TESTCENTRE
Octopus garment
Octopus Hoodie
Company : O ’ Three Tel : 01305 822820 Price : £ 39.95 WEB : WWW . OTHREE . CO . UK
One thing the diving industry could learn from other water-based sports manufacturers and surfing in particular , is how their brands have transitioned into the mainstream leisurewear .
While diving still has some way to go to compete in the fashion stakes , there are several strong UK brands that do produce good-looking and functional surface wear with universal appeal .
Portland-based O ’ Three have just such an example with their eye-catching new Octopus Hoodie . A cosier upgrade on their similarly-themed , popular octopus T-shirt , both garments feature the instantlyrecognisable O ’ Three logo on the front .
On the rear it sports a classic , retrolooking ‘ 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ’ style octopus design . The hoodie ’ s unisex denim-blue colour scheme , woven from 100 % combed organic cotton , has a hard wearing exterior and a soft fleecy lining that I ’ ve grown to appreciate during the winter months .
The screen-printed yellow and white design strikes that sweet spot of jumping out while still remaining tasteful . Sure to appeal to all age groups and genders ,
its manufacturing process will also be of interest to conservation-minded divers .
Produced using 100 % renewable green energy from wind and solar , it has Carbon Neutral certification , endorsement from the Fair Wear Foundation and is even delivered to your door in a compostable bag ! NH
SCUBA SAYS
Warm to the body , cool to the eye and environmentally friendly too - what ’ s there not to like about O ’ Three ’ s Octopus Hoodie ?
It ’ s a wrap
When Julie Benham ’ s scuba-diving husband set off on another of his regular trips , she realised that should anything unfortunate happen to her spouse there ’ d potentially be no way of knowing . Putting on her thinking cap , the keen embroiderer came up with a novel way to provide an ICE ( In Case of Emergency ) contact number while also allowing a diver to personalise their kit .
Her solution – the Scubawrap - is designed to fasten around the direct feed and corrugated hose of a BCD . Manufactured
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Scubawrap
COMPANY : SCUBAWRAP TEL : 07968609623 PRICE : £ 25 WEB : WWW . FACEBOOK . COM / SCUBAWRAP from a robust waterproof material with Velcro fastening , the wraps can be machine embroidered with your name and club logo , in addition to that all-important ICE number .
If you chop and change your kit a lot or use rental gear on holiday , then it ’ s swappable in a matter of seconds . With the presentday diver ’ s fascination with black , it also provides an excellent means of identification underwater .
In addition to the wraps , Julie can personalise a variety of kit , such as pony or bailout cylinders . As the over-the-shoulder hose covers on my CCR were looking a little tired I sent a note of their dimensions and ordered a pair of replacements .
Made from a slightly-thinner , but nevertheless similarly robust material and minus the Velcro for flexibility , they slipped perfectly over the rubber hoses . Resplendent with my name and a full-colour Union Jack , they transformed its appearance .
For your £ 25 ( inclusive of postage ) you ’ ll get one design / logo , your name and plus an ICE number included . NH
SCUBA SAYS
The Scubawrap is a stunningly simple idea that provides a colourful , custom-made means to present vital safety information that should appeal to individuals , clubs and organisations alike .