Getting kitted out for 2022

Fourth Element and Santi hoods/gloves 

Hoods and Gloves are essential for Cold Water divers or for those peeps in warmer water that get abit nippy and want a little extra exposure protection! Luckily, we’ve got you from little- large exposure, stocking between 3-7mm. Fourth element offers a durable stretchy neoprene to hug your skin and that provides ease for donning and doffing with additional features such as draining holes. 

Gloves are really important too as you wanna be able to feel your hands on a dive, right? I mean, clipping equipment on and off, picking up trash or grabbing your buddies attention to show them a cool fish seem pretty crucial to me. Co- founder Jim uses the 5mm Kevlar Fourth Elements and can't rate them highly enough. They’re so comfortable, offer intense grip, extra protection from scrapes against debris and are just thick enough to keep you lovely and toastie whilst not being overpowering, leaving you unable to do things. They really are the best!

However, if you decide to go for Drygloves, the Santi system that we include in the Avatar Drysuit bundle are a win! These literally changed my experience of diving. My hands are so much warmer after dives, paired with the G1 2mm liners you will be super comfortable during your dive! The main perk of these gloves is that they’re SUPER flexible and easy to put on, a no faff kinda kit up which we love! 

Drysuit

Our go-to suit is the Avatar and if you’ve ever been diving with us, you will see our entire team struts around in this suit, as well as a few of our customers! They’re both tough and trendy! This suit has sooo many perks! Firstly, its self donning and doffing with a front entry zip so that you can be responsible for shutting your own zipper and no leaks! The suit also offers intense flexibility, a crotch strap for security, both low and high profile exhaust valves to suit you, additional padding at the knees to prevent holes via abrasions, comfortable neoprene boots, leg pockets to secure the goods and if the suit isn't already sold to ya, latex wrist and neck seals! Ladies, you also get a little aqua accent on the side pocket to add a splash of colour! This suit is literally amazing, so lightweight and flexible! Seriously, come and have a try in our training tank, you won’t regret it!   

Undersuit

There are SO many options for undersuits. Honestly, it can become a little overwhelming. We actually have a few faves here at Honest and imma run you through them!

Our first fave is the Avatar undersuit which is made out of Sherpa fleece, produced from 100% recycled plastic bottles so you can protect the environment that you love so much! It's soooo comfortable and super thermal to keep you lovely and toastie! Equipt with a sleek fit, heel straps and a p-valve/heating outlet, this suit really is for everyone! It’s also easy to wash so isn’t straining in any way! This suit is available to buy as a bundle with the Drysuit. 

We also love the Fourth Element XCore collection! Similar to the Avatar, these baselayers are made from largely recycled materials which is AWESOME! Their snug fit allows maximum flexibility whilst the fleece provides warmth to your core areas, extending your bottom time and offering major thermal protection. This 2-piece comes in a vest and leggings for both males and females. It is also intended to be worn alongside another undergarment so why not pair the Avatar with the XCore?!? Sounds like the perfect combo to me! 

Boots- Fourth Elements Amphibian Boot 

These boots can take a good bashing and that's why we love them here in the UK for Cold Water Diving! They're so durable and have some awesome smart features such as a fin strap retainer (super helpful), support and cushioning and double layer reinforcement to keep ya toes nice and toastie! These boots have been a superstar for us as the grip on the sole also provides stabilisation when climbing over rocks when shore diving! 

Mask

Honestly, unless you are 100% certain that the mask you're browsing online will fit your face, don't buy it online. We're all different. Pop into Honest HQ and try it on, you can even jump in our training tank to have a go! We have a huge selection from a low-high budget. A few examples are the Apeks VX1, Aqua Lung Plasma or the XDeep Radical. We've also just got a hot stock of Shark products! 

I could talk all day about all the fabulous features of each and every mask but that would be crazy. If you know the mask you're wanting, have a deek on The Honest Diver or alternatively, if you don't, get in touch for an honest helping hand! We’re happy to accompany all of your needs! 

Defog- Stream2Sea

A non-starter. Every diver needs a quality defog and Stream2Sea takes 1st place by miles! I am utterly obsessed with this, it's actually a little embarrassing. I can't stop talking about it. Do you want to have a fun, relaxing dive appreciating the breathtaking environment around you? Invest in this amazing defog for guaranteed no fogging! At the dive site, every one of our frequent customers now owns one of these bad boys. You can really tell the difference between the quality of this defog in comparison to its cheaper counterparts! Plus, a little goes a long way so it lasts forever! I dive between 2-4 times per week (plus am in and out of the tank constantly) and have only now had to buy a new one just under a year later! 

Snorkel- Aqua Lung Zephyr Flex

Snorkels are super handy when you're swimming on the surface and don't wanna waste any of that precious air! Buuuut…. They can get in the way sometimes on a dive, especially if you're like us and dive in Longhose! That's why we’ve chosen the most diverse Snorkel on the market to recommend. The Aqua Lung Zephyr Flex. The Zephyr Flex has both a purge valve and a splash guard, plus it is super soft and the clip is soooo easy to use… even in dry or thick 5mm gloves! You can clip this Snorkel onto your mask or fold it up into ya pocket and BOOM! Perfect Snork!

Wing- XDeep Zen

We love this wing so much because it's perfect to achieve that pancake flat trim and FULLY customisable! You can really go to town on this one. Honestly, you will get the most out of this rig by having a consultation with Jim so get in touch!

Regs- Apeks XL4+

Cmon… you knew I was gonna say these bad lads! They’re simply the BEST! These maybe small but they pack a massive punch! If you're familiar with the XL4’s you maybe thinking but what's the difference between these and the standards? Honestly, not that much. The XL4+ are extreme Cold Water regs, have an extra high pressure port for a transmitter and are white. That's all! Honestly, Me and Co-founder Nic only chose these ones because of our colour scheme! These regs can be used with a Yoke or DIN valve so not a worry for travel, are suuuuuper lightweight, smaller than the average regulator to prevent jaw fatigue and have a load of other technical features that I will let you read about on our website to keep this snappy! 

The extra umph with us is that Jim will assemble your regs so that they are ready to be taken out of the box and straight into the water! If you have any special requirements we can sort that too! Just get in touch. 

Computer- Shearwater Peregrine 

You knew it was coming… The Shearwater is the Holy Grail of Diving computers and comes in models made for recreational- tech divers so there really is something for everyone. The Peregrine is the pocket sized God i’m gonna preach about here. The Peregrine is the perfect decompression computer for recreational divers having a large screen for easy readability and navigation underwater, simple stainless steel buttons plus the ability to input both Air and Nitrox! Simple features with no fannying about that you will use on every dive! This one really is worth every penny. 

Compass- Apeks Bungee Mount

It goes without saying, when you're with your buddy you wanna have an idea of where you're going in the big blue right? A compass is a small yet essential piece of kit. The Apeks bungee mount is simply the highest quality and super easy to get on and off even over those bulky drysuit cuffs. You're gonna be blown off ya seat when I tell you, on a night dive or low light conditions you can shine your torch on the face and it will glow luminous so it's super easy to take a bearing! 

Torch- Apeks Luna Mini

I'm envious of all the divers that have this torch! It’s so powerful and sleek at the same time. Plus the colour scheme matches the Apeks Spools which is always a bonus. With 1000 lumens and 3 settings, this torch is excellent as a primary or backup! The torch is equipped with a rechargeable battery, again giving you the opportunity to be an eco warrior! Cool, right!? Plus my favourite feature of this torch is that it's soooo lightweight and can be clipped off on a XDeep double ender, allowing you that perfect streamline you desire! Additionally… just because it’s not perfect enough, can be used on land or underwater so can accompany you on all of your adventures! So, what are you waiting for!? Give it a try, you wont regret it! 

Apeks Spool/SMB

If you're a newbie diver or a complete techie, a Spool and SMB are essentials. From letting boats know your whereabouts to exploring Caves, every diver needs a Spool (and SMB)! Spools and SMB’s are for Safety. They allow you to deploy a Surface Marker so that watercraft can identify your location. So they don't ride over you, for example! Here at Honest we ALL use the Apeks SMB-Reel combo! It's just the best! The fabulous finger Spool is hard wearing with bright Orange identifiable line which is super important for low Viz in the UK! The Finger hole is also perfect for any diver, just big enough to fit any glove system but not so huge that it's bulky and excessive! Did I mention that the spools are also available in 4 sizes? So this piece of valuable equipment really is suited to any divers needs. 15metres, 30metres, 45metres and 60metres! Get in touch with us for advice on the size for you! 

The single breath oral inflate SMB can be used by any diver and that's why we love it so much! It’s super easy to use, BRIGHT so that you can be seen on the surface and made of a rugged material for long-lasting wear. It’s also super long so that it pokes out the water just more than enough to be seen, so it really does go that extra mile. However, it packs into a neat and small size so that it doesn't get in the way! 

Knife- Aqua Lung Micro Squeeze

Finding a knife that's all easy to mount, safe to use and not super bulky can be difficult. Here at Honest we’ve found ourselves in love with the Aqua Lung Micro Squeeze. The Micro Squeeze are secure (almost impossible to unsheath unintentionally), small, made of durable Alloy to avoid corrosion, easy to mount, has 2 top options (blunt or Sheeps foot) and finally colour customizable to match your kit theme! I’m obsessed. From cutting through Fishing net to rope, this knife is absolutely excellent. 

Fins- Apeks RK3

Here at The Honest Diver, the WHOLE team and all of our students use the Apeks RK3 fin which we absolutely adore. These Fins are ‘super’ easy to get on and off due to their spring strap, are almost indestructible and come in a range of colours to suit your Dive kit’s theme. They’re absolutely wicked for propulsion too! If you do suffer from floaty feet, don't worry, these fins are also available in a HD version which means that they're just that little bit heavier to aid you from floating away!