While the Balance 2 used a button / flywheel combo to navigate through the various dive screens when in use, the T-Rex sticks with a traditional button-only approach. The pair on the left are marked Up / Down and the pair on the left Sel( ect) and Back.
There are four dive screens in all, and scrolling between can be achieved using either or both left-sided buttons. The two main displays keep a standard depth, NDL, PO2 and dive time common between them with variations of gas, temperature, TTS( Time To Surface) and heart rate( if the watch is against the skin). There’ s a handy ascent graphic too.
The remaining displays show heart rate or the digital compass / essential information( depth, NDL, dive time, and depth). Decompression data is calculated via the almost-universally embraced Bühlmann ZHL-16c algorithm.
" The 700mAh battery typically offers up to 25 days of normal use "
One of my favourite features of this watch is its handy built-in LED‘ torch.’ A long press on the top left button accesses this very handy and surprisingly bright light, located at the top of the bezel. There are four white light settings of varying strength plus red too.
While diving is only one of the hundreds of modes and features available to T-Rex users it definitely hits the mark set by many recreational diving-specific computers. Add in the multiple sports, fitness and healthmonitoring features and its advantages are there to see.
And if you’ re happier sporting a lessobvious diving watch look but want the same winning features, then check out its sleeker, more compact 44mm sibling. Neil Hope
SCUBA SAYS
Amazfit’ s T-Rex Pro 3 punches well above its price point to offer recreational divers a real alternative to both dive-specific computers and smartwatch dive apps without breaking the bank.
Flash of inspiration
AQ-4 MKII Strobe Light
COMPANY: DANIAMANT PRICE: £ TBC WEB: WWW. DANIAMANT. COM
Being safe and being seen at sea is of the upmost importance, whether you’ re above or below the water’ s surface. For a diver there are multiple devices to ensure that boat skippers, shore support or other divers are able to see and identify them, especially in poor visibility.
Flags, SMBs( Surface Marker Buoys), torches and glow sticks will all help, but in a real at-sea emergency there’ s nothing more efficient than a made-for-purpose strobe. Denmark’ s Daniamant developed its first IMO SOLAS approved lifejacket light in 1985.
Since then, the manufacturer has expanded, adding many similar businesses( including the Jotron brand) to their portfolio and in 2006 set up Daniamant UK.
Their AQ-4 MkII is a multi-purpose marking and distress personal strobe specifically designed for rough offshore environments. Fully certified to SOLAS international safety standards, crucially for divers the strobe is waterproof to a depth of 500 metres.
Measuring 155mm high by 45mm wide, the AQ-4 weighs only 200g including its single alkaline, user-changeable C-cell battery. Compact in form and weight, this makes it ideal to attach to the diver’ s person with ease, a task made simple by three‘ cutouts’ in the body of the strobe, where a Velcro strap can be easily inserted.
A single switch located on the side of the unit activates the highintensity flashing LED strobe. Significantly more effective for detection at long distance, the unit provides 50 flashes per minute visible from a distance of 1.3 nautical miles.
The two-way switch is supplied with a small plastic stopper, removal of which allows the strobe to also be used in continuous light mode. In flash mode, the duration is around eight hours, in continuous mode an hour less.
I positioned the AQ-4 at the very top of the corrugated hose on my BCD using a Velcro strap. Here it would have the optimum height for a diver floating at the surface awaiting assistance.
Even in bright daylight this proved quite effective, due to the darker water and BCD itself providing good contrast. Attached to the top of my fully inflated SMB it had little effect on the vertical position of the buoy and would make a good option for large swells, when a diver / BCD may be obscured. In addition to the obvious safety advantages the strobe offers, it is also a handy device for marking a wreck, an anchor line or entry / exit spot during night diving for instance. While the continuous light isn’ t intended as a dive light it can certainly do a job as backup in the event of a failure of a primary source. NH
SCUBA SAYS
Being a diver isn’ t just about seeing but being seen and the tough and compact AQ-4MkII strobe light will do just that- for up to eight hours.
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