Undercurrents and other diving magazines?

[nightOwl]

Well I recently acquired my open water certification and I was looking for one or two more scuba diving magazines to get subscriptions to. I currently receive Scuba Diving (over 2 years now) and was thinking of getting a subscription to Undercurrents or Sport Diver or maybe both. Are there any other useful magazines that someone could suggest or would these be fine.

Thanks in advance

 

[snorvich]

Well Undercurrent tends to give fairly objective reviews of various locations and operations in those locations. The other magazines tend to have a bit of conflicting interests as often times advertisers are reviewed. I can advocate that Undercurrent has value; it did for me.

 

[nightOwl]

snorvich,
That is a great help! I have been finding out that two of the magazies I picked are biased a little which sucks. The mailer I received from undercurrents mentioned that they were unbiased, but I wanted to ask someone that has been receiving the magazine. I will send in my card today and get my subscription started.

Thanks

 

[snorvich]

Normally they provide a yearly dive review summary book. Be sure you get this as part of your subscription.

 

[nightOwl]

snorvich,
That is what had me on the fence. I was thinking if nothing else the review of the dive trips is probably a good value. I think its over 200 or so pages. I will have to check it out when I go back downstairs and report back later tonight. Thanks again. I am excited to start diving but want to be as knowledgable as possible before going out and buying usless expensive gear.

Thanks

 

[St.james of reefdom]

Dive Training magazine..I subscribed when I took my scuba course..good articles

 

[nightOwl]

St.james of reefdom,
Thanks for posting I will look into that magazine as well. I will start doing some research on it today.

Thanks

 

[snorvich]

Be sure and post where you decide to go . . . I at least am curious.

 

[twoodall]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12974404#post12974404 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by St.james of reefdom
Dive Training magazine..I subscribed when I took my scuba course..good articles

Dive Training is a great magazine. I get a free subscription as an instructor, but I give a 6 month subscription to all my students. It is filled with travel, training, and all kind of good articles. The pictures on the front covers are pretty cool at times, they always have a reverse angle of the cover pic on the inside cover.

The articles are good and based on sound practices. There isn't a whole lot of propoganda in there either, like you get from some other magazines. There is a quiz at the end of the magazine to test you on what you read. I always enjoy the magazine and generally read it from cover to cover.

 

[nightOwl]

twoodall and St.james of reefdom,
How unbiased did you find the articles in the magazines?

snorvich,
I put the subscription card in the mail today for undercurrents. I am supposed to get a 480 page Travelin. Divers' Chapbook for signing up. It was cheeper by mail than on the internet so I am willing to wait. I am a little concerned its only 7 issues a year but hey the unbiased information may be priceless.

THanks again all

 

[twoodall]

I have subscriptions to Sport Diver, being a PADI member, as well as Dive Training, and DAN's Alert Diver. I find Dive Training and Alert Diver, best for training and safety issues. Dive Training also is reader interactive, you will see alot of questions submitted from other divers about wrecks and feed back in the letters to the editor section of that magazine. I personally like that, to me it makes me feel like they are in tune with divers. Sport Diver is a PADI promotion/publication. They have good gear reviews, and great year in pictures edition, and alot of travel stuff. I enjoy reading it as well.

 

[sunfishh]

I scubscribe to Dive Training and love it. It got me thinking about doing a dive trip across the US because it has a lot of reviews of inland dive spots

 

[Sloeber1]

I have subscriptions to pretty much all of them. I find most are nothing mreo than travel advertisements with a story or two mixed in for good measure. However, the best one out there, IMHO, is Fathoms. It only prints 4 times per year and is more expensive than the rest, but if you actually want to read about SCUBA and see incredible photography from the leading experts, this is the magazine for you.

http://www.fathomsmagazine.com/

IIRC it is $40/year, but if purchased through DAN it drops to $25/year.

 

[snorvich]

Well once upon a time, the ultimate was Ocean Realm. You still may be able to get back copies.

 

[nightOwl]

Hey everyone,
Thanks for the updates. I am going to look into getting some old back issues of the other magazines mentioned. Undercurrents sent me a letter in the mail saying my first issue will be arriving soon . The Tavelin' Diver's Chapbook is set to arrive in Dec so I am really looking forward to that. I am still getting Scuba Diving for the time being. So currently these are my first two. I will keep everyone posted on any new ones I get a subscription to . This is one to the things that makes this forum so great. The feedback from other members with similar interests.