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!

The Shearwater Teric computer was released today and will again redefine the dive computer market.

If you are a technical diver you will already know of the Shearwater Petrel and Perdex AI. Now the Shearwater Teric will also soon be known by recreational divers and freedivers.

Scuba Gear and Dive HQ Christchurch have pre-orders in, and waiting on delivery of this well awaited dive computer which was released to the media and dive industry today. Shipping of stock will be limited at first, but production of the Teric will be continuous to meet the dive computers worldwide demand.

The Teric has all the features scuba divers have come to love in all the other Shearwater computers and they have also added more. It is our most compact unit, yet it is also our most feature rich unit. The Teric comes with AMOLED full colour display that is very easy to read even in adverse conditions.

The Teric has 4 buttons. Shearwater have applied situationally adaptable logic to our menus and buttons making the Teric very intuitive. It is also very configurable. You can configure one of the 4 buttons to give you a single press access to different tools like compass, stopwatch, countdown timer, etc.

It is a full air integrated dive computer compatible and can monitor up to two pressure transmitters in two different tanks. It has Recreational, Gauge, OC Tech and CC/BO modes with up to 5 Trimix and nitrox gases. But it also has an all new Freediving mode with configurable sampling/ logging rates and improved ascent and descent indicators. There are haptic and audible alarms that can be disabled to prevent annoying other divers in the vicinity.

The Shearwater Teric uses a wirelessly rechargeable battery and ships with a wireless inductive charger. Add to this the Shearwater Bluetooth communications protocol for downloading logs and updating firmware and you have a fully enclosed unit with reduced flooding risks since the user will never need to open it up to connect a cable or change a battery.
Like the NERD 2, the battery can be replaced at one of our authorized service centres. We expect battery life to be 5 years.

Finally, Shearwater have also built it up with a robust hardware set with plenty of room for firmware improvements and new features

I have been a PADI instructor for 19 years and one of the most common questions asked when people are completing their PADI open water course or looking at purchasing dive equipment in the shop is, “What dive gear do you use?”

Dive Mask:
Hollis M3 mask is a black silicon dive mask that fits extremely well. Designed for technical diving means that reliability and a great seal on your face is a must. The most important thing with scuba diving masks is the way it fits you. Remember that if your mask continuously leaks and hurts your face, you will not enjoy the scuba or free dive. Also the fact that it has a gopro mount that can attach your camera too gives this mask another tick.Learn more…

Snorkel:
Aqualung Impulse 3 snorkel, I first started using the Impulse 2 snorkel 19 years ago once I first started working as a diving instructor in 1998. The only real change between the two snorkels is that the new impulse 3 is more streamlined and modernised.   What Aqualung have done is designed a snorkel that doesn’t let any water into the bore of the snorkel when on the surface. This stops any surface splash and chop. Learn more…

Fins:
Scubapro Nova Wing Fins hit the dive scene in 2014 and made massive splashes, winning scuba lab fins of the year. Just by looking at these dive fins you can see the shape if different from traditional fins. In the water it feels like you are hardly wearing fins. Nearly all of the dive instructors in the shop now wear these fins. That tells you a lot. Learn more…

Wetsuit:
Aqualung Solafx Wetsuit is a warm suit that meets all my diving needs. I used to be a real hunter gatherer and was always quite rough on the wetsuits. I used to have a Southern Ocean front entry suit and always loved it. For many years I have looked for something similar but never could find it. I had a Beuchat comfort 4 wetsuit for about 3 years before moving to the Solafx. I am still a fan of the Beuchat suits and still use a Beuchat Rocksea Comp open cell spearo suit for freediving and spearfishing. The great thing about the Solafx suit is its 8mm thickness through its core and 7mm around your arms and legs with a super flexible neoprene. Learn more…

Dive Regulator:
I use four different dive regulators, each have a different purpose for the type of diving that I am doing. For technical diving I use a Hollis 200LX, for a stage O2 regulator (over 40% oxygen) I use an oxygen clean Apeks XTX50, for my other stage (under 40% oxygen) I use a Hollis 500SE and lastly for recreational diving I use the Aqualung legend LX regulator and legend octi. Many years of manufacturing has gone into this dive regulator and as a high end product it does not disappoint from its performance underwater at all depths to the ergonomic design that makes the user experience better and easier to use underwater.  Learn more…

Dive Computer:
Shearwater Perdix AI Dive Computer is in a class of its own. Shearwater has been a well-known brand to technical divers for years now and they just get better and better. Colour screen that is perfect for low visibility, links to multiple air transmitter, can be used for recreational, technical and even a backup for your rebreather computer. I can keep going on about this dive computer but take a look at its specs and it says it all. Learn more…

BCD:
Hollis HTS2 harness with integrated weight pockets work so well for me. It offers the flexibility to be used with single, twin, side mount and my Hollis Explorer rebreather. The Hollis technical range is a modulated system that lets you set your harness and wing up to meet your requirements. The other good thing is that the design gives you lots of room around your front and is uncluttered. You really do need to come into Dive HQ Christchurch to see exactly what I mean. Learn more…

Feel free to ask me any questions relating to the dive gear that I use.
Cheers
Richard

Are you considering enrolling on a scuba diving course, but not yet entirely sure whether it is for you? Breathing underwater is not a natural human trait, but once you have experienced it – believe us – you won’t want to go back.

Here, we aim to answer some of the questions you may have before jumping into the deep.

• I really want to learn to dive, but know nothing about scuba. Is this a problem?

You do not need to have any knowledge about diving prior to starting your PADI course. The theory and practical sections are designed to teach you everything you need to know!

• I am not much of a reader. Will this make the theory difficult for me?

The PADI Open Water Course caters to students from the age of 10. The book is designed to be an easy read for all students. It isn’t just text, but images, quizzes, and schematics too, along with a series of videos on DVD. There is also an online version (eLearning), if you prefer to be computer or tablet based. If you are worried about the theory, you can always leave yourself plenty of time, and discuss extra sessions with your instructor.

• Do I need to be a strong swimmer?

You do not have to be an Olympic swimmer to learn to scuba dive, however you will have to pass a swim test at the beginning of the course. You do not have to know how to swim well, you will just have to be able to go 200m without stopping. You also have to be able to tread water/float for 10 minutes.

• How long will my certification last?

The great thing about a PADI certification is that it never expires! However, once you are certified, if you go a long period without diving, we recommend you take a refresher to go ever your skills with a trained professional. Or you could consider the PADI ReActivate program!

• How long does the course run for?

At Dive HQ Christchurch, the course runs over two weekends. The first is a theory and pool weekend, the second is for the four required open water dives. All are full days. This may differ in places.

• I wear glasses/contacts. Can I still dive?

There is no reason why your eyesight should prevent you from diving. If you cannot go without any form of corrective lenses, there are several options for you. You can wear contacts while diving. It is important to find a mask that fits you well, to avoid any leaks (purchasing your own would be my advice). During the course you will have to flood and remove your mask. Inform your instructor that you wear contacts, and you will be able to perform the skills with your eyes kept shut.

If contacts are not an option for you, it is possible to get lenses suited to you prescription fitted in most masks. We can organise this in store. We also have a few masks with a selection of prescription lenses that we can fit on the spot, such as Oceanic’s ion 4 mask.

• What about sharks?

Sharks are awesome! Chances are, you won’t get to see one on your open water course, but if you are that lucky then enjoy the experience! Sharks are generally very passive and peaceful creatures, and you have no reason to fear them.

If you would like to experience breathing underwater before enrolling onto the Open Water Course, we offer try dives where you can trial the gear, take your first breath underwater, and attempt some skills with an instructor. Inquire for more info!

 It is completely normal to have queries before learning to dive. If there is anything you are wondering about, or any questions you would like answered before enrolling on an Open Water Diver Course, then do not hesitate to get in touch with us! We can talk you through how the course will be run, and everything it will entail. 

Call us on (03) 379 5804, email us at sales@diveskiworld.co.nz, or visit us in the Dive HQ Christchurch shop at 103 Durham St South!

Are you a Safe Scuba Diver?
We hope so! One of the easiest ways to stay safe is to ensure your Scuba gear is in good working condition.  That means getting your BCD, Regulator, and Tanks serviced and tested regularly. If you periodically get your gear serviced, then you are already a winner in our books, but we would like to reward and encourage you even more…

Get your gear serviced or tanks tested this September and be in to WIN!

Get your equipment serviced and/or your tanks tested during the months of August and September and be in with a chance to win $150 valid in store*.

For every tank tested (hydro or visual), get your name in the draw once.

For every BCD fully serviced, get your name in the draw once.

For every Reg fully serviced, get your name in the draw twice!

One lucky winner will be drawn on Saturday 8^th October to win a $150 voucher valid in the Dive HQ Christchurch shop.

*Voucher valid for purchases in the Dive HQ shop – excludes trips and courses. Voucher valid for six months.

Why get your gear serviced?

Your Dive Gear is your underwater life support system, so please don’t let it fail you or your buddy when you need it the most! Over time, o-rings and seals can perish, hoses need pressure checking and potentially replacing. A good clean out of the insides of your gear is never a bad thing either!

Gear that is regularly serviced ensures you with a smooth, safe dive! It also means any potential problems can be picked up early to prevent an incident.

When to get your gear serviced?

Regulators – Annually, or every 6 – 12 months if you dive more than 100 dives a year, or as per the manufacturers recommendation.
BCDs – Annually – as with regs, it is best to get your BCD serviced every year, or more often if you are a very regular diver!
Tanks – Visual Test Every Year and HYDRO every second year. (Note: A Visual is also performed when you have a HYDRO test done)

What next?

If you would like to learn more about servicing, and what goes on inside your regs, you can become a PADI Equipment Specialist. 

Ask us for more information about the Equipment Specialist course! Call us on 0800 DIVEHQ (348347), or visit us at 103 Durham St South.

Imagine this: soft, sandy beaches, warm, clear water, a colourful array of tropical fish surrounding you… But you can’t enjoy any of it because your rental mask doesn’t fit properly and starts leaking the moment you are submerged in water! You asked for a replacement, but they are all the same! Now you are kicking yourself for not buying your own mask to bring with you!

Everyone loves an escape to the tropics. Calm quiet relaxation, nothing to worry about, chilling on the beach, and most importantly – exceptional snorkelling and diving. The last thing you want is something silly like ill-fitting equipment to ruin your holiday. Unfortunately, the gear you get on loan at most resorts, or from snorkelling rentals and tours is basic, and somewhat of a one size fits all – especially when it comes to masks. Although a leaky mask is not life threatening, it is a constant – and avoidable – annoyance. Yet so easy to come up with a simple solution!

No matter what your baggage allowance, a mask and snorkel are small items that can be easily slipped into a carry-on bag if needed! It pays off to have tried a few on, found something that is fitting and adapted to your face shape, and that you know is going to be comfortable and a reliable piece of kit. Come on by the Dive HQ shop and we can show you both our full dive mask range, as well as our mask and snorkel sets.

Knowing how to correctly test a mask for size and fit is easy, yet important. Firstly, you want to be trying the mask on without using its strap. Flip this over the front of the lenses so it is not in your way. Place the mask on your face, making sure there is no hair in the way and ensuring a snug fit with no gaps between the silicone skirt and your face. Take a breath through your nose and hold it. The mask should sit on your face, forming a seal that prevents it from falling away. If it holds and you can feel the suction as you pull it away from you, you have a good fit. If it falls straight off your face while you are still breathing in, then there are too many gaps between your face and the mask skirt. If you can hear air hissing, this may also indicate an air space. This means the mask isn’t suited to your shape and that water would leak in. Try a different size and shape model mask until you find one that is comfortable. We can help you find the perfect mask for you.

Now imagine this: Someone spots the whale shark you have been wishing for all day long. Without hesitating, everyone pulls on their masks, fins and snorkels and jumps in. You start to kick, trying to keep up, but the fins that the tour company provided are useless, you are getting nowhere! Just to add insult to injury, they rub on your heels too. Despite your best efforts, all you see is the swish of a tail… Next year you will be buying your own gear to bring with you!

Depending where you are going and what you intend to do, you may be wanting fins. They make the experience of snorkelling a much more enjoyable one, enabling you to move more easily through the water, gain more speed, and cover more ground. You will notice how they come into their own when you spot a turtle a little way away that you want to get a closer look at! In tropical climates, you will find that lots of outfits provide you with full foot fins. Make sure you get a pair that fit you well to avoid rubbing and blisters. Consider the activity you will be undertaking (diving, snorkelling…) and whether the fins are adequate to withstand the conditions. It is never a bad idea to arrive equipped with your own basics, this includes fins. We offer snorkelling packages, complete with mask, snorkel, and small, light, travel friendly fins! Come on in and let us show you what would work best for your situation. We have sets for both adults and children, so the whole family can join in the fun!

To all outdoor adventure enthusiasts (and divers), 2016 is going to be the year where the action camera market will reach greater heights. Of course we all know that “Gopro” is the first camera we think of when it comes to action and sport cameras, but how long will Gopro make its stand as the best action camera in the market? Will they still continue making their action camera the top of the line, or will they end up like Kodak? Without further ado here are my top 5 action cameras for 2016!

5:  TomTom Bandit

Taking more of a barrel design than the common box shaped design mimicked from a particular camera *COUGH COUGH GOPRO COUGH*, the bandit has a very unique arsenal. Sure 4K at 30fps does sound like the new norm at this point, and 16mp still images sounds cool and all, but a USB Battery and Memory Stick that can be used to upload videos to your computer and be charged at the same time? Absolutely genius. The “Batt-stick” is a USB and battery for the camera, and it can support a Micro SD Card, that once it’s chipped in, there’s no need for SD Card adapters/converters. In addition, the camera does come with Wi-Fi and a Gopro Mount Adapter to mount this camera to any convenient attachment you may find in retail. A separate accessory available for purchase is a special dive lens that will make the camera water proof to 50 metres. Read more about the TomTom Bandit, here.

4: Intova X2 and HD2

 (Left: HD2 – Right: X2)

Going back to what Intova has previously done with their action cameras is very interesting, and makes them one of the best specifically for divers. They have the standard high definition of 1080p at 30(HD2)-60(X2) frames per second, can take 8mp(HD2)-16mp(X2) still photos, have an integrated LCD screen at the back to view images, but now also have a 150 lumen light built in, used to help improve photo and video quality when underwater. For me as an underwater photographer, I love the concept of an action camera with a built in flash, and these guys were the first to do it and are extending it further. Along with that, they are waterproof to 100m, have a removable battery that can be charged, built in Wi-Fi (for the X2) and require a Micro SD card up to 32GB(HD2)-64GB(X2).

3: Sony HDR AS50

In my experience using the Sony HDR AS30V, right off the bat I can confidently say I love the built in stabilization that they offer, nothing can beat smooth video for an action camera that is facing the toughest conditions. However when it came to diving, I wished they created a more usable dive housing that you could take down to 40 meters or more and still have access to all the function. After talking to Sony about this – because they are very open to feedback – they have surprisingly answered my prayer for a better dive housing… and thus fourth the Sony AS50 was born. Unlike its predecessor, this action camera now shoots 4K at 30fps, this also includes 4K time lapses and the high definition we know and love, can shoot at 120fps meaning that you can film your subjects in slow motion at the highest definition. The camera has built in Wi-Fi that can be access via the Playmemories app, and it has GPS to show off where you have been diving and how deep you have been.

2: Nikon Keymission 360

Trying not to be fully biased between which one is better – Canon or Nikon – but in terms of Nikon’s history, they had made the Nikonos series film cameras, that allowed photographer in the 1970s to photograph images underwater! Going to the modern era, they have created the AW130, which can go down 30m underwater with no dive housing and the AW1, which is the only mirrorless interchangeable lens camera that can go down 15m with no housing. Now this October, Nikon is introducing the new Keymission 360. As implied it is a 360 degree action camera, shooting at 4K with built in image stabilization. It too will be able to go to a depth of 30m with no additional housing and has built in Wi-Fi connection. At this stage I do not know what Canon will do to compete with that, but I will assume that they will make a “good” action camera and then slap their branding on it just so people will buy it. And I know, this made me sound very bias that Nikon is better than Canon… but now for the final action camera for this list. Find out more about the Keymission 360 here.

1: Olympus TG-Tracker

We have all heard and seen the Olympus Tough Series cameras and they are the best in terms of waterproof cameras, but their first action camera, the TG-Tracker may be the “badass” of action cameras! Slightly bulkier than any other camera in this list, it comes with a variety of gadgets on hand. A flip out LCD Screen, a 60 Lumen LED Light, Waterproof to 30m without a housing, and a GPS Tracker that can record your deepest dives much like a dive computer… Now that is what I call an action camera! Of course much like its competition, it shoots 4K at 30fps and 8mp still photos, built in Wi-Fi to replay your moments and double check on depths and time you were underwater, and a 204 degree wide angle lens that will put most action camera lenses to shame. The camera also comes with an attachable pistol grip to hold the camera more steadily, and will make you feel like you are in a Sci-Fi movie on your next dive.

You can find a detailed breakdown of the Olympus TG-Tracker here.

Which Action Camera is on your wish list? Do you think Gopro has finally met its match?

Feel free to leave a comment on what you think about these awesome action cameras.

Thanks to Diploma Student Patrick for sharing his top action camera picks with us!  

With winter now upon us, the air temperature has started to drop and the ski fields are finally open. Most of you have probably hung up your dive gear for the season and swapped it for a nice warm fire place, or a jacket and beanie when you dare to head out and about. The water is definitely getting chilly – I will not argue with that, but it could be a lot colder… Imagine if you were diving in somewhere like Iceland, in the Silfra fissure where the water is a freezing 2-4 degrees all year round. You would be crazy to do this without a dry suit.

The Silfra is known as one of the top dive sites in the world because of its crystal clear water and the crack in which you are diving. When you head down into the water you are between two continental plates; the North American plate and Eurasian plate. The water visibility between these two plates can be up to 100m, as clear as drinking water. The water comes from the Langjokull glacier and is then filtered through the ground for up to 100 years until it reaches the Thingvellir Lake. There is not a lot of life in this ravine other than trout, but it is beautiful none the less. The rock walls at some points almost meet, and you can touch both sides on the plates. There is a crazy green algae that grows on the bottom which they call ‘troll hair’. This UNESCO world heritage site is unlike anything you will have seen before.

So the next time you are thinking it’s too cold to go diving in New Zealand, remember it is about 10 degrees at the moment and that there are a lot of colder places in the world where you could be getting in the water! Also, some of the best diving around the South Island can be done over winter. The weather normally calms down and we get a constant Southerly swell rolling through. Think of all those amazing dive sites on the North side of Akaroa or Kaikoura that you missed out on diving over summer and do them now!

Remember we are having a Drysuit Demo Day on Saturday 30th July, so if you want to experience the toasty warmth of drysuit diving, let us know!

Give us a call on (03) 379 5804, or email us at sales@diveskiworld.co.nz. You can find us from Monday to Saturday, 8:30am until 5pm at Dive HQ Christchurch, 103 Durham St South!

Beuchat is a brand which lives and breathes its passion for the sea and whose history is intertwined with that of spearfishing. Through its innovations, it has made a major contribution to the birth and development of spearfishing. Beuchat’s latest development and innovation is the Trigocamo camouflage wetsuit with the new Braca Concept.  Beuchat are the first to break new ground creating a camouflage comprised of actual photographs assembled in 3D using trigometric calculation software.

How was this done?  An area of the seabed was selected and was scanned by rail-mounted cameras that take a series of photographs. Around fifty photos were selected to be assembled by computer using trigonometric software which digitalised the images in 3 dimension.

From these visuals, Beuchat extracted the images to be printed on the Beuchat Trigocamo fabric.  As a result each element in the camouflage is authentic and no two are the same. No two rocks are repeated. This means that each suit is unique. This video explains the process and shows you the Rocksea in action!

This innovation and development means that the Beuchat Rocksea range of suits all have the Trigocamo innovation making it the first of its kind-  an exclusive three-dimensional camouflage suit.

Using soft neoprene Elaskin X 8.6 which combines maximum comfort and durability with open cell interior for maximum warmth.  Ergonomically cut for maximum comfort, with special contours on the rear of the suit to avoid pockets developing on the back and between the shoulders. A 360deg one-piece face seal for water tightness and durability, matching neoprene hems on the wrists, ankles and face, and a Lycra hem on the jacket. Elbows and knees are reinforced with anti-abrasion Supratex. Camouflaged padded stemal reinforcement gives the wearer greater stability and comfort when carrying long and powerful weapons.

Not stopping at the camouflage as a new innovation, Beuchat have continued the development and come up with the Braca Concept. What is this you may ask?

The Braca concept is a new patent from Beuchat revolutionising spearfishing apparel. They have invented a simple, effective, hygienic and invisible solution to the problem of how to pass water without removing your suit. This is called the Braca concept.

It’s a triple baffle system that provides a perfect seal and is extremely comfortable thanks to the absence of a zip or Velcro. It offers a fly opening system that is simple to use and hygienic as well as discreet.

Pierre Roy and international spear fisher was one of the testers of Braca Concept. Pierre said using the traditional squeeze bottle which he had been using for over 15 years, had the disadvantage of being uncomfortable and not at all discreet when nature calls. Using the Braca Concept is different, and when he used the system for the first time while on a hunting dive with friends they did not even notice that his suit had a new system. Pierre showed them the new system but they were sceptical that it was not waterproof. So to prove it to them that there is no sealing problem he jumped into the water several times and showed them that not a drop of water seeped inside.  

In 1953 Beuchat developed the wetsuit for the spear fisherman. This now made spear fishers more comfortable and protected so that they could enjoy their passion. Beuchat continues to be leaders in innovation and development worldwide. Safety, reliability, and durability are at the heart of Beuchat’s research and this is reflected in these latest innovations. The Trigocamo camouflage wetsuit with the Braco Concept is definitely part of this revolution.

If you are into spearfishing, or wish to get started, check out our Spearfishing Page here!

Article by:  Dive NZ

Store Hours:  Monday to Saturday 8.30am – 5pm

Dive HQ Christchurch
103 Durham St South
Sydenham
Christchurch
03 379 5804
www.diveskiworld.co.nz