The Reefscape Christmas Gift Guide
The sustainable swimsuit
Combining style, sustainability and function is no mean feat, but innovative British swimwear brand Davy J (davyj.com; one pieces from £140) have done just that. Their beautiful designs are ultra-flattering while clever elastane and cross-back straps are made to allow you to swim, dive, surf and paddleboard with confidence. Their double-lined swimwear is designed to last longer, fighting the trend of throwaway fashion. Even more impressive is the fact that their Waste Collection uses ECONYL® yarn, made from recycled ghost fishing nets, which make up 10% of all ocean plastic. Every ton of fishing nets can make 10,000 swimsuits and the company also has an ‘end of life’ returns scheme – send your old swimsuit to them and they’ll find a way to reuse the resources. For men’s swimwear, check out London-based Riz (rizboardshorts.com; from £95). For over ten years, they’ve been creating gorgeous board shorts using fabric made from recycled plastic bottles. We love their bold, Hawaiian-style prints and perfect tailoring, plus the fact that customers get free repairs for life, along with 25% off a new pair if you return your old ones.
The designer-look dive log
With an eye-catching cover featuring original artwork of whales, sharks, jellyfish and starfish by Bristol-based designer Bethan Buss, this pretty logbook stands out from the crowd. It’s practical, too, with an intuitive layout and room for 50 dives, one on each page. There’s space for the essentials – depth, time, gas, buddy, dive site, visibility and so on, with a section for a brief description or sketch plus a dive centre stamp. Compact and lightweight, it’s a thoughtful choice for the travelling diver (www.divedup.com; £7.50).
The dreamy coffee table book
National Geographic’s 100 Dives of a Lifetime (£25) delivers a glorious dose of diving inspiration. From the cenotes of Mexico to the ice floes of Antarctica, this exquisite book contains 350 images and provides the ultimate bucket list for keen divers and anyone with a passion for the marine world. While the photographs are sublime, there is also expert diving advice and travel tips from renowned National Geographic divers such as David Doubilet, Jessica Cramp and Brian Skerry. We love how the book is arranged by diving experience and certification level, from beginner open water to expert cold water and cave diving. Whether you are an armchair traveller or a seasoned scuba diver, every page takes you on a magical journey into the deep.
The fancy fins
Apeks’ RK3 range has long been popular with divers, and its new Apeks RK3 HD model is arguably one of its best yet. Designed alongside the US military, these fins are made from a tough thermoplastic to provide great power and efficiency in the water, whilst ensuring maximum durability. Their negative buoyancy also enables divers’ legs to achieve an optimum position when moving through the water, while spring straps make it easy to get the fins on and off (uk.apeksdiving.com; £137). Another fantastic choice is Fourth Element’s Rec Fins (fourthelement.com; £95), the first to be made from recycled plastic waste. Boasting a fully recycled plastic blade, Rec Fins have a much lower environmental impact
without sacrificing performance. The four-channel design generates thrust on both the down and upstroke, with stiffening ribs ensuring complete control. The result is an eco-worthy fin that really delivers.
The cosy post-dive robe
Lightweight and lined with super-soft fleece, Fourth Element’s Tidal Robe is designed to keep you snuggly and dry after spending time in the water. The company is committed to sustainable, environmentally-friendly practices, with each robe made from approximately 50 recycled plastic bottles. Fully waterproof with taped seams and handwarmer pockets, it’s a great gift for cold water divers, or even wild swimmers (fourthelement.com; from £170).
The snazzy new dive computer
Just launched, the ground-breaking Oceanic+ app on Apple Watch Ultra turns Apple’s most rugged watch into a powerful, user-friendly dive computer. Designed by Huish Outdoors in collaboration with Apple, the app allows divers to take the watch they wear every day to depths of 40 metres. There are all the features you’d expect from an advanced dive computer, along with a depth gauge and temperature sensors. The 49mm titanium case and flat sapphire front crystal reveals Apple’s biggest and brightest watch display yet, with exceptional visibility underwater. But it’s the intuitive, easy-to-use format – before, during and after a dive, that is the real appeal (Apple Watch Ultra, apple.com; £849)
The toy for tiny divers
Hoping to inspire the next generation of divers? Treat the kids to Lego’s Deep Sea Starter Set (www.lego.com) for ages 5-12 years. Along with a remote sub and treasure chest, the set comes with three mini figures – two scuba divers complete with all the kit and a deep sea diver. Watch out for the grumpy-looking shark… If the set inspires your children to think about taking the plunge for real, PADI has a Junior Open Water Diver certification available for children aged 10 and up
