These gear items impressed enough to make their way into our editors’ own dive kits.

SeaLife SportDiver for iPhone

Roger Roy, ScubaLab Director

This clever housing is the answer to a question I’d long asked myself: How can I take underwater photos as good as the ones I get so easily topside with my iPhone? The SportDiver’s large rear screen makes it easy even with my so-so eyesight to frame my shot, while the intuitive rear controls and free app make settings easy to access and adjust. The phone installation is as simple as it is secure, with an easy-to-perform pressure check and dual leak alarms that give me peace of mind about taking my phone for a dive.

Cressi Aviator

Robby Myers

Comfortable and stable, the jacket-style Aviator quickly became my go-to BC in large part because of its foldable, lightweight design, which allows me to pack it into my tiny mesh duffel bag along with the rest of my dive gear—something I’ve not been able to do with any other BC. The majority of my diving this year has been at nearby Florida springs, so I’ve been especially fond of the BC’s air-net padding, which is practically dry by the time I’m ready to pack everything back in the car. Despite its travel-friendly size, I can’t say it gives up much in terms of performance; unlike most travel BCs, the Aviator has enough pockets and D-rings for all of my essentials.

Ikelite’s 299DLM/C Housing for the Canon Rebel SL3

Becca Hurley, Senior Digital Editor

Although I didn’t dive as much as I had hoped in 2020, every time I hit the water Ikelite’s 200DLM/C housing for the Canon Rebel SL3 was in my hands. The complete underwater kit includes strobes and is compact for travel without limiting image quality. I love how easy it is to adapt the housing from shooting images with strobes to adding video lights, and can’t wait to take this camera and housing on many more adventures.

Bare Evoke 7MM Wetsuit

Alexandra Gillespie, Digital Editor

How do I love thee? Let me count the millimeters: 1) The Evoke 7 mm Full keeps me cozy in SoCal’s brisk water year-round; 2) Warmth does not mandate restriction—this suit is the most flexible I’ve ever worn; 3) The neck zipper lets me breathe freely topside; 4) Speaking of zippers, I can close the back solo; 5) Intentional stitching and the aqua accents give it a mermish panache; 6) Cuffs at the wrists and ankles restrict water flow, not circulation; 7) It was designed by women, for women.

Shearwater Peregrine

Mary Frances Emmons, Editor-in-Chief

The trend toward ever-bigger wrist computers can leave smaller divers out in the cold. The new Shearwater Peregrine is big but not bulky, and still has an action-packed display. Customizable yet more intuitive than many new computers—you won’t need an advanced degree to figure out basic functions, just put it on your arm and go—the Peregrine also rewards exploration of its features. Besides super-crisp visuals, it has excellent readability even for older eyes, and a nice weight—substantial, but not too.