Archive for the ‘Diving Equipment’ Category

Weight Belts – Belting Weights for Underwater Pressure

Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010

Weight Belts

The use of weight belts are a part of scuba diving. These are used to neutralize the weight of the other parts of a scuba diving gear. These include the weight of the diving equipment and the weight of the aluminum diving cylinders. The amount of weight needed is just for you to sink into the water. It is because you only need enough weight to maintain buoyancy.

The weight loads in a weight belt for scuba diving is usually made of lead. It is a metal that is resistant to corrosion as well as cost effective. Lead quantity in these weights is dependent on the overall buoyancy of the diver. There are certain conditions that will decide this like the physical structure of the diver, his scuba diving gear that also includes the diving cylinders along with the water conditions, its temperature and the saline level in it.

It may be mentioned here that the use of weight belts is a crucial process in scuba diving and thus cannot be taken lightly. Professional and experienced divers take care to see that the weights are dropped by careful planning rather than by mere practice. The dropping of weights can increase the potential for decompression sickness and therefore precaution is necessary in the release of the weights gradually so that the ascent is slow and gradual.

Weight Belts for Diving

The use of weight belts for diving is a common and necessary practice in the area of diving. There are different kinds of weight belts that are made of nylon and rubber along with easy fitting buckles that can be fitted and released swiftly and with ease that will be helpful especially when there is an emergency need for the release of weight into the water.

There are two techniques in the making of weight belts for diving. The conventional weight belts used in diving is one that is made of nylon and attached with lead weights. The weights are either threaded to the belts or placed in a belt that comes with the comfort of pockets.

The other technique used in a weight belt is those that are built into your BCD or the buoyancy compensator.  It is placed in a case with a Velcro or a zip flap so that the weights are fixed in them as these are placed in slots within the BCD. There are handles that can be pulled to release the weights at a time of exit from water or even if there is an emergency.

Scuba Diving Weight Belts

There are several types of scuba diving weight belts. Here are a few names of weight belts and their specific usage.

  • Marseillaise Belt – This is a belt that’s made of rubber. Due to the compression that occurs in the diving suit and the lungs of the diver this weight belt too compresses underwater. It maintains a good fit around the diver.
  • Shot Belts – A ‘shot’ is a term used to refer to pellets that are shaped out of lead to be placed as weights inside the weight belt. In a weight belt that’s called a shot belt these are often placed in pouches around the diver’s body. They are comfortable and useful as they take to the shape of the diver’s body.

Wet Suits – Apparels for the Sea

Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010

Wet Suits

Have you ever noticed a tight fitting garment all over a scuba diver? This garment that covers the diver full length is called a wet suit. It is waterproof and helps the diver to float about effortlessly underwater and at the same time protect his skin from any harmful effects.

Wet suits are usually made from a material called foamed neoprene that also provides thermal insulation and buoyancy in water. Insulation is provided by the presence of gas bubbles within the material of the wet suit that reduces its capacity to absorb heat. The material of the wetsuit also needs to be resistant to any kinds of abrasion that may take place.

Diving Wet Suits

Diving suits is the term used to refer the garment that is worn by divers when they take an underwater journey. The main aim of the diving suit is to offer skin protection to the diver from the saline water as well as various other water borne pollution effects.

There are two types of diving suits that are available. Firstly there are the ambient pressure diving suits that are soft and available in wet suits, dry suits, dive skins and semi-dry skins.  Then there are the atmospheric pressure diving suits that are hard which is like an all resistant suit. It enables the diver to maintain an atmospheric pressure even in a high pressure water area.

These are usually made to fit the body shape of even though a tight fit isn’t always a preferable option as it may lead to disturbed circulation and discomfort in a diver.

Discount Wet Suits

There are several websites that offer large varieties of scuba diving wetsuits from medium to heavily discounted prices. There are choices of sizes and styles that are on sale here which you may choose according to the season and time of your scuba diving plans.
Here is a list of a few names of sites where you may find the exact wetsuit at a discounted price. All of this comes in the convenience of your own time and comfort of your home.

  • http://answers.shopping.com
  • www.wetsuitwearhouse.com
  • www.scubastore.com
  • www.divebooty.com
  • www.kingofwatersports.com
  • http://tagza.com/Health_Fitness

Children Wet Suits

There are wet suits that are also available for children. These are mainly aimed at protection from water pollution and water borne infections and diseases while they are in contact with the saline water of the ocean and the sea.
However if children are taken for underwater trips also the scuba wetsuits are perfectly capable of providing the same features as those for the adults.

Here is a list of names of websites that sell children wetsuits and you may find the right one for your child.

  • www.justkidsclothes.com
  • www.kidsmoda.com/wetsuits.html
  • www.globalsources.com
  • http://store.magicseaweed.com
  • www.joediveramerica.com

Scuba Wet Suits

The name scuba wetsuits derives itself from the feature of scuba diving suits that gets wet and keeps a little water between the wetsuit and your skin so that your body heats quicker and keeps you warm even in cold temperature waters. It also helps to keep you comfortable in case of warmer water temperatures.

There are various levels of thickness available in wetsuits depending on the kind of insulation that you may need or prefer. There are customized wetsuits available that gives a great deal of variety, style, perfect fit to your scuba wetsuit along with pockets and padding that may be necessary in places. It  is advisable that you take your time and judge a wetsuit by a perfect fit.

Dive Computers –Computers for Safety Scuba Diving

Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010

Dive Computers

Dive computers are an essential part of a scuba diving gear. It is also known as the decompression meter. This helps in the underwater measurement and display of time as well as the depth of the water at which a dive is made. It can help a diver to know the rate at which he can make an ascent and at the same time avoid any decompression sickness.

There are dive computers that can estimate decompression schedules in case of breathing gases like nitrox, heliox, trimix or even pure form of oxygen.

There are several variations among dive computers depending on the technological advancement and knowhow. There is one range that can support different mixes of gases while there are some nitrox dive computers that can only sustain mixes of one or two gases for each dive.

There are several manufacturers of dive computers. Some of the most notable names are as follows.

  • Citizen
  • Genesis
  • Oceanic
  • Seiko
  • Suunto
  • Sherwood

Scuba Dive Computers

The purpose of scuba dive computers is to update a diver about the depth of his plunge once he is in the water. Technologically advanced scuba dive computers can also measure the rate of air usage as well as temperature of the water. There are scuba dive computer with inbuilt compasses in them that are very useful to divers. Scuba dive computers are attached to the gauge consoles and are also worn on wrists like a watch as is commonly available. However there are latest versions that are also available as built in with the masks that divers wear.

It may be worthy of mention here that scuba dive computers are an important part of a scuba gear and thus useful for both the experienced diver as well as the new learner.  Scuba dive computers are helpful in the process of diving but do not make it any easier especially for those who are new at it. Divers need to plan their dive ahead of time in which the computing device will help to manage the display or notification to the diver about the time and air that is spent while he was or is still in water.

Nitrox Dive Computers

There are dive computers that are available in the market that can sustain both nitrox and air dives and thus make your investment in them worth.  Here are some of the nitrox dive computers company names and models that you may consider buying as part of your scuba gear.

  • Aeris Epic Hoseless Wrist Computer
  • Aeris Elite T3 Air Nitrox Dive Computer Complete
  • Aeris XR1 Nitrox Wrist Computer
  • Suunto Stinger Titanium
  • Oceanic VT3 Dive Computer with Transmitter

Oceanic Dive Computers

Oceanic has made a name for itself as a manufacturer of scuba diving gear. Many of their products are chosen one of professional divers as well as adventure sport lovers. There are several dive computers made Oceanic, a few of which are listed below.

  • OC 1
  • DATAMASK HUD
  • Atom 2.0
  • Geo 2.0
  • Veo 3.0