Year Round Diving with the Thermalution Power Heated Undersuit!

While for many of us, diving is a seasonal sport, extremists may find thrills in diving deep into cold waters. Keeping warm is vital to diving in cold conditions, and divers have a choice of either wearing a dry suit of thick wetsuit. Of course, with either choice, the diver will still feel a definite chill while exploring the depths of icy waters. Thermalution® Power Heated Undersuit, is a first of its kind diving undergarment. The suit (available in short sleeve or sleeveless variety) is electrically heated through a series of special, non-metallic heating wires connected to a battery pack - the same batteries used on cellphones (7.4V lithium batteries), so there’s no risk of electrocution or explosion. There’s also a special remote that controls the temperature to your liking and the heat can last up to 3 hours. Depending on the model, the suit can go up to depths of 15 meters to 70 meters and can go for $450 - $700.

Man-made Fins Propel Swimmers Through the Water

Ciamillo’s Lunocet fins will make you faster than Olympic Gold Medalist Michael Phelps. The fins promise to propel swimmers up to speeds of 8 miles/hr, almost twice as fast as Phelps’ fastest clocked time of 5 miles/hr. The fins mimic the more efficient fins of dolphins and whales and can even push a swimmer out of the water.

While pictures are worth a thousand words - videos are even better:

What’s a Scuba Doo?

Here’s one that’s straight from the pages of a science fiction novel: A moped-type scuba machine called the Scuba Doo:

The Scuba Doo allows would-be divers to sit back, relax and enjoy the underwater landscapes without having to get any certifications. The diver’s head is enclosed in a glass dome (allowing for maximum view) and the air is being replenished by the on-board tanks. It cruises at speeds of up to 2.5 knots and can go down to a max depth of 4 meters (about 13 feet).

Because of its limitations, the Scuba Doo would probably not have any appeal to experienced licensed scuba divers. This device is probably geared towards younger people, people with disabilities or those who may not be ready to take a full certification course, but would want to experience going underwater. The hefty, almost 20 grand price will probably make this only affordable to the independently wealthy, but some reorts all around the world are offering rentals, with average rates around $130 per 15 minutes.

Take Your Tunes Up to 300 Feet: iDive 300

So you’re taking in the sights under the the great blue sea and you realize you need some soothing sounds (or rockin’ tunes) to serenade you while you drift along. If you’ve ever wanted to listen to Beethoven, the Beach Boys or the Beatles while diving the Great Barrier Reef, then your wish has come true.

The iDive 300 is a water proof case and speaker system by H2O Audio that is compatible with most iPod models and even the iPhone (though the phone and applications function won’t work underwater). The plastic itself is made of tough polycarbonate and built-in earphones are specially designed to fit around a mask or under a dive hood. Macworld.com’s Rob Griffiths reviewed the iDive 300, and remarked that despite some issues he was “… very impressed with the iDive 300… It’s amazingly well-engineered, solidly built, and worked exactly as advertised…”.

For recreation divers who can only go up to 120 feet, there’s probably no need to invest $299 for this case. However, for deep divers making lengthy decomp stops, watching a couple of episodes of your favorite TV show while waiting might not be such a bad idea.

Have you used the iDive 300? We’d love to hear your thoughts and comments!