There are two points of adjustment to size your LT, the shoulders and the wing waist tie end points. The harnesses will ship as a large so you have a starting point. If you need to make some major adjustments I recommend a piece of chalk to mark the webbing. The shoulder/chest transition should be done first, for the guys on the nipples and for girls just above the bust line. Adjust the webbing at the pivot rings to get the right fit and then remove the waist d rings that limit the travel of the harness inside the air cell. Put it on and get the fit right, it’s easy and should be very comfortable. Once you do this, grab the oval loops on the waist webbing, attached to the air cell and pull both sides out along the waist belt and mark with the chalk, reinstall the waist d rings capturing the oval loops. Why? This part of sizing is critical to make sure the air cell lays flat on your back, if it’s lose the air cell will ride up and be difficult to dump air. If it’s too tight the harness will be lose from the chest down and can move on you affecting trim and the balance of the bottles.

Lamar

Nomad LT Custom Fit Video

New lithium primary batteries preform in RX10 flashlight.  The RX10 flashlight draws .5 amps of power as compared to the RX10 canister light drawing 1 amp. This doesn’t mean half the output but rather only a 30% drop in output. When running alkaline batteries in the flashlight it will drop to .35 amp draw and about 50% brightness after 2 to 3 hours depending on the battery brand/type. At this lower power drain the light will continue to fun for approximately another 3 hours.  The new lithium primary batteries are the answer to keeping the light at higher output for up to 6.5 hours before dropping to the lower setting.

The new generation of AA Energizer Lithium Ultimate batteries are designed for high drain devices light flashlights. Don’t mistake these for early AA lithium batteries that boasted long duration but the fine print defined this for devices such as cameras.  Duracell makes their version too but I only tested the bunny brand.

This new battery has many pluses over rechargeable and alkaline battery options for divers, especially the cave divers that prefer the RX10 flashlight as a primary back up light.  Any back up light is just that a back up so non rechargeable long shelf life batteries are preferred and now the longer full power mode means it can be used a number of hours before having to replace the batteries. So its actually cheaper to use the new lithium primary cells for their longevity at full power.  I was impressed.

Lamar

The O2ptima in my opinion is one of the most advanced, yet straightforward closed circuit rebreathers on the market. The simplicity of the O2ptima is why I trust it. No scrubber to pack and it’s ready to dive in 15 minutes, provided your cylinders are full. The new Rev D electronics answer many questions to function and features. The added features of the new Rev D are a bonus but the real changes are the configuration. I have had many requests from divers to integrate their dive computer into the unit, 4th or 3 celll monitoring. The current Rev C configuration splits the solenoid control and the DIVA/HUD function; the primary handled the solenoid while the secondary handled the DIVA/HUD (diver integrated vibrating alarm/heads up display). To add another computer and cable turned the rebreather into an octopus.

The new configuration with Rev D electronics and sophisticated DIVA/HUD functions are on the primary and the secondary is strictly a 3rd cell PO2 monitor (optional deco if desired). If a diver has a dive computer with PO2 monitoring capability, the unit can be ordered with only the primary controller. If you want to upgrade an earlier unit, I recommend an upgrade to the secondary to get the new DIVA/HUD function if cost is a consideration, once you program a set point on the solenoid controller (primary) you can enjoy new PO2 display and DIVA/HUD via the secondary rather than the primary.

VIDEO: O2ptima Rev D 2012

Lamar

This week is one to pay attention to. Right now we are offering trade-ins for BCDs, harnesses and wings from any manufacturer, in any condition and we’ll get you in a Dive Rite BCD, harness or wing at a reduced price. I’m asking our staff to hold onto every BCD we get and owner of the oldest BCD sent in will get an additional gift certificate signed by me. The offer is only valid through July at participating Dive Rite dealers in the US and Canada. Some divers are contacting us directly and that’s fine, too.

Details

Lamar

The youth program is nothing new, but after going to a Dive Rite Tech Tour in Albany I was impressed with the number of children diving and trying our gear. The comments on how our gear fit kids better got me reminiscing. We started a kids program when my son, Jared, was nine years old (he is now twenty-two). It was called the LTD (Little TransPac Diver) program and we updated the child’s TransPac harness as they grew.

This year, the program is relaunched with the TravelPac and VoyagerPac BCDs . This open water, lightweight rig is perfect for children and they can grow into it. We can change out the shoulders to keep them in a well fitting product. All they have to do is drop us a note about how much they like diving to get the upgrades as they grow.

Learn more: Dive Rite FREE Youth Upgrade Program

Lamar

We get questions about where to mount a lift bag. The answer isn’t simple because it depends on the comfort and needs of the diver. Our new TransPac XT has a built-in lift bag sleeve in the lumbar pad, a nice convenience for technical divers wearing backmount twin tanks. Single tank divers will want to mount a lift bag on the side of their plate or TransPac harness using uick Link hardware and a lift bag sleeve. Divers who wear a Nomad or dive a Tech Buttplate for sidemounting primary or stage bottles can use the buttplate for their lift bag. Of course, divers who don a Thigh or Bellows Pocket might find it easiest to simply stow a lift bag in the pocket. This Rough Cut video shows the options: Lift Bag Mounting Options

Lamar

Some divers won’t try a softpack-style harness due to concerns about plastic buckles. However, they miss out on comfort and versatility. We designed the new TransPac XT with these divers in mind. The new TransPac XT Tech model removes the shoulder strap buckles in favor of continuous webbing. The chest strap remains in order to achieve the mountaineering backpack fit and support.
Try one at a Demo Day or Tech Tour, or come by the factory in Florida. Chances are, one of us will go diving with you.

Lamar

VIDEO: Technical Diving: TransPac XT Tech Version

It’s not just about the regulator you choose, but also how you configure it. If you want to look like you know what you’re doing, then hose management will impress anyone. I can always tell the casual diver from the serious diver. When I dive a single tank, I like to keep all the hoses tucked in close to the body just like when I dive doubles, sidemount or rebreathers. It makes it easy to keep up with everything: a short hose (22”)  on a necklace and a longer hose (40”) for the sharing air comes under the arm and comfortably up to the mouth. We started putting a 22″ inflator hose with our open water wings so it would lay better on the diver. Standard SPG hoses are 32″ and I assume this is for divers that want to attach a compass console to it. If you aren’t going to put a compass on it a shorter 24″ to 26″ hose is better. It’s the little things that make the dive safer and more comfortable.

VIDEO: Regulator Set Up for Recreational Diving

VIDEO: Regulator Set Up for Advanced Single Tank Diving

Lamar

I took my Classic TransPac off my O2ptima and replaced it with the new TransPac XT. Since you need Offset D-rings on your harness to accommodate shoulder-mounted counter lung,s I made sure the Offset Ds would lay on top of the shoulder transition plate of the harness and lock in place. The narrow, double padded shoulders lay nicely under the counter lungs. The tech butt plate attaches via assembly screws and hugs the bottom of the TransPac XT so it feels integral to the backplate. The stability of the new XT makes the added weight of the bailout bottles feel much lighter than before. I can’t get over the noticeable improvement in comfort.

After setting my unit up, I have requests for a CCR model of the TransPac XT so we built it up. The chest only has a set of Offset D-rings and the waist has two sets of Ds: low profile D-rings on the waist plates to attach the SPG to and a set of standard D-rings in front of those. By the way all new O2ptimas have shorter SPG hoses (42-inch), so they can be stored down the side of the unit.

Lamar