Decompression, Stage, and Bailout Cylinders

DIFFERENT TERMS CAN SOMETIMES DESCRIBE the same piece of equipment in the dive industry. What some divers call a dive light, for example, others call a dive torch. They are physically identical, so the names are interchangeable without causing more than minor confusion at worst.

The Dive Light: A Tool for All Divers

The dive light is essential equipment that can benefit all divers on most dives. There are several types of lights with various uses and a few key considerations you should make before purchasing. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to dive lights, so each diver must carefully consider their own goals and needs before deciding which model is most useful.

Lights are tools for all divers

Dive in the Fast Lane with DPVs

NEW AND IMPROVED TECHNOLOGY enters the dive industry every year. Advancements can make diving safer, more enjoyable, or sometimes both.

recreational and technical divers use DPVs

Dive Knives and Cutting Devices

THE DIVE KNIFE IS AN ICONIC PART OF A SCUBA DIVER’S GEAR. Since the inception of diving as a recreational activity, the dive knife’s presence in a diver’s equipment has influenced the public image of scuba diving as a dangerous sport and placed its participants in a league of their own.

cutting line from propeller

Freediving Fins Reinvented

IN THE 1900s UMBERTO PELIZZARI was a young diver from Busto Arsizio, Italy, who was making headlines by breaking world records in constant weight and variable weight freediving. Needing an edge against his archrival, Francisco “Pipin” Ferreras, he sought advice on fins from a friend who was knowledgeable about innovative freediving equipment: Valerio Grassi, founder of Omersub.

free diver

Go Where No One Has Gone Before

To pee or not to pee? That is not the question for technical divers, instructors, or others who spend long hours in the water. Proper hydration and comfort ensure that urine will flow. The question is, What’s the best way to handle it? 

Andy Pitkin uses a bailout rebreather and dual scooters

Spearfishing Safety

The decision to sustainably harvest marine life can spark vigorous discussions among divers. Regardless of your views, there are benefits to understanding the equipment, procedures, and dangers associated with spearfishing.

There is no catch and release when spearfishing.

Shark Deterrents

Many divers seek interactions with sharks, but others actively seek to avoid them. As long as sharks are in the water, people will look for ways to reduce the lethality of a shark bite or decrease encounters altogether. 

shark feeding

Understanding Oxygen Kit Components

Oxygen is the standard of care for first aid in dive injuries. You do not need to determine if the injured person is experiencing decompression sickness (DCS), arterial gas embolism […]

Assisting with oxygen kit

Used Rebreather Scrubber Disposal

Sorb, or scrubber, plays a critical role in rebreather diving, as it is responsible for removing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the diver’s breathing gas. Small granules or pellets absorb exhaled […]

Sorb becomes saturated with calcium carbonate after prolonged use