BCD systems, jackets
Halcyon Voluntary Recall of Select Explorer 40 BC's (Serial Numbers Listed Below)

Halcyon Manufacturing has identified a very small number of Halcyon Explorer-40 BC's sold after July 2005 that could develop problems over time. In these few units it is possible that the over pressure valve (OPV) could delaminate, causing the BC to leak. It is unlikely that most of these units will experience any problems; yet, given its rigorous desire to produce only the finest quality equipment, Halcyon would like to ensure this problem does not affect the safety or convenience of our customers.

This problem was ...

Driving thorough Islamorada last July, I noticed a large, blue un-opened building on my right. A sign outside the building read, "The Florida Keys History of Diving Museum," but the building was clearly shuttered. Curious but disappointed (and ready to enjoy the rest of my vacation), I kept driving. As it turns out, the Diving Museum opens officially this coming Wednesday (September 20). Dedicated to "collecting, preserving, displaying and interpreting artifacts, antiques, books, documents, photographs and oral history relative to the History of Diving," the museum's founders, Drs. Joe and Sally Bauer, claim to hold the largest collection of historic ...

Are the days of lugging around huge, back-breaking gear bags numbered? Have gear-makers discovered that many divers are not Herculean and, in fact, want bags that are easier to carry? Probably not: divers will still carry with them numerous regs, unwieldy camera set-ups, and heavy-duty drysuits. However, if you're on the prowl for some gear that's tote-able, then you might be interested in Scuba Diving's recent portable gear round-up. From travel bags to featherweight regs; from travel BCs to hotel-to-boat bags; from lightweight fins to topside roller bags, this is an excellent little gear ...

Some of the displays at DEMA are closed-in, contained, and store-like. I think the idea is that if you're inside the booth, you may feel more private, it'll be easier to hear, and you'll linger longer. Personally, though, when I'm in those booths, I feel like I'm trapped. Consequently, I was pretty pleased with Mares' open layout -- as well as the content within it...
In addition to showcasing their new line of colorful, "fashionable" dive gear for the upcoming season --

-- they were also proudly displaying some of their new BCs.

As someone who hates ...
Rebreathers are popular at DEMA this year. I could've spent hours shooting pictures of rebreathers and digging into them. However, I selected just a few booths at which to stop and view their selection. First, I hit Silent Diving's booth.
They had about a dozen rebreathers in their booth -- all identical -- like giant yellow bushes planted in their assigned spaces. It was kind of surreal. I tried to photograph the scene, but I couldn't back up far enough to get the whole rebreather-farm in the frame.

The Inspiration Closed Circuit is the first CE approved closed circuit breathing system ...
Diving Computers

X-Ray Magazine has provided excellent scuba, photo, and marine news in their downloadable magazines since February of 2004. This weekend, they released their 10th issue. As usual, it’s completely free. Also as usual, it’s completely great: X-Ray is quickly proving itself to be among the best dive-related resources out ...

Masks, Fins, Snorkles

If you don't have the luxury of a large gear bag when you travel, saving space might be important to you. In that case, you might want to consider a folding mask. Although they don't feature a hinge that really "folds" them in half, folding masks are masks that lay down ...

O-Rings
At the Florida Dive Show, I talked to the vendor from Deep Outdoors. Rather than showcasing their newest mainstream recreational dive gear, they took an alternate approach: they were highlighting their Mini-Breather. Ranging in design from the Classic Pro to the Sport MK1 to the C-Pro, the Mini-Breathers aren’t designed ...
Other

Do you scuba dive with a bunch of shady characters? Do you feel uncomfortable leaving cash or other important documents on the boat when you get wet? If so, maybe the Aqua Roo is for you. Fashioned from abrasion-resistant ripstop double-coated nylon, the Aqua Roo is a fully submersible waistbelt ...

Regulators
Taking care of your regulator is one of the most important duties you can perform. For some, this might be a breeze. For the rest of us, who are a bit behind the technical curve, Mares has a nice write-up concerning how to care for your reg. From routine maintenance ...
Swimming Suits

Most wetsuits are made from a few large pieces of rubber that are cut to resemble the human form. They are then stretched to fit a "person" and stitched together. Wetsuits made in this fashion often lack durability: the seams are stressed from holding together the large pieces of material that are stretched over a person's body. However, if ...

Video

Olympus released their 7.5 megapixel Live View digital E-330 SLR this year to much hoopla. The first SLR camera to offer the ability for users to see an image on the LCD before the shutter is depressed, the E-330 is, well, revolutionary. Recently, Jeff Mullins, owner of Tulamben's Reef Wreck ...