TESTCENTRE
Real deal reel
OMS Pouch , 1.8 metre SMB & Reel Safety Set
COMPANY : BEAVER SPORTS PRICE : £ 101 TEL : 01484 512354 WEB : WWW . BEAVERSPORTS . CO . UK
This nifty-little safety set from OMS consists of a heavy-duty nylon and mesh pouch containing a metre -tall surface marker buoy and 23 metres of line on a lightweight , sturdy plastic spool . The kit is completed with a stainless steel double-ended snap bolt .
The pouch itself can be mounted vertically or horizontally using its rear straps for any webbing up to 50mm in width , or clipped by its plastic D-ring to a suitable spot .
The 1.8m-long orange SMB is topped off with two SOLAS-reflective panels , plus a transparent holder suitable for light sticks or a narrow strobe light . There are three ways
in which to inflate the buoy : filling via an alternate air source at the open end , using a low-pressure connector on the modified ( nonlocking ) plastic connector , or for surface use via mouth using the same valve .
By far the easiest of the choices was the low-pressure method . While it ’ s fairly easy to disconnect your drysuit feed for instance and use to inflate the self-sealing buoy , simply adding a dedicated hose makes much lighter work of deployment .
Despite its miniscule proportions , the dump valve works very well when the time comes to deflate the blob and also allows it to roll into a much more compact form . As a result , both SMB and spool fit into the zipped pouch comfortably .
As far as the spool is concerned , only 23 metres of line mean it ’ s not something you ’ d be looking to use throughout a dive , unless it was a relatively shallow excursion .
It is however , intended as something to use during a safety stop or emergency situation and as such provides an excellent solution .
While some spools allow a finger and thumb to meet from either side , this is designed to be lightly held with the digits pressed gently against the recessed centre as the line unfurls . Clipping off the snapbolt at my desired depth , I could attach its other end to my BCD or camera while completing my stop . NH
SCUBA SAYS
OMS ’ s compact SMB , spool and snapbolt combo is easily stored , deployed and offers value-for-money .
Wild at heart
SplashRobe
COMPANY : SPLASHROBE PRICE : £ 165 ( SCUBA readers can claim an extra 10 % discount by entering the code SCUBA10 ) WEB : WWW . SPLASHROBE . COM
During lockdown there seemed to be an explosion in what used to be called swimming but now goes under the more on-trend moniker ‘ Wild Swimming .’
One of my local shore dives has become a popular haunt for these wild swimmers , who arrive like an army dressed in the almost universally-adopted , oversized ‘ robes ’ designed to keep their users warm and dry pre and post-swim .
Founded in 2021 , SplashRobe ’ s product differs from the normal one-piece garment with a three-in-one design made from 100 % recycled fabrics . So how does this equate to diving , you may ask ?
If like myself you enjoy shore diving in a wetsuit or semidry ( see the previous review ) then the advantages are obvious . Modesty , for one . The roomy , hooded SplashRobe allows changing in and out of wetsuits with ease and with little chance of exposing one ’ s anatomy to innocent bystanders .
The outer waterproof / windproof robe does exactly what it says on the tin , protecting against inclement weather and a great remedy for teeth-chattering windchill on the boat . A choice of zip or magnetic fastening also offers ease or security of closure .
The water-wicking , softshell inner fleece absorbs water from the skin quite rapidly and dries out at a similar rate too . This can be used on its own or zippered into the outer layer to double-up on warmth and protection . The fleece has an internal zippered breast pocket , an outer zippered one on the arm and two cavernous side pockets . Similarly-large zippered side pockets , breast and arm pockets are also provided on the outer robe so there ’ s definitely no shortage of places to stash your bits and pieces . The wide , Velcroclosure wrists also provide ease of donning .
While the current pastel blue / green hues may not be to every diver ’ s taste , there are plans to offer alternative colour schemes . NH
SCUBA SAYS
Not just for wild swimmers , the SplashRobe is every bit as useful for keeping boat and shore divers cosy when it counts , making a welcome addition to the kit bag .
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