5 Tech Diving Tools
The technology of technical diving equipment is advancing at an exciting pace. Check out these five new products for your next advanced adventure.
Carrie Garcia.
Designed to be used with double tanks, the Tek 3 dual-regulator set comes with two overbalanced, environmentally sealed diaphragm first stages (one left-handed, one right-handed), a pair of pneumatically balanced XTX50 second stages, a 2-meter hose, a standard hose and a regulator necklace. Each first stage has three low-pressure ports for the second stage, octo and inflator, and one highpressure port for an SP G. Second stages are equipped with breathing-resistance knobs and Venturi control levers. The rig comes nitrox compatible to 40 percent from the factory, and is available with DIN fittings and all-metal hand wheels. MSRP $1,195 complete; $850 for first stages only INFO aqualung.com
Carrie Garcia.
Built with a military-spec aluminum casing and an eye-pleasing OLED display, the NiTek wrist-mount computer comes standard as a seven-gas trimix computer (8 percent to 99 percent O2, 0 percent to 92percent He). It uses the Buhlman ZLH 16 algorithm and offers three preset gradient factors: 30/75 (default) and 40/100 for deep or shallow spots, plus 75/95 for divers trained in custom gradients. Depth rated to 492 feet, the NiTek Q offers many options, like adding a digital compass or a CCR mode with fixed PO 2 set points. It is powered by a lithium rechargeable battery. MSRP $799 INFO diverite.com
Carrie Garcia.
A serious light designed for tec divers, the T110 features a rugged, anodized-aluminum-alloy housing, depth rated to 328 feet. It features a belt loop that allows you to slide the canister onto a two-inch waist belt or tank strap; there are also D-rings and quick links for attaching to a back plate. Connecting canister to light head is a 59-inch cord. The light head itself is compact and equipped with three high-power LED s that pump out 660 lumens. The rechargeable NiMH battery provides four to five hours of illumination and up to 200 recharging cycles. MSRP $950 INFO istsports.com
Carrie Garcia.
One look at the Power Plana, and what immediately comes to mind is “meaty.” Weighing in at just under three-and-a-half pounds in a size XL, this all-rubber kicker measures only 21-and-a-half inches overall, but its blade is broad and backed up with some substantial side rails. Where the rails are thickest, the blade seems pretty stiff; but as you move toward the tip, the design dynamics change, and you get some nice blade flex. Three sizes are available, and it comes with a bungee strap plus a limited-lifetime warranty. MSRP $160 INFO mares.com
Carrie Garcia.
Purpose-built for tec diving, the X-Tek Pure is configured for either single or double-tank diving. It includes a stainless-steel back plate and a doughnut wing with 30 pounds of lift for single-tank systems, or 60 pounds of lift for double-tank systems. The wing’s outer shells are made of 1,680-denier ballistic nylon. The inner bladder is made of 420-denier nylon for puncture resistance. X-Tek BC components are fully modular and compatible with all X-Tek systems. MSRP $775, complete single-tank system; $719 complete double tank system INFO scubapro.com
The technology of technical diving equipment is advancing at an exciting pace. Check out these five new products for your next advanced adventure.