Aquaviews - SCUBA Blog » SCUBA Gear

Thoughtful Gifts for New Divers

Creedence — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:55:02 +0000

Welcoming a new diver into the fold is almost like the announcement of a baby’s birth: “It’s an open water certified diver!” Especially if the new diver is a friend or family member, this is a time of celebration and plans for future dive trips. While your advice will certainly be appreciated when it comes to dive gear, a new diver will more than likely want to choose his or her own wetsuit, BCD, and the like. But what if you want to bestow a gift upon your new diver? Don’t worry, there’s plenty of things that will not only be useful to the new diver, but have little chance of eliciting the reaction Grandma gets when she buys you the cutest Christmas sweater. Check out some of our suggestions for great new diver gifts at LeisurePro.(...)
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Got MSF? Try a Package!

Creedence — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:32:22 +0000

MSF is an important acronym in the SCUBA and snorkeling world; it stands for Mask, Snorkel, and Fins. These are the most basic items of a diver’s gear, but are definitely some of the most important. As we recently discussed in our article on masks, your mask is the all-important gem in your gear (second only to your regulator, without which you could not breathe underwater), because if you’re not able to see underwater, diving would be pointless. Your fins are also integral to your diving and snorkeling experience for the propulsion they provide. And your snorkel, well, you certainly can’t go snorkeling without one, but it serves as a handy tool for SCUBA divers as well, as a means of saving air at the surface.

LeisurePro has a vast selection of these products individually, but they also have a great selection of MSF packages. Here are a couple of our suggestions for awesome MSF package deals at LeisurePro.(...)
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It’s In the Bag, Baby

Creedence — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:28:16 +0000

We here at Aquaviews have a confession to make: we’re obsessed with bags. Backpacks, beach bags, gadget bags — you name it, we probably have it or want it. So it should come as no surprise that SCUBA gear bags make us all warm and fuzzy inside. But you don’t have to be a bag freak to appreciate a well-constructed gear bag. Whatever your needs may be, there is definitely a bag for that. Check out some of our favorites that you can find at LeisurePro, before we call dibs.(...)
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Little Extras For Your Gear

Creedence — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 19:48:55 +0000

Although the requisite uniform for a SCUBA diver will generally be the same across the board, there is no law that says you can’t jazz up your gear a bit. Some accessories are actually helpful for safety, if they make you more visible to your dive buddy or others in the water. But you don’t have to don a checker print wetsuit just to be different (although, now we kind of want one). There are a bunch of products on the market to personalize your gear for fun, for safety, or just for identification purposes. Here are a few of these items you might find interesting.(...)
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Looking For a Deal? Check Out LeisurePro’s Closeouts!

Creedence — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 20:20:10 +0000

We know that people love to find great deals, and we love to help you find them when we can. LeisurePro’s closeouts feature lots of valuable items at bargain prices, and there’s always something new that has been reduced in price to make room for the latest products. This is a fantastic way to take advantage of gear and gadgets that you’ve wanted to add to your collection, as well as save a few bucks in the process. Check out a few of our favorites here, and if you don’t see anything you like, head on over to LeisurePro.com and browse for more. Don’t forget to check out their Best Price-Match Guarantee!(...)
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Ladies, Love the Skin You’re In

Creedence — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:20:20 +0000

Temperature is a funny thing when it comes to diving, and especially when it comes to individual comfort. A water temperature of 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit may seem like a bearable temperature to most, but often the changes in water temperature according to depth are not considered when coming to that conclusion. Thermoclines differ in the ocean according to seasonal and environmental conditions, and therefore, it is not at all unusual to find that your wetsuit doesn’t offer quite enough insulation from the cold.

This does not mean, however, that you have the wrong wetsuit and you should immediately go out and buy a thicker one. Fortunately, you have several options for boosting the insulating properties of your wetsuit, without drastically changing your gear profile. Take a look at the selection of skins, jumpsuits, and separates that LeisurePro offers to help you get the comfort you need and not miss any dives due to the chills!(...)
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Avoid Brain Freeze With a SCUBA Hood

Creedence — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:05:30 +0000

Recent studies suggest the theory that we lose more heat through our heads than any other part of our body may actually be a myth, but ask any cold water diver if they’ll take the plunge without a hood and you will regularly hear a resounding “NO!” When given the option of having a warm head or an ice cream headache, most SCUBA divers will quickly choose keeping their head warm with a proper dive hood.

As with all forms of exposure protection, some people need more in the same conditions than the next person, so don’t feel pressure from your dive buddy, just get what keeps you comfortable on your dive so you can focus on having fun.

Pinnacle 3mm Beanie Hood

Warm Water

For divers coming from cold water, seeing someone wearing a hood in the tropics can be a little surprising. But as people become acclimated to the warmer weather, it can be a great addition to your kit. Typically more of a beanie style with a simple under-chin strap and featuring 3mm or less of neoprene, warm water hoods can not only add extra warmth, but can provide a basic layer of impact protection for the occasional tropical swim through.

Henderson Aqua Lock Hood 7/5mm

Cold/Cool Water

When diving in cooler waters, hoods start to come in a wider variety of styles and thicknesses depending on water temperature. Common thicknesses divers will see are 3mm, 5mm and 7mm. Adding titanium to a hood can increase the warmth at each thickness, offering something of a half step between thicknesses.

Cold water hoods can be basic hoods with flanges that come off the neck and are tucked into a wetsuit, attached to a basic vest for additional core warmth, or even be integrated into a shorty for either a warm water option or even more warmth in cold water conditions.

Dry Divers

Dry suit divers need a different style of hoods entirely. Dry suit hoods are available in the same variety of thicknesses, however they only come part way down the neck so they don’t interfere with the neck seal of the divers dry suit. Based on our experience, zippers are popular on dry diver hoods to ease with putting them on and taking them off.

SeaSoft Titanium 6mm Pro Drysuit Hood with Zipper

Safety Precautions

Yes, dive hoods need to have a safety precaution. Be absolutely sure your hood is not too tight, especially around your neck and over your ears. Too much of a seal over your ears can create problems with equalization. Too tight around the neck can cause carotid sinus reflex. Carotid sinus reflex is when pressure is applied to the nerves and artery in your neck which tells your brain you have high blood pressure. In turn, your brain tells your heart to slow down. The problem is the pressure from the hood is already reducing blood and oxygen flow to the brain, so the heart slowing down isn’t what your body needs. Carotid sinus reflex can result in passing out, which is a bad situation to be in underwater.

Get In On These LeisurePro Specials!

Creedence — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 20:25:36 +0000

Ahh, it’s a fresh new year, full of prospects and opportunities…and new deals on SCUBA gear! The beginning of the calendar year is a great time to start shopping for pieces of gear, so that by the time you’re ready to jump into your first dive of the year, you’re all set to go! Check out these great specials and more at LeisurePro. Keep your eye out for free shipping on many items!(...)
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De-Mystifying the SCUBA Mask

Creedence — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 20:03:59 +0000

Tusa Concero One Window Mask - Free Shipping!

First of all, let’s get one thing absolutely clear. It’s a mask; it is not, and never will be, goggles.

How many times have you chuckled overhearing a SCUBA nerd correct some poor ignorant soul on that minor discrepancy? And — be honest! — how many times have you delivered that lecture? Divers know the difference, but it hardly seems worth haranguing someone who hasn’t the slightest interest in SCUBA diving, much less the intricacies of SCUBA gear.

Oh, but you are interested? Splendid! It is with great enthusiasm, then, that we help you find your way around a SCUBA mask, how to pick the right one for you, and how to use it properly. At the end of this post, you should be able to understand why you never call a mask “goggles” in front of a SCUBA diver.(...)
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New Year, New In-Store Raffle!

Creedence — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 02:41:46 +0000

If one of your diving new year resolutions is to upgrade a piece of equipment and you plan on being in New York City at some point in January, be sure to stop by Leisure Pro’s Manhattan showroom for a chance to win a new Oceanic OCS Wrist Computer!

Oceanic OCS Wrist Computer

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