Brand Ambassador
They help others to see a world of dreams!
MEET FRIENDS OF D°LUXE
Skanda Cophield
Mexico
Originally from Melbourne, Australia, since 2016 Tulum, Mexico has been home. He moved to Tulum to pursue a passion for cave diving and now works full-time teaching cave diving technical and rebreather, as well as guiding certified divers to some of the most amazing places in the world. When not teaching or guiding, he spends his free time exploring new cenotes and caves or hiking the jungle in search of the next exploration project. While Mexico is undoubtedly the richest area in the world for cave diving – the longest caves, the most varied, the sheer amount of different cave systems – Skanda also is a keen traveler, and at least once a year travels to other cave diving destinations. Skanda is one of the most active explorers in Mexico and requires the toughest gear for the job. When he borrowed a set of DLuxe bands he was convinced he needed to own one. His DLuxe tank bands resist harsh transport conditions, jungle hikes, and the sharpest rocks in the limestone caves he explores, all the while looking stylish.
Helmut Hubalek
Austria
My name is Helmut Hubalek, residing in Austria.
I have been diving for over 21 years and as from 2008 I have my own diving school and dive shop in Vienna – www.regler-service.at.
Our diving school offers comprehensive range of diving courses – recreational diving up to IDC, technical diving up to Trimix level and diffrent specialties such as
cave diving and sidemount diving.
We dive worldwide. Our favourite and recurring trips are to Mexico, France, Croatia and within Austria.
Our demanding and extreme cold water divdes (in caves, wrecks,..) require durable and long lasting equipment. D°Luxe straps fullfill my demands in the choice of house retainers –
they are very convinient to handle with dry gloves in cold waters and durable materials are not being affected due to frequent change between cold and warm water diving.
The personalization of the D°Lux straps is one of the best features I love, apart from the huge range of webbing colours, various strengh of bands, tabs etc.
With the embroidered logo of my shop on the straps I amconfident that I get my rental equipment back;-)
Tomek Ramutkowski
Poland
He has always been fascinated by the underwater world, and from the very beginning of his diving journey, he has been associated with the wrecks of the Baltic Sea. Currently, he has completed several thousand dives in various places around the world. He dives mainly technically, wreck and cave. Fascinated by rebreathers and underwater photography. Tomek is an Instructor Trainer, CCR and OC instructor for technical, cave, wreck and sidemount diving in several training agencies. For over 10 years, he has been sharing his knowledge with others, focusing on high quality training.
He also requires quality from diving equipment which must be of the highest quality and reliability to meet the requirements of everyday dives in varied and difficult conditions. These requirements can certainly be met by D-Luxe straps and loop covers, thanks to which they have become a permanent part of his primary equipment.
Marissa Eckert
USA / Mexico
My name is Marissa Eckert and I know from my first discover scuba dive that I wanted to be an instructor and share the beauty of the underwater world with others. Fast forward to a life changing trip to the Florida springs where I decided being a cave instructor was my path in life. I knew if I could share the beauty of our aquifer with others they would just have no choice but to care about it. So I packed all my belongings and I moved to Florida. I pursued my dreams and became a cave instructor and dive shop owner. I lived in Florida for 13 years teaching cave, technical, and rebreather diving while also honing in my underwater photography skills. During those 13 years I also traveled the world, especially the cenotes of Mexico every chance I got. Now I call Mexico my home, specific Tulum and I love it here. Nothing brings me more joy then sharing my passion for diving with others, whether it be through instruction, guiding or photography!
Kurt Storms
Belgium
Hi, i’m Kurt. I’m a Technical CCR/Cave Instructor for IANTD, based in Belgium. I started my diving career in Egypt when I was on holiday. My niche is technical diving, specifically CCR diving. I now like to pass on the passion of caves and mines to my students. Most of the time in Belgium, you can find me in the flooded mines, where I like to explore. I am a member of a team that has mapped some beautiful, deep abandoned mines on Belgian territory. When I am not teaching, I take my camera with me to show people the beauty of the underwater world. Using the D-luxe straps has been a big change in my diving, especially in cold water diving with thicker wet gloves or Dry gloves. It has made teaching and practicing skills much easier and cleaner. you can hang everything nice and tight against your cylinders
Phil Hsieh
Taiwan
I started diving 2000 after finish serving in army. After reading the “the Last Dive”, that fascinated his mind and attracted him into Tech Diving while finally finish his IANTD Trimix diver course in 2005. Then slowly move on to wreck diver, cave diver, DPV Diver, instructors, then finally become IANTD instructor trainer in 2015. The only Tech-Diving-Focus Dive Center, Dark Tide Tech Dive Expedition Base, was founded by Phil in 2016 in Taipei, Taiwan. 2017, Phil jump into the silent world, to take JJ CCR divers course for first move to CCR diving, finally in 2019 certified as JJ CCR Mod 2 diver/ IANTD Normoxic Trimix Plus Diver by Phil Short and also certified by Dave Thompson as JJ CCR Mod 1 instructor.
Jake Bulman
Mexico
Born in Canada, I was raised around the water and it’s always been a part of my life. While I didn’t start teaching diving until 2015, teaching water sports has been the only job I’ve ever had. These days I am based in Mexico with Protec Dive Centers and spend my days in the cenotes teaching cave, rebreather and technical diving. My free time is spent exploring new caves/systems with the team, where having equipment that is functional, durable and consistent is super important. The D°LUXE dive bands have filled that role perfectly. No more broken bands or last minute bungie creations. A few style points doesn’t hurt either!
Sanne Volja
Belgium
Crazy how I feel about diving, about exploring, about everything that has to do with it. My mind never stops thinking about it. I feel it in every breath, every step, every sound. It’s more than an addiction, it is my whole heart.’
My name is Sanne, tecdivesanne on Instagram. I am an assistant instructor and instructor in the make by ISE and live in Belgium. Most of the time you can find me and my main buddy Florian exploring our Belgian forests searching for old mines and natural caves to dive in. As a beginner diver/ explorer in this magnificent underwater world I keep on learning everyday. I think that is the most beautiful part. Not only exploring the environment but also your own path. And I must say this path is amazing. Mainly I am diving Sidemount OC or CCR. The DLuxe straps are indispensable in my setup. Not only do I love the personal touch (pink to match with the rest of my gear) but also that they can deal with the conditions (mud, restrictions and sharp rocks) while exploring.
Yvonne Press
Bali
I am a TDI Instructor Trainer based in Bali, Indonesia. Originally from Germany, I became a diver when travelling around the world in 2003. After a few years of diving on a holiday, I signed up for my Divemaster course whilst living in Scotland and never really looked back. Since 2010, I have worked as a full-time diver and instructor, becoming a technical diver in 2011 and a technical diving instructor in 2015. So far, tech diving has taken me to various parts of Indonesia, the Red Sea, Scotland and Truk Lagoon. Whilst living in Scotland, my technical diving was focused on wrecks. In Indonesia, it has been mainly about exploring deep reefs and pinnacles. Ever since first discovering Sidemount Diving, I’ve been a little bit in love with the configuration and its flexibility and adjustability. Any of my sidemount students will be used to reviewing videos and spending time figuring out how to tweak things just a little more. Every single adjustment makes a difference. None of these are possible without the right gear for the job, so it’s great to be part of the D-Luxe Dive Gear Team and be given the opportunity to use these hard-wearing – and good-looking – tank straps.
Tamara Adame
Mexico
My name is Tamara, I was born in Mexico and grew up by the ocean. I have spent most of my life near, in or on the water.
In 2014 I became a Scuba instructor after I quit my marketing career and in 2017 I started technical and cave diving. I’ve had the opportunity to participate in scientific diving using my tec diving skills and I have also launched my own cave science project called Cave Corals in the caves of Mexico.
I would like to inspire more young women to become technical divers and grow as a community as well as encourage people to become citizen scientists underwater.
Mexico is the perfect place to do that, with shallow dive sites and crystal clear water and a huge variety of cave formations and types, Mexican caves are cave diver paradise and I am lucky to be able to see them every day!
Cenote Girl
Samuel Bennett
The United Kingdom
I am a SDI/TDI Instructor Trainer, sidemount, cave and wreck diver. I have been working as a full time dive professional since 2014 and have gained experience all over the world by teaching in countries such as Bermuda, Australia, Cyprus, USA (Florida) and England. My first started sidemount diving in 2012 and have trailed and tested many different configuration/ set ups. Using the D-luxe straps has been a big change in my diving especially in cold water diving with thicker wet gloves or Dry gloves. It has made teaching and skills practise much easier and cleaner.
Frank Pöcze
Tenerife
Diving started very early for me. As my mother always tells, I was diving already before I learned swimming.
In the 70s in South France, Le Croix-Valmer, I was already freediving to catch sea urchins to eat them fresh.
In 2008 I decided to convert my hobby in my daily work and became a Diving Instructor. 2009 I founded my own Dive Centre Ecological Divers.
Now, 12 years later, I am still with Ecological Divers Tenerife and I am Instructor and Trainer for SSI, SDI/TDI and CMAS for Recreational, Technical and Freediving.
My personal preferences are Overhead and Technical Diving. That’s for D-Luxe tanks straps are the right stuff for me.
Paolo Sperti
Italy
I am Paolo Sperti I am 46 years old and I live in South of Italy in Lecce. I am a Trimix and CCR REVO REBREATHER diver. I have been diving for over 25 years. My team and me take care of exploration and search for historical wrecks. I am happy to become the first Italian brand ambassador of D-Luxe, and support the company mission, and actively collaborate on this “underwater” adventure and grow together as a great Team. I tried the D-luxe bands a few months ago, honestly I was skeptical having had other bands from other brands, but I was immediately pleasantly impressed both by the strength of the bands and by the quality of the materials with which they are built, which make it easy and long lasting. Use in any diving condition and above all, very importantly, they can be used easily even with watertight gloves. The best thing is that they are completely customizable both in the various sizes, both in the colors and in the writings and in the logos to be applied. I myself have customized my bands with my lettering and my logo, and now they cover all my bailout cylinders and I would not change them for anything else on the market.
Steve Martin
The United Kingdom
“I dive to help others enjoy a world … very different to the one they are currently living in” Steve Martin is one of the key people leading the field regarding the development of Sidemount diving. He built his experience through travelling and conducting courses all over the world. He is best known for having developed his world renowned Sidemount Essentials Course, it is his signature training program which now sets an industry benchmark. His company Sidemount Scuba Diving which established in 2009, his website sidemounting.com provides us today with one of the biggest online resources on the subject of side mount diving and online training.
Garry Dallas
The United Kingdom
Imparting his infectious passion for knowledge and skills whilst being liberating and fun! Credentials: RAID UK & Malta examiner, cave, technical and recreational instructor trainer, technical advisor, primary author in the RAID Sidemount course and contributing author in other training materials. In his 20year diving career, he has trained with most major training organisations and become a published photographer and writer. Exploring whenever possible, whilst developing practical environmental Sidemount skills for OC and CCR, he’s renowned for his training globally. A keen conservationist and member of “Artic on the Edge” a contingent of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, promoting protection of all marine life, through media while presenting at schools, international and national dive show events. As a director of Simply Sidemount & Simply Tec, teaching globally throughout the year, he sends passion through vibes on media channels. “Using D’Luxe tank bands, has made diving and teaching much easier, through the reliability, construction and material used on this underrated piece of equipment.”
Tomasz Michura
Poland
Hi! My name is Michur and I am a sidemount instructor. My life revolves around this configuration and skills and techniques which help me, and I hope a few more people, dive this system more easily and safely. If interested I am glad to invite to check out my FB fan page Sidemount Silesia for more information, pictures and videos. My students and friends know that my motto has always been „the Devil is in the detail” and I realized a long time ago that even a small thing could change our diving experience for the better or worse. Me and Sven from D°LUXE really worked on the length, width, design, flexibility and looks of the 4 cylinder tank straps that I am proud to call „Michur’s set”. Not because I have a big ego but because this particular set will suit divers who share my house routing philosophy and „like it neat and stable, yet easy to handle”. I am more than happy to be a member of D°LUXE family and finally rid myself of all rubbers and bungees. However, I am far from saying all people should do the same. Try them, test them, and see if you like them. I am aware everybody is entitled to his or her own preferences.
Nicolas Grandjean
Switzerland
Hi, my name is Nicolas. I am a technical diving & sidemount instructor at Plongée TEC Suisse on the shores of Lake Geneva in Switzerland. In order to share our passion, we created the Dive TEC! Event, the exhibition for underwater exploration in Switzerland. One of the fundamental pillars in diving, apart from physiology, mental and techniques, is equipment. Each configuration and piece of equipment must have a value and meet an objective. This is why I am happy to use and represent D°LUXE products.
Thorsten Waelde
Sardinia / Switzerland
(Full time Instructor) Toddy lives and works in Sardinia all year round and is the owner of Protec Sardinia. Toddy comes from Germany and has been in the diving scene for many years. After several years of working as a manager, instructor and guide, this brought him to different places all over the world, like the Red Sea, Caribbean, Pacific, Maldives, Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean. He has worked and lived in Mexico for several years, where he acquired a vast knowledge in technical diving. His passion for cave diving and exploration led him to deep sink holes in the Yucatan, the cave systems in Mexico (Quintana Roo) to South Australia (Nullarbor), Spain (Mallorca), France (Ardeche) and Italy (Sardinia). He is also the inventor of the TS-Sidemount system and has spent many years developing a sidemount that leaves nothing to be desired. By the way, the TS system is officially offered as a course program at IANTD. He teaches courses in German, English and Italian. He and his team will be happy to welcome you on the island!
Victor Tovar
Spain
The underwater world and scuba diving has been always my passion, and cave diving was my goal since I started diving. Currently, teaching other divers to dive safely in this incredible underground world is my main motivation and occupation. During my courses, it’s important to learn how to solve possible failures and dangerous situations, but more important is to do everything possible to avoid them. Therefore, we will always choose the best possible material to dive in caves, well maintained and reliable. Dluxe straps provide all the right features for extreme diving. No more loose hoses, no more broken straps. And also customizable… something so important sometimes! I have spent the last years diving and offering cave diving courses in the famous cave “Cueva del Agua”, in Cartagena (Spain). A cave of unique characteristics for its hot waters and shallow profile, but in turn, high technical requirement for its ease of cloudiness or even zero visibility. Cave diving is one of the most wonderful activities that a human being can do nowadays and, perhaps, the last opportunity to explore places never visited before that we have left in this crowded world!
Stratis Kas.
Greece
Diving Instructor & Explorer, Film-maker, adventurer and storyteller Stratis Kas, deals with all of his subjects — extreme weather expeditions to days lost in wilderness — with unique sensitivity and fearless focus. He travels to remote, sometimes risky and often freezing locations to create stunning films that change what we knew about diving expeditions. Stratis’s interest in real connection with nature is reflected in his ability to shift from film-maker to Explorer. In his stunning material of a variety of challenging locations around the world, he shows how natural landscapes serve as examples of what should have been (or can be) human inspiration. His presentations are a window into the wild world. No Exploration is ever complete, unless it is shared.
Peter Tschannen
Gozo / Switzerland
As long as I can remember I have had an affinity to water. Since I learned to dive in 1992, nothing could keep me away from being in the water anymore. In 2008, I qualified as a TDI Advanced Gas Blender, TDI Extended Range Diver, TDI Intro to Tech, TDI Nitrox Blending Technician, and a TDI Trimix Diver. In 2012 I became a Sidemount Diver, completing my TDI Full Cave education in 2013. Since 2012 I have invested all my time, energy and money in learning and teaching Sidemounting. It is a lifestyle – you will never see me again with tanks on my back. Diving Sidemount can be an enlightening experience – it is extremely versatile, flexible and minimalist. I enjoy teaching SDI and TDI Sidemount diving and have been a TDI Sidemount Instructor since 2014. I have had the pleasure to dive and live in Malta, Switzerland, Mexico, Martinique, Guadaloupe, Dominica, Bequia, Turkey, Brazil, and the Canary Islands. Quality is my passion and I love to travel as much as possible to explore the beauty of our wonderful planet.
Travel light – be the light!
Let this sink in: The planet Earth is called the Blue Planet. This blue color is caused by reflection from the oceans which cover roughly 71% of the area of the Earth. By weight, the average human adult male is approximately 65% water. The first 9 months of our life we are surrounded by water. Water seems to be fundamental for our existence …… and one of the most impressive ways to experience water is Sidemount Diving.
“Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way round or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves. Empty your mind, be formless. shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water my friend.”
Bruce Lee
Steve Davis
New Zealand
Steve Davis is an author, sidemount instructor, cave and wreck diver. He is the founder of Sidemount Pros and shares his passion for sidemount diving with the world as the host of the podcast, “Speaking Sidemount” available on iTunes and via www.sidemountpros.com”To be a great sidemount diver you have to master your equipment, stability in the water, and sidemount skills. Having the right equipment is the foundation and I am proud to use and represent the D-LUXE range.”
Max Fahr
Germany
Hi, my name is Max. I started diving when I was just 8 years old and slowly developed to one of the most active European Cave Explorers. My diving is very characterised by DIR-Style diving. Some caves need Wetsuits and OC-Sidemount to squeeze through muddy restrictions and some caves need Dual CCR and two scooters to penetrate many kilometres into huge tunnels. I love remote caves where the logistic is the key to success. My favourite Project is the Blautopf cave System in South Germany, where i am exploring whenever it is possible. To accomplish all these demanding dives you simply need the best and toughest gear. As I live very Close to Sven I follow the development of the tank straps from the very beginning. We often develop new ideas to make exploration easier and our gear tougher. I can really say from hundreds of rough dives that especially the Tank-straps are absolutely exploration capable. Check my website www.max-dive.com
Robert Uhlmann
Germany
My name is Robert “Roby” Uhlmann. I have been diving since 1998 and have completed the classic training up to the level of diving instructor. After approx. 400 dives I obtained my PADI Divemaster in 2002 with great pleasure. In 2004 I graduated as a diving instructor. From 2006 on my interest was more and more dedicated to technical diving with the corresponding further education up to SSI Limited Trimix Diver and in 2015 to Full Cave Diver. I am an active diving instructor of the associations SSI and PADI. After now more than 1.950+ dives and over 500 certifications I discovered sidemount diving for me in 2011. From then on I have dealt with this topic with a lot of enthusiasm, energy and commitment.
Welcome to the dark side...