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 you're a once-a-year diver, this kind of wetsuit is likely highly adequate.
An alternative method for making wetsuits is to make a three-dimensional design, take many smaller pieces of neoprene, and form those pieces to a person's body, much like paper mache'. Although there are more seams to contend with, the fact that ...
First, AKONA's new Skinsuit is a 10-ounce polypropolene full suit that can be worn alone in warm waters. The Skinsuit -- which boasts a soft brushed lining and flatlock construction -- is ultra-flexible, allowing the wearer to move with an unrestricted range of motion.
Second, AKONA's new rashguard utilizes a nylon-and-spandex material that is both breathable and comfortable. The rashguard, which blocks upwards of 97% of all UV rays, features flatlock-stitched seams and fast-drying, odor-resistant material.
Amazingly, AKONA's website still lists items that are "New for '04," so don't ...
Scuba Diving recently reviewed 19 wetsuits for warm-water diving. Carefully analyzing everything about the suits -- from ankle, wrist and neck seals; to the suit's materials, construction, and linings; and more -- the Scubalab testers critiqued all 19, but only deemed the following five as "Tester's Choice":
AKONA AKMS204 3mm Fullsuit HARVEY'S Dri-Flex 3/2mm Jumpsuit HENDERSON Gold Core 3mm MARES Tropic Air TILOS 3/2 Enigma FullsuitDeclaring these as "Tester's Choice" doesn't mean one of the other suits isn't the perfect ...
Steven Lindblom has written the aptly- (but drably-) titled Wetsuit and Drysuit Maintenance and Repair, the first book dedicated entirely to the repair and service of divesuits. Covering both field and shop repairs, the book is geared toward both the individual diver who wants to maintain his or her own suit, and the dive shop technician who wants to be able to offer professional divesuit servicing. In the book, Lindblom discusses topics like replacing seals; boots and zippers; patching and alterations; and valve servicing. He also covers popular modifications and accessories, including an overview of commercial P-valves and drygloves, and ...
It's unpleasant to pull on a still damp and smelly wetsuit before you hit your next set of waves or favorite dive spot. When I was diving in Mexico, my suit just wouldn't dry all week and on the last day, it smelled like Limburger cheese.
So here is a kind of a neat idea, take a wide hanger, insert a small waterproof fan inside of it and use it to help dry wetsuits faster. The circulating air will help dry the suit faster, prevent the build up of bacterial and mold that makes the suit ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...