Hot out of the Design Hub at Atomic Aquatics are two awesome products. First the Atomic Venom ARC mask is a blend of the Atomics SubFrame and Frameless Masks. It has a reinforcing internal frame that’s molded directly beneath the surface of the silicone rubber skirt, like on the Subframe, yet it offers the relatively low profile of the Frameless. A single window like the Atomic Frameless, but it has a high bridge and tear-drop shape similar to the SubFrame’s dual-window design. Its easy-to-use squeeze-to-adjust buckles are soft-mounted to the mask skirt, which allows flexibility in strap positioning, plus they can be folded flat for packing.

How the Venom differs from its SubFrame and Frameless cousins, is how the bright sparks over at Atomic have constructed the lens. The Frameless and SubFrame mask use Ultraclear glass, which in itself has almost unrivalled clarity and a reputation for optical quality. On the Venom Mask Atomic import and even higher-quality glass imported from Germany, this Schott Superwite glass allows even more light to pass through the lens unobstructed compared to the Ultraclear glass.

In addition to the Schott Superwite glass the Atomic Venom ARC mask has an Anti-Reflective Coating which allows more light to enter the mask and reduce light reflection. This makes seeing through the mask better above and below the water. Atomic Aquatics developed ARC (Anti-Reflective Coating) Technology to Reduce Reflected Light and actually Increase the amount of Available Light Transmitted to a Diver’s Eyes. The result is a greatly Improved Transmission of 98% of Available Light, compared to a loss of more than 14% of light with standard green “float” glass used on the majority of masks on the market. Anti-Reflective Coatings or ARC” is a Multi-Layer Metal Oxide Coating Process applied to both sides of the Ultra-Clear Lenses. This allows more light to enter the mask by Reducing Light Reflections off the inside and outside surface of the lens. The Metal Oxide Coating is only a few Microns Thick. ARC will give you Clearer, Crisper Vision.

And Second the All New Atomic SV2 Snorkel. As many of you know diving with a snorkel can be more of a burden than a help, whether it be the way it sits on the side of your head or that when you do go to use it is just not that easy to clear. I know I noticed this the most on a dive trip while I was on holiday in Rarotonga, nearly every diver was not diving with a snorkel. The bright sparks over at Atomic have come up with what I think is an almost perfect snorkel. The Atomic SV 2 Snorkel is easy to clear is Low in Profile and one that stays Dryer inside is what you are looking for. SV stand for Scupper Valve, also known as a One-Way-Valve. Just like the One-Way-Valve in your Regulator which when you exhale drains water from your regulator the Scupper Valve basically works the same. The SV2 uses an additional feature that keeps water away from your mouth a Small Tube located just below the Mouthpiece is designed to keep the Breathing Airway path Free of Water Droplets. To keep water from easily entering the top of the snorkel the SV2 incorporates a Grill Grid Opening which Deflects Water that would go down the end of a conventional snorkel tube. The Flexible Lower Tube makes the Atomic SV2 Snorkel perfect for Scuba by Automatically-Swinging Out-of-the-Way when you are using your Scuba Regulator. So if you hate to use a snorkel, but want more bottom time this is the solution you are looking for

Spend $100 in store anytime this month to go in to win these bad boys!

As a diver you know that you are limited on bottom time due to the Nitrogen we breathe in.  When diving 16 metres or shallower, you can stay for up to an hour if you have enough air.  But go a little deeper and your bottom time is reduced dramatically.

Well why not extend your bottom time by using Enriched Air Nitrox?  With more Oxygen and less Nitrogen, you get longer under the water as long as you take enough gas with you.

You will then need to come for 2 fun dives with your instructor, (what a shame), so they can sign you off.

The PADI Enriched Air Nitrox specialty also counts towards one of the 5 PADI specialties you need to gain the Master Scuba Diver qualification.

Spend $100 in store this month to go in to win an Enriched Air Course!

Hollis F1 Fins

With a name Like F1 fins you would expect speed, efficiency and high end performance – These fins deliver on all fronts!

The Hollis F1 fins are made from a single piece of high strength industrial monoprene rubber. Basically that means with no seams, no plastic and no joins the Hollis F1 Fins are as tough as they come. For me that makes them perfect for almost any keen diver. Having a durable fin gives you confidence to take on even the toughest conditions from technical diving with multiple tanks to bashing them in and around rocks on a cray hunt!

 Being made from a single piece of monoprene rubber gives the Hollis F1 fin a substantial weight. This makes it a great choice for divers wearing drysuits or 7mm wetsuits to help control the dreaded floaty foot syndrome. Because of this weight and strength of the fin the designers at Hollis have included three vents on the fin just past the tip of your toes. On any fin this zone at the very tip of your foot is a bit of a dead zone. Typically that part of the fin offers nothing in terms of increased performance and simply makes it harder to kick. Having three vents here allows water in the dead zone to move through the fin and reduce your physical effort and increase efficiency.

In the past using slimmer softer fins I struggled to turn on the sport without kicking up a wee cloud of silt but with a Technical fin like the F1 those big rails act almost like side panels and give you a much better surface to turn with. Using this style of fin I can also finally back kick (move backwards) without flapping my arms around like an underwater chicken! With all that strength and rigidity all moving through the water becomes a breeze.

The Hollis F1 fins are also much easier to get on and off compared to other fins I have used. To start with they have a stainless steel spring strap which has three tension setting to make sure you get a perfect fit. The beauty of a spring strap is that there is no more flopping and flailing about trying to get your rubber straps in place and secure. The F1 fins also have a thumb large thumb loop to make life easier actually pulling the strap into place. In terms of getting the fins off the F1 stands apart from others like it because of two seemingly insignificant drain holes in the foot pocket. These drain holes stop the fin from sucking onto your wetsuit boot so hard that you need to call on your buddy to yank them off.

All in all I think the Hollis F1 fins are fantastic option for divers who are looking for a high performance fin. The fins combine performance, ease of use, and power seamlessly to give divers a fin that will meet the even the most demanding of dive situations. It is an extremely well designed and well thought out fin – looks cool too!

Spend $100 in store anytime during April to go in to win!!

February monthly price draw

Winner will receive an Oceanic Atmos BCD!

Oceanic has a saying.. “Innovation first”. As a brand they are known for their dependable products that are loved by all divers, and the Atmos is no exception. It’s easy to use and the highly adjustable design is awesome for pretty much any recreational diver.

The Atmos has plenty of steel d-rings, and as divers we all know that you can never have too many d-rings. This d-ring extravaganza coupled with comfy back support, BC handle for easy transport and easy to maneuver integrated weight system means pulling it straight out of the shop and into the water is nothing short of a breeze.

This particular BCD by Oceanic not only talks the talk, but also walks the walk. In the water, thanks to its innovative (remember, innovation first) hybrid inflation, you’ll find yourself gliding through the water with the greatest of ease. “Hybrid” inflation, loosely translated, means most of your lift sits on your back, with just a little bit swinging around your front. This means you get the great back inflate feeling down below without the awkward turtle face plant while sitting on the surface waiting for your buddy to sort themselves out, what could be better than that?

As if that wasn’t enough, with this BCD you’ll also find plenty of dumps, a knife mount, storage pockets (with HEAPS of room for shenanigans) and non dump-able trim weight pockets. Oceanic has a pretty classic inflate/deflate mechanism, with very solid, beefy, man hand buttons. All in all, I’m unable to fault this piece of kit, it’s durable, well made and just makes a whole lot of sense.

Features:

– 9 kg of integrated weight in the Pinch & Release system and  4.5 kg trim
– Padded backplate features an extended lumbar support to transfer tank weight onto hips, relieving shoulder stress
– Three (3) over pressure relief valves optimize buoyancy control
– Crucial areas constructed of 1000D denier Cordura fabric
– 2 large, zippered pockets with knife mounting grommets
– Adjustable depth-compensating cummerbund

Spend $100 in store during February to go in to win this bad boy!

PADI Rescue diver

Scuba diving is a great sport and like any activity it is not without its risks, and that is what attracts some divers. Other divers pick up the sport for the weightlessness, to see the beautiful marine life, or as an added activity for their vacations. These are all great reasons and they bring a lot of value to our lives as well as make for fun stories of adventure.

Learning how to dive encompasses a whole range of skills and advances your abilities in many ways. Your initial step into the world of diving as a PADI Open Water diver touches briefly on safety, and managing the risk factors we all face as divers. Along with teaching you how to dive. The certification following falls under the PADI Advanced Open Water diver- this is a course geared towards advancing your skills as a diver (surprise surprise). The next step up in your PADI adventure is then a PADI rescue diver course.

Becoming a PADI Rescue Diver brings many benefits, and is the course put in place to further outline safety concerns when diving and to delve deeper into the concept of risk management.

Like all sports or activities, people gain a level of comfort with time and experience, and many times right after that comes complacency. We often read of people tramping that ventured beyond their ability to navigate back, or failed to bring enough water, food, or protective clothing. They may have also not paid attention to the weather and now find themselves in a pretty sticky situation and in need of rescue.

Stepping up to become a PADI Rescue Diver can sound like a daunting task – but nearly anyone can do it. Learning how to manage accidents can have a hugely positive impact on more than one diver. Challenging and rewarding are the 2 words commonly used to describe the PADI rescue course. Expanding your diving knowledge and experience level will give you the confidence and dive ability to not only consider the safety of yourself, but other divers too.

Coming back to the analogy of the tramper, becoming a rescue diver will take you to the next level of experience. You’ll know how much food to bring, what protective clothing to wear and always know to keep a keen eye on the weather. By the end of your PADI Rescue Diver course you’ll have a sound knowledge of basic first aid, be able to provide life support in and out of the water, understand how to recognize stress and be able to manage dive emergencies.

Just do it! The rescue course is serious – but also a hell of a lot of fun. Your confidence will grow right along with your abilities as a diver. And to make things even more tempting, you have a chance to WIN a full PADI Rescue Diver course with Dive HQ from the 1^st of January. No excuses now.

Once you’ve finished your Rescue Diver course, you may decide that now is a good time to change your life and turn your love of diving into a career. The next step up the PADI ladder is into the PADI Pro realm, maybe even becoming a Divemaster is on the cards? See you in the water!

Spend $100 in store to win yourself a Rescue course during the month of January!

Split Fins or Blade Fins

 The design itself is meant to channel the right amount of water with each kick behind you to propel you forward and allowing extra water to slip through the split to ease the strain and work load on the ankles, shins and all other muscles involved in the desired kicking style. The atomic split fins are great for those people that can be exasperated and tired with a stiffer more cumbersome blade fin or for those with lower limb injuries.

Ever dropped a fin while gearing up? Don’t panic these are a fraction positively buoyant and so, no more feeling around on the bottom groping for your fins in the kelp!

 The Atomic split fins come in a range of colours, with the options of rubber or stainless-steel fins straps.

Features include:

• Less Drag, More Thrust, Less Strength is Used
• Latest Technology in Composite Plastic Polymer Materials
• Light Fin (Great Travel Fin)
• Increases Thrust and Reduces Fatigue
• EZ-LOK Squeeze-Style” Quick-Release Buckles
• EZ-LOK: Snap-On-and-Off with Ease, Will-Not Disengage- Accidentally
• Rubber Straps with Large Pull-Tab for Easy Donning and Doffing
• Flexibility and Rigidity for Efficient Propulsion
• Less Air Consumption
• Power Rails: Backbone of the Split Fin, Highly-Resilient, Storing and Releasing Energy with Every Kick
• Semi-Ridged Flex Battens: Control the Precise Wing Shape to Optimize Thrust and Reduce Drag
• Large Surface Area Blade Improves Pivoting, Turning and Alternate Kick Styles
• Thin, Yet Strong and Highly Flexible Hinge Points Cause Blade to React Quick-and-Efficiently
• Anatomically Contoured Foot Pocket Designed to Fit Foot without Stress Points
• Semi-Open Toe for Added Comfort
• Internal Sole Plate, Ridged Platform Beneath-the-Foot, Greater Power Transfer to the Blade
• Soft, Comfortable Open Heel Foot Pocket
• Sizes: Small, Medium, Large or X-Large

Spend $100 in store anytime during December to go into the draw for some awesome fins!

Oceanic Alpha Reg & Octi, Zeagle Plus BCD and Compact Gauges

Jacket style BCD and Regulator combo

 Oceanic’s Alpha 8 Second Stage and SP5 First Stage produce a low-priced, no frills regulator system that offers easy breathing. This regulator is so rugged and economical to maintain (replacement parts are inexpensive). It can be used with air or Nitrox mixtures up to 40 % right out-of-the-box. The Alpha 8’s super sturdy ABS/polycarbonate housing weighs just 170 g and measures 7.4 cm in diameter. The lightweight material and anatomically designed mouthpiece translates into a second stage that won’t cause jaw fatigue. The Alpha 8 second stage is a dependable downstream demand valve design.
The SP-5 first stage regulator offers all divers the opportunity to own a top performing regulator. Repeatedly rated as the best in its class, the SP-5 exceeds both Navy Class A and European CE standards. The SP-5 is a non-balanced flow-by piston designed regulator..

The Zeagle Base BCD is a highly durable jacket style BC. The Base is a unisex front adjustable jacket style BC made from reinforced and fade resistant Cordura 1000 denier nylon material on bladder, shoulder straps, harness and pocket material. The bladder is internally urethane laminated with welded seams for airtight integrity. The BCD’s harness is made up of a dual position adjustable sternum strap, webbed cummerbund with dual adjustment, torso adjustable shoulder straps, adjustable, sternum and waist straps. All straps are equipped with squeeze-style” side-release buckles for quick and easy donning and doffing.
The Base BCD is equipped with two stainless steel and two plastic D-rings along with one retractor D-ring, accessory webbing hook and two hook and loop closure utility pockets for attachment and storage of accessory items. Buoyancy control is made easy with the right shoulder and rear right overpressure relief/pull dump valves and Zeagle’s Power Inflator System with 3/8″ threaded quick-disconnect low pressure hose. The inflator is also connected to a pull dump valve for rapid deflation.
The Base BCD provides 10.9 kg of lift capacity. This Jacket style BCD has an extra soft back pad for increased comfort, a dry weight of 3 kg, and is made in the USA.

Spend $100 in store anytime in November 2018 and go in to win this package

We’re not just in your element; we were born there!

In a factory on the coast of British Columbia — BARE, the brainchild of 2 divers determined on creating a drysuit for the frigid waters of the Canadian Pacific Ocean was born. For over 40 years, Bare has honed their expertise and become obsessed in their pursuit of creating wetsuits, drysuits and accessories that meet these requirements.

Their wetsuits and drysuits use a unique combination of anatomically correct patterns, sophisticated materials and painstaking craftsmanship; along with in-house design and manufacturing facilities to constantly evolve our wetsuit and drysuit design to exceed the expectations of our customers.

WE’RE JUST BREAKING THE SURFACE. Looking to the future, BARE is committed as ever to pushing scuba diving to greater depths and greater discovery.

Introducing the 8/7MM Velocity Ultra Hooded Semi-Dry

If you don’t want to invest in a dry-suit but want to keep warm on your dives the Velocity Semi-Dry Hooded Suit is for you. The suit drastically reduces the water exchange that occurs with a standard wet suit and keeps you warmer for longer periods of time. This means increased comfort, decreased air consumption and longer bottom times.

Just look at this suits features!

The Velocity Ultra is a performance driven wetsuit that features the Progressive Full-Stretch (PFS) construction of the popular Velocity, with the advancement of UltraWarmth Celliant Infrared Technology. Bare’s greatest innovations in design and development together for longer, more comfortable dives.

The combination of three different full-stretch material types PFS, makes this one of the highest performing mid-priced suits available. We start with Bare-Fit, the foundation of every Bare suit, which uses ergonomic design and intricate shaping patterns with articulated arms and legs. Then we highlight areas of the suit where flexibility and abrasion resistance are essential and incorporate special full-stretch fabrics to maximize performance in these key areas. PFS gives the Velocity Ultra Series a fit and feel unlike any other. What makes the Velocity Ultra Series truly special is that it’s the only mid-priced dive suit to feature the thermal-activated performance of Celliant Infrared Technology. Using minerals woven into the fabric of the suit, Celliant turns wasted body heat into infrared energy, reflecting it back to your body. This results in increased warmth, faster recovery times, and greater stamina for longer, more comfortable dives.

Suit has an attached hood features Celliant lining for additional warmth. 2mm neoprene internal pullover bib for additional warmth and comfort. Front-entry cross-chest heavy-duty plastic dry zipper. 10mm spine and kidney pad to provide extra comfort for tank placement. Seamless underarms for superior comfort when worn on its own, with an additional wet layer or with a BCD. Skin-to-skin double 3mm Glideskin wrist and ankle seals. Embossed back knee flex panels to reduce bulk behind the knee when kicking and crouching. PROTEKT knee protection provides the next generation of abrasion and wear resistance. Anatomically correct pattern for three-dimensional fit throughout for superior fit, comfort and mobility. Suits is equipped with heavy-duty ankle zippers for easy donning and doffing. Double glued construction eliminates water entry through the seams.

Bare 8/7mm 2017 Ultra Velocity Semi-Dry Men’s Hooded Suit Features

Bare 8/7mm Ultra Velocity Semi-Dry Men’s Hooded Suit:

Progressive Full-Stretch Technology

Full-Stretch Nylon-2 Neoprene

Varying-Degrees of Full-Stretch Panels into Specific Performance Zones

Progressive Stretch: Concept Only Available in Velocity Series

Ergonomic Suit Design, Complex Shaped Patterns with Articulated Arms and Legs

Front-Entry Cross-Chest Heavy-Duty Plastic Dry Zipper

Seamless Underarms for Superior Comfort when Worn On-Its-Own

Skin-to-Skin Double 3mm Glideskin Wrist and Ankle Seals

PROTEKT Knee Protection Provides Next Generation of Abrasion/Wear Resistance

Spend $100 in store during the month of October for a chance to win this suit!

August monthly prize draw!

Whether it’s poking your nose under a rock to check for that next monster cray or going for an always epic night dive to check out the nocturnal sea life, every diver should carry at least one torch. A back up is also always a good idea, as well as a necessity when night diving. The Hollis LED Mini is a great torch for either purpose, hunting for crayfish or as a back up at night. It’s compact, and for it’s size carries a lot of “oomph”. The simple click on, click off mechanism is so straight forward that even my cat could use it. The simplicity and durability of this torch means you’ll experience minimal flooding (if you’ve ever had a flooded torch, you’ll understand this pain) as well as a bright beam from a compact piece of kit. See below for the specs. 

• Single 3W backup light
• Concentrated 8 degree beam
• Output 210 Lumen
• Burntime – 4 hours total
• Bulb life 50,000 hours
• T6061-T6 Anodized Aluminum
• 3 AAA alkaline batteries
• Rear tie-point for boltsnap/lanyard included
• Double O-ring seals
• State of the art PMMA reflector

Once you’ve gone head first into that cray hole with your awesome torch and returned safely with your catch, you’ll need to be sure he’s up to size. Included in the prize for the month of August will be a standard aluminium cray measure. Ensuring your catch is legal will save you a potential headache, as well as giving the wee fellas a chance to grow up to size for good eating. The aluminium measure is tough, and can be clipped to your gear for easy underwater measuring.

Crays are spiky little buggers, if you’ve ever tried grabbing one bare handed you’ll understand this pain. This is their defense mechanism (one of many) and luckily for us we can combat this using kevlar palm gloves. Kevlar stitching is durable and definitely able to withstand those pesky cray spikes. In your kit you’ll find a pair of Oceanic Kevlar gloves. These gloves are warm enough for NZ waters, as well as being tough enough to tackle the biggest of crays.

And finally, as a cherry on top of this badass sundae, you’ll need somewhere to put all these crays you’ll be catching. An NZ made, Dive HQ catch bag will do the trick for sure. This heavy duty catch bag will retain your catch, saving you hanging on for dear life to a frantic crayfish. Nothing worse than doing the work only to discover your dinner has snuck out the back way.

Spend $100 in store anytime during the month of August to go in the draw!

Oceanic Geo 2

The Oceanic Geo 2 is a great entry level wrist mounted computer. So stylish you could wear it in and out of the water. The wide selection of colours will allow you to match your outfit whether it be on a tropical beach or penetrating a wreck at 30 metres under torch light. A simplistic menu orientation and 4 buttons allow for ease of use. Capable of adjusting for enriched air levels right up to 100% O2 with separate gas mixes. For the first-time dive computer buyers, not being restricted to where the high-pressure hose can reach gives you an unfamiliar feeling of freedom.

The display itself is simple and easy to understand (paired with a lovely laminated instruction for use card). Getting in the water needs no effort aside from securely attaching it to your wrist. (or leg we won’t judge you for it.) Whilst in the water, reading the display is very straight forward, everything important is right in front of my eyes. My depth, bottom time, no decompression limit, ascent rate meter and tissue loading graph. Probably my favourite thing is not having to scroll through the entire list of dives or options like those single button operation computers. If I just happen to miss what I’m looking for because I hit the button one time too many I can scroll backwards! Get rid of the console computer and your old G-Shock at the same time and purchase one of these gems.

Features Include:

• The Geo 2.0 Dive Computer is powered by Oceanic’s Exclusive Dual Algorithm™ – Your choice between Pelagic DSAT (Spencer/Powell data basis) or Pelagic Z+ (Buhlmann ZHL-16C data basis)
• Operating Modes: WATCH (Alternate Time, Chrono, Daily Alarm, Countdown Timer), NORM (Air and Nitrox), GAUGE (with run timer) and FREE (tracks calculations to allow switching between NORM and Free)
• User-Friendly Interface with “Step Back” – allows forward and backward navigation through menus and settings
• Switch between up to 2 Nitrox mixes to 100% O2 with no restriction (Gas 1 may be up to 100%, and may be less or greater than Gas 2)
• Stop times <3 minutes – displays minutes & seconds Deep Stop with Countdown Timer – Maybe turned on or off. 2-minute countdown at half your max depth, for dives greater than 80 ft / 25m
• Single button access to “Last Dive” display (max depth& bottom time)
• Data Retention – maintains calculations indefinitely when the battery is changed
• The Geo 2.0 dive computer has an audible alarm with flashing LED light
• 24 dive on-unit log book
• History Mode includes total number of dives, max depth, total dive hours, and lowest temp
• The Geo 2.0 comes with optional PC Interface with OceanLog Download and Settings Upload
• Firmware Auto-Update: download and install the latest firmware – these may be operational improvements or even new features

Spend $100 in store and go into the draw to win one of these awesome computers! Competition running for different prizes, each month, for the next 12 months! Score!