TESTCENTRE
Not just for tech divers
OMS Black Slipstream Monoprene Fins
COMPANY : BEAVER SPORTS PRICE : £ 139.95 TEL : 01484 512354 WEB : WWW . BEAVERSPORTS . CO . UK
These classic SlipStream jet fins have long been a favourite of technical divers and their strong , robust foot pockets combined with a trio of flow channels and a flexible blade ensures a powerful stroke through the water .
Appearances can be deceptive and these Monoprene fins do look somewhat heavier than their actual weight of 2.4kg per pair . Once in the water they were practically neutrally buoyant and remained securely in place via a pair of stainless steel spring heel straps .
An outer cover of hard-wearing material protects both the springs themselves while also preventing wear on your wet or drysuit boots . The XL fins supplied to Test Centre were a modest 56cm in length – not only did they provide a good solution for enclosed spaces , they were also compact enough to easily pack for away trips .
The Monoprene Elastomer material has water-repelling properties and also leaves evidence of use on the matt black finish . This creates an attractive , lived-in look , not unlike a whale or dolphin ’ s skin . I used the fins extensively in drysuit and wetsuit modes and found them more than suitable for both . They provided plenty of forward momentum for little kicking effort while for hovering and backwards motion their relatively compact size made such manoeuvres a doddle . NH
SCUBA SAYS
While they ’ re a staple of technical divers , these classic OMS SlipStream fins are just as relevant for divers of all abilities across the board .
Happy O ’ 35th !
O ’ Three Limited Edition 35th Anniversary T-Shirt and Cap
COMPANY : O ’ THREE PRICE : £ 22.95 / £ 14.95 TEL : 01395 822820 WEB : WWW . OTHREE . CO . UK
Celebrating 35 years in business , Portland-based drysuit manufacturers O ’ Three have launched several Limited Edition products to mark the milestone . First off is an Earth Positive , Climate Neutral dark charcoal grey t-shirt emblazoned with an O3 ’ 35 chest logo .
Manufactured solely using renewable green energy from wind and solar power the unisex ‘ tees ’ are available in six sizes , from XS to XXL . I wore mine to excess on a Red Sea trip and despite its constant exposure to salt and sun on a daily basis it returned to as-new state when it eventually returned home for a wash !
Also accompanying me was the 35th year Limited Edition Cap , replacing an old favourite sadly lost to the sea only recently . The ideal solution to protect my scalp from the ravages of the sun and just as effective for preventing wind chill while out on the RIB . In olive green with orange and white O3 ’ 35 / O ’ Three logo , the cap is one-size-fits-all , thanks to a good , strong Velcro adjuster on the rear .
There ’ s also a Limited Edition Anniversary neoprene mask strap available in similar livery at £ 14.95 - or free with any purchase over £ 75.00 . NH
SCUBA SAYS
Join in the celebration and wish O ’ Three a Happy Birthday with these great quality , hard-wearing t-shirts that look just as good part on the street as the dive site .
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