• Single bladder, 840 denier cordura (compared to 1000)
• Updated system to distribute front/back ballast for "perfect buoyancy"
• 30% lighter

Beuchat's new Masterlift TEK BC is a single-bladder BC made from sturdy, 1000-denier Cordura structure. Aimed squarely at the technical diving community, the Masterlift TEK is completely customizable.

Featuring an adjustable harness with an adjustable Velcro abdominal girdle; pre-formed aluminum plates with multiple fastenings; adjustable chest straps with detachable clip and catch rings; reflective borders; and 12 aluminum attachment rings, the Masterlift TEK is available in medium, large, and extra-large.

All those adjustable doo-dads sure must be costly, because the masterlift TEK runs in the neighborhood of $950.

• 3mm wet suit (or equivalent)
  
• Regulator + octo
  
• Computer
• Mask
• Snorkel
• Fins
• Booties
• Gloves
• Small light
• Dive log with PADI tables, fish ID cards, etc.

Dive Zero is a brand new "youth-oriented scuba diving/extreme sports video magazine." Filmed in high-def, this video magazine has the same components as a traditional, print magazine -- gear reviews, trip reports, destination profiles, etc. -- except the content sits on a DVD, and you "read" the magazine by watching your TV.

Recently, I viewed the premier issue. At just under an hour long, the Dive Zero team has assembled a very engaging product that was both entertaining and informative -- which is more than I can say for most of the stuff I see on TV. If you like looking through your dive magazines during lunch breaks, while traveling, or at the beach, a DVD video magazine probably isn't going to interest you. However, if you believe the static nature of a magazine doesn't lend itself to the beauty of the dynamic, underwater world, getting your dive news via a high-def DVD will really appeal to you.

Dive Zero Issue #1 opens with "A Day In The Life," a profile of 20-year-old videographer Justin Bongers, who lives on Grand Cayman. Working for Ocean Frontiers, Bongers shoots footage of the island's east end diving and assembles it for visitors to purchase. The segment follows Bongers through a portion of his day filming both fish and guests. Although I would've liked to have seen more of Bongers in post-production (How does he assemble the footage so quickly for guests?), "A Day in the Life" is an interesting peek into the life of a dive professional.

The next section is called "Spot Check." It profiles a Canadian dive site known as Pavilion Lake, one of only three freshwater coral lakes in the world. Looking more like piles of spilled concrete than the Caribbean's coral formations, the coral footage in this segment is, nevertheless, excellent. Moreover, the segment includes practical tips (like how to get there), and some fast facts about the Lake. It sure looks like a cool, "secret" dive spot.

The third segment, "Trick Tips," was my favorite. Featuring half a dozen tips divers should know -- from how to replace a mask underwater, to how to do the frog kick -- this section was fast but thorough. Moreover, the hosts of this section seemed relaxed, knowledgeable, and confident in front of the camera. Old-timers may feel uncomfortable with teens giving them tips on diving, but the information was accurate, and their delivery was casual, yet careful. More, please!

Rounding out the premier issue is:

• "Mixed Tape" -- Ryan Lohr takes viewers on a tour of a Cayman wreck, the Doc Polson.
• "Danger Zone" -- This montage from Wakefest 2006 has nothing to do with diving, but is, nevertheless, very cool.
• "Paradise" -- This photo essay of Grand Cayman covers some of the many bars, restaurants, and dive shops available for visitors.
• "Tune Up" -- The Dive Zero team profiles two new BCs, two new regs, some deck shoes, a dive computer, and a new mask.
• "Hot Spot" -- Ian Oppen dives the underwater cliffs in Canada's Kettle Valley River.

What's the verdict? I believe the Dive Zero team has something brilliant on their hands. Being able to see a specific dive site in moving images is a powerful way to learn whether you want to visit that destination. In this regard, I believe Dive Zero is more intriguing than a traditional print magazine. If you're curious to see what Grand Cayman, Pavilion Lake, or Kettle Valley is like, Dive Zero has the goods, and many of their high-def shots will likely impress you.

The same goes for gear reviews. While I can get a lot out of a blurb in a magazine about a new BC, for example, seeing people interact with gear is, in my mind, far superior. (That said, I hope Issue #2 provides more close-ups, especially for small items like a dive computer: I want to see the bells and whistles in detail, and high-def should afford that.)

However, where a print magazine trumps a video magazine is in the level of detail that accompanies most print mags. In my opinion, Dive Zero needs to offer more concrete details for divers -- How many dive sites are there? What's the best time of year to go? What's the price of that dive computer? As the Dive Zero team learns how to balance concrete, detailed information with underwater footage fun, Dive Zero will become indispensable to traveling divers.

In short, Dive Zero is filled with great underwater images and good overviews of some cool dive sites and new gear. While their new, cutting-edge format might not appeal to some people, I believe this is "the magazine of the future." Moreover, as the producers provide more information in their DVDs -- maybe with the ability to switch on and off crawl text that offers details about what's onscreen? -- Dive Zero will grow in popularity and their subscriber base will grow drastically.

If you want a sample of what the video is all about, check out their teaser on YouTube or some of the short videos they have on their site. If you're ready to buy your own copy, the premier issue is available on their site for $18 (international shipping is free for the first 100 orders!). I can't wait to see what's in Issue #2.

Are the days of lugging around huge, back-breaking gear bags numbered? Have gear-makers discovered that many divers are not Herculean and, in fact, want bags that are easier to carry? Probably not: divers will still carry with them numerous regs, unwieldy camera set-ups, and heavy-duty drysuits. However, if you're on the prowl for some gear that's tote-able, then you might be interested in Scuba Diving's recent portable gear round-up. From travel bags to featherweight regs; from travel BCs to hotel-to-boat bags; from lightweight fins to topside roller bags, this is an excellent little gear round-up.

Driving thorough Islamorada last July, I noticed a large, blue un-opened building on my right. A sign outside the building read, "The Florida Keys History of Diving Museum," but the building was clearly shuttered. Curious but disappointed (and ready to enjoy the rest of my vacation), I kept driving. As it turns out, the Diving Museum opens officially this coming Wednesday (September 20). Dedicated to "collecting, preserving, displaying and interpreting artifacts, antiques, books, documents, photographs and oral history relative to the History of Diving," the museum's founders, Drs. Joe and Sally Bauer, claim to hold the largest collection of historic diving equipment and research documents in the world. Consequently, the museum should be killer. I wish I could be there for the opening.

Open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesdays through Sundays, the museum features 8 distinct rooms, from "Timeline of Diving," to "Helium Diving," to "Into the Abyss," to "Parade of Nations" -- a collection of historic hard-hat dive helmets from around the world. In addition to its standing exhibits, the Museum plans to host a lecture series, as well. Stephen Frink lives up the road in Key Largo; I wonder if he'll swing by for a chat. Located at Mile Marker 83, admission is $10/adult, $9/kid. To learn more about the Museum, check out Dive Bubbles, the Museum's newsletter. The most current newsletter is dated July, but I'm betting a new one will be available soon.