rubber. These are no longer in production but can be purchased reasonably cheaply secondhand and, unlike crushed neoprene suits from the same era, will require little repair beyond new neck and wrist seals, if any, to get them back in action. Any repairs that you do need to make are as simple as patching the hole in the inner tube of your bike tire and can even be done hastily and temporarily in the field.

Viking ProVSN Drysuits

Towards the back end of 2009 Trelleborg released their new Viking ProVSN drysuit. I can’t say enough good things about these suits. The armatex nylon layers that sandwich the rubber central layer are stretchy and create a great-looking, comfortable suit that is available in front and back entry versions, with a variety of customisable features. Perhaps the only drawback of the suit is that the outer layer is permeable and so it is “problematic to decontaminate”—for most though, that is unlikely to be a problem.

What’s this about The Vulcans?

Vulcanization is a process best explained by someone else! So here is a link to a Google search: What the hell is vulcanized rubber?! The process makes rubber more durable and as far as a drysuits go this is great news; not only are vulcanized rubber suits incompressible (and so do not become less buoyant with depth) but they are also extremely hard wearing.

Who doesn’t like to see fellow human beings wearing rubber (or is that just me?)

This method of customer tracking requires a big eraser if the customer needs to be moved or deleted. Not only is it hard to move customers around, but also this type of data tracking tends to foster mistakes by loosing customer information, miss-booking reservations, or worst yet not even getting the reservation on that piece of paper to begin with. And to make matters worse this information is the only source of that reservation. Loosing or damage it and you could loose business.

So what’s the answer? “Scubaocity” Over the last two years Scubaocity.com has been putting dive shop professionals and programmers together with one main goal, develop a system that was easy to use by creating a better way to track customer reservations while minimizing mistakes or loosing customer bookings. Scuabocity uses a secure online internet connection that can be accessed with any computer or Smartphone and gives the user access to track day to day business with an easy to use interface for creating, moving or coping one customer or a group of customers with the click of the mouse.

Not only does Scubaocity make it easier to track/book your customers, but it also has built in features that automatically post updated information about your business on Social Media websites that in turn helps attract new and existing customers.

Using Scubaocity’s built in RSS Feed your information can now be posted on websites such as FaceBook, Twitter, and Scubaocity itself. This custom RSS Feed keeps your customers and followers on your social sites informed about your current dives, travel, and instructional classes.

Scubaocity also creates an on-line calendar allowing customers to access your schedule which gives them online booking capabilities, ability to see current dive conditions as well as past dives, and upload pictures/comments about those trips they’ve taken with you. What better way to get customers coming back to your site day after day than having current information posted on your personal calendar? Have a special event you’d like to promote? No problem, just use Scubaocity’s built-in mass emailer to send emails blast about specials or promotions to your current customer email list.

All in all Scubaocity is not just a reservation system, but also a unique tool to help you track, book, and market your business to your customers. Why not let us show you how Scubaocity can help you attract more customers.

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Scubaocity is offering a FREE DEMO at http://www.scubaocity.com check it out today

Location: My same old local dive site.

Dive time: 30 minutes

Depth: no more than 8 meters.

Special Encounters: None.

Visibility: Below Average

Level of Satisfaction: Extremely High.

So what made my dive so exciting? Well, a new gadget that I got in the mail in the last days. Ladies and Gentlemen, divers and Scuba Jedi readers… meet the Liquid Image Scuba Series HD320.

The idea is very basic, you go diving with a diving mask, but the diving mask instead of being just a simple mask, it incorporates a camera. So, say bye bye to taking your small diving camera in your hand and say hi to taking photos just by touching a small button on your diving mask.

Before the dive: I thought that the Liquid Image camera mask, would require a lot of “preparation”, getting o-rings ready, etc, etc, etc. Well, I was wrong, this is as easy as putting the mask on, turning it on and start taking photos. Very easy.

The Great Points about the Liquid image:

1. Easy to wear (it feels just like any other scuba mask)
2. Affordable. For less than $400 this is a great mask+camera. It is in fact cheaper than many fancy diving cameras that do..mmm nothing.
3. Very easy to use: hey you don’t need to be Einstein to use this… if you can dive you can use the Liquid Image Camera. Just look at the objective and click.

Things to improve:

It would be nice to see the camera in the  future including Flash…. although you can fit lights to the mask to enhance lighting on the subject matter you are photographing or videoing… and why not a potential Zoom (but I have no idea how this feature could actually be implemented)

The best Asset of the Liquid Image camera: The fun Factor. In a kind of way, I felt like playing Xbox underwater… It was simply fun, to look at things and click my mask. Yep. gotcha! you are now in my scuba mask…

Who should dive with the Liquid Image scuba Camera Mask?

Well, for sure this is an idea for any amateur underwater photographer like me. The mask does the job and the Photos are Good enough to make you smile. Videos are in 720P HD so good enough to watch back on your home Plasma TV. This scuba diving mask could seriously become a must-have for any diving instructor.

Your students suck in Buoyancy? – Just click your mask and show him/her the photo later on. (Or take a video to show them how they were fumbling around.)

Do you want to have a souvenir of your students without having to have your hands busy with a camera, easy: just click on your mask. Job done.

To Keep in Mind: It is important to understand the idea of this mask is to have fun. If you are planning to go next year to work in National Geographic and take photos of a missing Uboat… well, may be you will need a more professional type of camera. So don’t expect magic. No, the camera has no Zoom, the camera has no Flash… and I’m pretty sure It will not survive the depths that many Trimix divers require. But hey! Who really cares…? this is a Mask you take on  holidays, a Mask you put on to mess around with your friends while diving, a Mask that increases the fun to take photos underwater, without having invest some of the BAILOUT money .

Overall: Fun, affordable, simple, takes photos, and HD Video, does the job, feels good underwater.

So as you can see overall the quality is pretty good. (please see photos below…)

For more info about the liquid image Camera, please contact today http://www.liquidimageco.com/

So here we go:
Gabriel’s top 5 scuba products to add to my Birthday Wish List

1. The first  product on my list is such a simple, practical and logical object to have… that I don’t really know yet, if this is a brilliant idea, (or simply-plain silly), dear readers, please meet the  “Scuba Sight ” or in another words, a Scuba Mirror, once again the idea is so simple that it amazed me that no body else came with an idea as simple as that. This is a mirror, to be able to check dive buddies, signal or investigate and spot difficult parts. I like the idea, specially because it reminds me of times where a “tiny mirror vision” could have been handy.

Would I buy it? Not really. I mean.. this is one of those types of products that you can live without and for sure, you can do a bit of DIY and build yourself one. For more info check  http://scubasight.com

2. The second scuba gadget is the new Hammerhead Crono XL dive watch by Freestyle USA. Obviously because It is my Birthday I can be 100% non objective and confess that I REALLY love the Freestyle USA range of dive watches. Believe it or not I own 4 of these watches (yes… you may say I have a scuba diving watch fetish).

Anyway, the New Hammerhead Crono is simply: Cool . And I like Cool things.  To be honest this is not the typical “tech diving Jedi type of watch”.. but it has everything you need and it looks fantastic.

There is nothing worse than seeing divers with dive watches that look like they were  taken out of Star Trek . Instead the guys of Free Style USA make watches that look great. The price tag is also very easy to afford.

That’s why this new watch is for sure a great new addition to my fetish …

3rd on my list… is the coolest underwater accessory of all times. Say hi to the Idive…  and this is what the Idive is all about

“Dive with more than just the bubbles from your regulator providing the soundtrack. iDive’s locking cam knob, robust seal, and durable polycarbonate construction will ensure your iPod stays dry while delivering high quality audio and crystal clear videos during your dive. You’ll actually look forward to long decompression stops.”

Pretty cool , don’t you think?

The first issue is that I don’t know if all types of Ipod may work with the Idive and for sure it can be pretty expensive if any potential “leak”…
The idea of going diving with some cool Jack Johnson playing around…  diving could be too much fun.

mmm maybe someone else though of this already?

4th Cool Scuba Present I have added to my list is the Liquid Image Camera Mask. The Idea is pretty simple (once again!) but this time… it is brilliant.

An scuba diving mask that can take photos. So in a few words, everything you see, you can take a photo off.  Not only the idea sounds fun, but brilliant for diving instructors or for photography lover.

I know that this type of camera is not TOP professional Underwater Photography material, but again.. it is all in the spirit of Scuba Fun, so the liquid image camera mask is for sure in my list of the gadgets to have one day. More info at  http://www.liquidimageco.com

5. Uwahu Scuba Fashion. Well, we have all seen the typical scuba t-shirts, but the guys of Uwahu are just cool dudes… .

Let’s face it, we are all sick of the same slogans “Mad for diving” or “One day we are all going to dive”… come on… we need something new in Fashion. Well, Uwahu stuff is pretty wicked. Their designs are modern, funny and good quality. I love the idea of a SMART Scuba Tshirt.  So any Uwahu T-shirt would be a nice b-day present.

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Well, that’s it… my list of 5 cool scuba present. Maybe next year I will do another list, or even better… may be I should start getting my Christmas Scuba Diving List… what do you think?

Most of my other suits all fit differently in one way or another.  A couple of them fit well in some places and were tight in other places. This is the best fitting suit I have ever owned. It’s like the perfect fit all over because of the hyperstretch material. It is also the easiest suit to put on or take off, whether you are wet or dry. You know there is nothing worse than pulling and tugging on a wetsuit to get it on and off. No more wetsuit jump and dance in the parking lot!!

Most of the dives I do for classes are at the local lake, which is about 60 degrees right now. The 7mm jumpsuit is great for my first few dives. Then as I get a little colder throughout the day I slip the core warmer over it and it is perfect. I definetly give Henderson two thumbs up on this one!

I try to approach this delicately. When buying from a dive shop you have to be certified to purchase all primary equipment (bcd, regulators, tanks, etc.) but now a days with eBay and all the local classified ad venues, it’s just to easy to pick up a full set of gear pretty cheap with no diving certification.

Don’t get me wrong, sometimes you can find a good deal on good used equipment, but you have to be careful. First of all, you should wait until after you have some knowledge about what you are looking at when buying scuba gear. That’s part of the basics in the open water class. I occasionally have a student or two who will bring in their “Great” find and ask me what I think of the 20 year old regulator (that probably hasn’t been serviced in 10 or more years). I just shake my head and remind them they will be using my equipment in their Open Water class, but they might be able to make a lamp or something out of it.

If you are going to purchase used gear here are just a few tips on what you should be looking for. Tanks Must be Hydrostatically tested every 5years and visually inspected every year. If there is no visual inspection sticker in the last 10 years or no new hydro stamp since 1989, lol, be leery (to say the least). There’s no telling how long that things been sitting in the dank garage empty. You wont know if it can even be used until you send it to Hydro. Bet you won’t be happy when it comes back condemned with a cracked neck (unusable) and you just lost whatever money you paid for it.

Regulators are ever changing with the times. They have to be serviced every year. If you are buying a used regulator make sure you see the receipts or service records. Even if it hasn’t been used and just stored, o rings can dry rot and there is no telling what might be living inside of it. Just don’t believe Joe Blow when they tell you it’s been serviced every year. It probably hasn’t and definitely for God’s sake, even if it has been serviced, put it in the pool , bathtub, hot tub, (just kidding) Put it somewhere and check it out before you actually go dive with it. If it is a full set it might have a burst line, frozen first stage, dry rotted o rings, etc. This is life support equipment. All joking aside, your life depends on whatever gear you decide to buy or use.

Computers have changed dramatically over the last few years. You can’t even compare what a computer back in 1999 could do compared to today’s dive computer. If you still want that used module make sure it works properly. You want to actually put batteries in it and make sure it comes on. Make sure the previous owner hasn’t violated it or locked it down. Also make sure the battery compartment is clean and dry. After you do get it home you will definitely want to look up the manufacturer online and try to download a users manual if you don’t get one with the computer.

Used wetsuits, masks, fins, boots, soft line gear are abundant. So if you go that route just make sure it’s in good condition and fits properly. Check the skirt and the strap on the mask for holes or dry rot. Check all fin clips and straps for dry rot. Some fin clips aren’t replaceable if they are to old or the fins aren’t made anymore. So, if the clips look bad don’t buy. Most fin straps can be replaced. Wetsuits, well what can I say, if it’s in pretty good condition go for it. Just remember, there are two types of divers. Those who pee in their wetsuits and those who lie about it. Think about that when you are buying that used suit.

Until Next time, Happy Diving!!
Scubajen

WRONG!

Wrong, wrong, wrong.
Spare Air, barely paid me attention…so I tried to contact them a few more times. I never got any replied from them, that’s why I decided to purchase my own amazing-life-saving-spare-air-mini-tiny-tank… .

The result?
Well, check the video below… and smile, sometimes is good to have a scuba laugh.