TESTCENTRE
Venturi lever is designed to be used in Pre-Dive ( or - ) mode to prevent freeflow occurring when transitioning from air to water . Keep it in this closed position before you hit the briny , then simply flip it to the Dive (+) mode before descending .
The adjacent larger knob is used to adjust the amount of work ( known as cracking or opening effort ) needed to begin gas flow as the diver inhales . Accessing and adjusting this chunky knob is very easy , and it is typically used for de-tuning the second stage when swimming directly into strong current . In conditions that may increase water pressure on the purge button , it will prevent the potential for free-flow .
Octopus ( alternate source )
With the exception of the flow adjustment feature , the technical characteristics of the Octo are exactly the same as the primary second stage . With its bright yellow , metrelong hose and matching purge cover it ’ s highly visible in an emergency situation when attached to a BCD .
The recommendation is to leave the Venturi lever in the minus position to avoid potential free-flow , but I had no issues in either the plus or minus settings . Switching between primary and secondary regulators during the dive was seamless and any difference in performance wasn ’ t discernible .
In the water
While some first stages offer rotating turrets to assist with hose routing , the SEAC ’ s D-ICE has fixed ports , angled to keep the various hoses exactly where they should be . Sometimes , transmitters can be exposed to damage from handling ( in and out of the boat , for instance ) but by keeping the HP ports offset , below the low-pressure ports , this affords a much greater degree of protection .
The braided hoses connecting the second stage and octopus are very flexible , allowing the latters to be easily pushed up into a D-ring for easy access .
As someone who has suffered with TMD ( Temporomandibular disorder ) in the past , I ’ m wary of using certain types of mouthpieces which may aggravate the painful condition . However , the soft , silicone versions supplied with the IT500 were very comfortable and I was pleased to find that I didn ’ t have the slightest jaw fatigue , even after a longish spell out of the water , courtesy of an extended period of bad weather .
After scraping the ice from my car windscreen , the air temperature measured minus 5C on the journey to the dive site . I recorded a relatively-toastie five degrees underwater .
Both second stages come with soft silicon mouthpieces
The second stage , with venturi lever and control knob for cracking pressure
This type of temperature differential can affect regulators , but the performance of the IT500 remained top-notch . Flipping the Venturi to Dive mode , I made a steady descent to approximately 30m , switching between primary and octopus along the way .
Having timed my dive to coincide with a change in the tide , I was able to put the regulator through its paces against a strong current . As expected , it continued to supply gas effortlessly on demand .
The ICE Set comprises D-ICE first stage , IT500 second stage and IT500 Octo , both with flexible braided hoses , plus a zippered regulator bag .
SCUBA SAYS
SEAC ’ s IT500 ICE is a compact and lightweight , cold-water regulator with great hoserouting , ports galore , robust construction and fine-tuning adjustment that fits the bill for UK diving conditions .
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