Cressi Atelier
THE CRESSI ATELIER LINE
Cressi’s elite Atelier scuba and spearfishing products are available exclusively offline at brick-and-mortar stores — none of these high-end items will ever be sold on the internet — which means you get individual, customized service when you purchase your scuba equipment from a qualified and knowledgeable Cressi Atelier Pro retailer.
When you visit an Atelier Pro Shop, the dive store staff will assist you in purchasing the most important items in your scuba gear bag. These shops carry an extensive inventory of models and sizes in the Atelier line. All the Atelier products are designed to meet exacting engineering standards and crafted from high-end materials.
From dive masks and snorkels to BCs and regulators, fit and comfort are the most important considerations for your safety underwater. They will also help you determine what gear is best for your specific needs and for the type of diving you do. In addition to the personalized sales and customer service support you get, you’ll also get service and warranty support for the significant investment you are making.
For more than 75 years, Cressi has set the bar for scuba diving and spearfishing gear. The Atelier line of scuba gear continues that proud tradition, combining excellence in design, quality control in manufacturing and extraordinary customer service from Atelier Pro retailers — that is the Cressi promise and Cressi difference.
THE CRESSI PROMISE. THE CRESSI DIFFERENCE. CRAFTSMANSHIP. INNOVATION. DEDICATION TO UNDERWATER SAFETY.
Cressi continues to manufacture the vast majority of its products at its facility in Italy, which ensures the highest standards for quality and workmanship. The company was originally started by two brothers, Egidio and Nanni Cressi in 1946, in Genoa, Italy. Today, the business remains a family operation, run by Antonio Cressi.
Ejido and Nanno believed in the culture of innovation. What started as a hobby for them — crafting masks and spearguns in 1939 — led to the formation of the company, which had as its core principle the promise that its gear would be made to the highest manufacturing standards.
Cressi engineers develop and test the gear, including running extensive sea trials. This is a critical part of the Cressi promise to its customers — each new product the company launches is tested in real-world conditions in the ocean. It is at the heart of the Cressi difference — high-quality gear that you can trust each and every time you explore in the ocean.
This promise and difference is key to the products in the Atelier line. Discover what sets the Atelier line apart from other scuba manufacturers’ dive gear products.
CARBON B
C
PRODUCT FEATURES AT A GLANCE
- Jacket-style BC made from 420 denier nylon air cell
- Ultralight, rigid backplate with carrying handle
- Next-generation ergonomic inflator with hose retainer
- 3 pressure relief valves
In 1970, Cressi was the first manufacturer in the world to produce a BC that supplied air to the diver via a hose that drew air directly from the first stage. The futuristic Equi-Vest was the first incarnation of the modern BC, which Cressi has continued to refine. The thoughtful designs of Cressi engineers paid off with a prestigious 2018 Testers Choice Award for the Carbon BC from the independent testing facility ScubaLab. ScubaLab test divers praised the classic Carbon jacket BC’s performance underwater. Testers found the Carbon comfortable and supportive, without the bulkiness of some jacket BCs, and gave it the top score in stability, as it kept the scuba tank securely in place with no wobbling or shifting, either at depth or on the surface. With almost no inherent buoyancy, it has a harness that testers found easy to fine-tune for a perfect fit. Testers gave it excellent scores for its ample storage features, such as large zippered cargo pockets, an octo pocket and eight metal D-rings. The ergonomic design of the inflator mechanism makes inflating and deflating extra easy — so you can get pinpoint buoyancy control — and the practical hose retainer keeps it compact and safe. Its ultralight backplate offers underwater and surface buoyancy and comfort. As ScubaLab said when it announced the Testers Choice Award, “Like an alchemist turning lead into gold, the Carbon takes all of the basic elements of a good BC and makes them shine.”
COMMANDER BC
PRODUCT FEATURES AT A GLANCE
- The integrated weight system makes this back-buoyancy BC compact
- Air cell has a wraparound bungee system that keeps it streamlined
- Flat-lock latches on the integrated weight pockets make for easy loading and ditching
- Zippered cargo pockets and 8 metal D-rings provide loads of storage options
Cressi engineers designed the Commander BCD to combine the advantages of a back-buoyancy BC with the versatility of a traditional vest. When ScubaLab test divers put the Commander BC through rigorous in-water testing, testers noted that the Commander combines the things divers love in a back-inflation BC without some of the things they don’t particularly like. “Comfortable” and “stable” were words several test divers used to describe the Commander, which had good scores for attitude and stability. Its surface stability is due to a harness that’s snug without limiting movement and an air cell that’s well-controlled by bungees despite lots of buoyant lift. The Commander has a large air cell, which provides stability and up to 46 pounds of buoyant lift that is kept nicely streamlined by a wraparound bungee system. The well-padded backplate and harness earned very good scores from the testers for comfort. The no-fuss flat-lock latches on the integrated weight pockets were rated very good by testers for loading and ditching. Offering impressive buoyant lift, the Commander’s flatlock integrated-weight ditch system holds ballast weight securely and releases quickly. Three dump valves make for easy buoyancy adjustments. Zippered pockets and aluminum D-rings, which earned the top scores from testers for storage, are easily accessible and provide lots of options for carrying extra gear, and strategically placed padding provides maximum comfort. There are also two rear trim pockets attached to the tank-strap band. The Commander is loaded with nearly every feature a BC can have.
T10 CROMO/GALAXY REG
PRODUCT FEATURES AT A GLANCE
FIRST STAGE
- Satin chrome-coating finish protects against corrosion and wear and tear
- Delivers consistent intermediate pressure regardless of tank pressure
SECOND STAGE
- Pneumatically balanced second stage has a sleek, low-profile elliptical design for comfort and efficiency
- Top-mounted Venturi switch and a metal breathing knob allow precision adjustments
Cressi engineers designed the company’s first regulator in 1947, the Aro AR47. The Aro began a tradition of sophisticated innovation in Cressi’s regulator line. The T10 Cromo/Galaxy reg is no exception. “One sweet, easy breather.” That’s how one ScubaLab test diver described the Galaxy’s smooth, quiet inhalations. The Galaxy remains dry as a bone whether you are in a normal or face-up swimming orientation. The elliptical second stage is designed for comfort, riding easily in the mouth without undue weight or pressure, so jaw fatigue is reduced. Even without using the top-mounted Venturi switch, the Galaxy isn’t prone to free-flow. This dive regulator is built of high-impact thermoplastic materials and ultra-lightweight titanium components, making it perfect for traveling. Exceptional real-world underwater performance and superior materials and craftsmanship combine to make the T10 Cromo/Galaxy a cream-of-the-crop regulator.
T10 SC CROMO/GALAXY ADJUSTABLE REG
PRODUCT FEATURES AT A GLANCE
FIRST STAGE
- Hyperbalanced diaphragm with watertight chamber
- Environmentally sealed to protect against icing in cold water and contamination in silty water
- “T” mechanism takes up less space while offering better hose routing
SECOND STAGE
- Top-mounted Venturi switch and a metal breathing knob allow precision adjustments
- Elliptical diaphragm design keeps the reg compact
- Brushed stainless steel cap
The Galaxy’s smooth, quiet inhalations make for one sweet breather. This reg is very dry in normal and face-up orientations. It features a top-mounted Venturi switch, but even without using it, the regulator isn’t prone to free-flow. The elliptical second stage is comfortable in the mouth and the supple, all-rubber diaphragm cover allows for a really smooth, predictable purge. The T-10 first stage sports two high-pressure and four low-pressure ports arranged in T-shape configurations for easy setup. The Cressi T10 SC Cromo first stage is environmentally sealed (the “SC” stands for sealed chamber), protecting it against icing in cold water and against contamination in silty water. Inhalation effort can be adjusted with an easy grip knob. The knob is designed to work even when wearing gloves and allows the diver to fine tune the breathing resistance to meet the needs of the dive environment. This smooth-breathing regulator is a must-have for cold-water divers who need a regulator that will not freeze and will continue to deliver air even in extreme environments.
CARTESIO DIVE COMPUTER
PRODUCT FEATURES AT A GLANCE
- Bold, highly legible screen
- Two-button interface allows intuitive navigation
- Offers four operating modes
ScubaLab named the Cartesio its Best Buy in its 2018 test of dive computers. And it’s easy to see why. Designed with simplicity and ease of use in mind and compact watch-size dimensions, the Cartesio is both easy to wear and easy to read. It has a user-friendly operation and a bold, highly legible screen. The two-button control (short presses to toggle and long to select or exit) allows intuitive navigation through the menus for quick, no-fuss setups. The top button is the dedicated select button. Holding down this button will allow you to enter into different menus and make selections. The Cartesio is nitrox compatible (Gas 1: 21 to 50 percent, and Gas 2: 21 to 99 percent), capable of two-tank switching and features a freediving mode (it has four operating modes). The Cartesio has a diameter of only 48mm and a high-contrast display of 35mm. There is an option that allows you to deactivate dive alarms, so they’re not beeping while you’re snorkeling or swimming. The display is made of mineral glass, the heavy-duty case has steel buttons and the rubber wrist band has a stainless steel buckle. The Cartesio is water resistant to 120 meters/390 feet. This feature-rich dive computer has everything you need, whether you are an entry-level diver or an advanced one.
MICHELANGELO DIVE COMPUTER
PRODUCT FEATURES AT A GLANCE
- Nitrox capable with two mixtures
- Free diving mode
- The algorithm incorporates RGBM and deep stop
The Michelangelo, with its high-contrast display and extra-large numbers, is a scuba diving and free diving computer from Cressi that’s easy to read and easy to use. The polyolefin display screen is set in a heavy-duty casing with a single steel push-button for accessing the system. A TPU rubber wrist band with stainless steel buckle is included. The menus and navigation system are easy to read and easy to toggle through the various options. The Michelangelo packs a ton of features and convenience in a compact, comfortable wrist-mount computer.
ZEUS DIVE MASK
PRODUCT FEATURES AT A GLANCE
- Fog-stop system that gives divers a fog-free view
- Integrated Dual Frame Technology system that allows the silicone skirt to be joined to the frame
In 1952, Egidio and Nanni Cressi created the Pinnochio mask, which allowed divers to equalize. This contribution to diver safety continues today with the Zeus mask. The Zeus’s standout feature is yet another groundbreaking innovation by Cressi engineers — the “fog-stop” system. This is a soft extension of the skirt that blocks moist air from reaching the lenses (the pocket is open at the bottom so it doesn’t interfere with clearing). One ScubaLab test diver called this innovative feature “exceptionally fog-free.” Its integrated dual frame integrates the frame in the skirt instead of overlapping them. This results in a much smaller mask with a hydrodynamic shape that offers an excellent field of view. The micrometric adjustable buckles are easy to use, even when wearing gloves.
OMEGA ULTRA DRY SNORKEL
PRODUCT FEATURES AT A GLANCE
The Omega Ultra Dry snorkel shows just how much engineering goes into what might seem a simple piece of gear, with clear housings that let you see all the internal workings of the pivoting valve in the dry top and purge valve at the bottom. The downward-facing valve drains quickly. Divers will love the Omega Ultra Dry snorkel’s air delivery. The upper tube is oblong in cross section, giving a large volume without excessive drag. The two-part mask attachment has a push-button release that’s simple once you get the hang of it; the mask clip has a long hook and small opening that make it finicky to attach but secure once on the mask strap.
KIOWA CUSTOM SPEARGUN
PRODUCT FEATURES AT A GLANCE
- Comes with only the core components of the speargun, so you can completely customize it when you order
- 2 different muzzles — a quick-loading magnetic open muzzle and ultra-compact closed muzzle
- Rigged and reinforced 28 mm diameter black aluminum alloy barrel with shaft guide
- Magnetic spear lock in a watertight chamber
Cressi have given spearos some of the best innovations in the sport of spearfishing. With all its line named after American Indian tribes (the Kiowa were an indigenous people of the Great Plains), the Kiowa is the latest offering in the Cressi line of spearguns and available only through retailers selling the Atelier line of products. Kiowa is a sling gun that is sold without a shaft, elastic bands and reel. What you get is a speargun with two muzzles — one open and one closed — and two different length gun butts. The spearfisherman then customizes it with specific components for the type of fishing they prefer to do. It has a 28 mm diameter, 1 mm thick barrel made of anticorodal aluminum, an alloy containing manganese, silicon and magnesium, elements that make the barrel super strong and super resistant to corrosion. The barrel also has anti-deflection reinforcement along the bottom. The handle has two interchangeable sternum supports and a stainless steel boxed mechanism with Teflon components to minimize friction. There is a retractable stainless steel slide ring on the side. All these high-quality components means the Kiowa is built to last.
With plans to continue innovating, Cressi will increase its Atelier line every year, offering a complete upgraded line only for Cressi Atelier stores. Visit Cressi’s website at cressi.com to learn more.
Patricia Wuest
Maitland, Florida, USA Dive Magazine Journalist, Scuba Gear Tester, Ocean Conservationist. As the editor- in- chief of Scuba Diving and Sport Diver magazines, Patricia has had a 25- year career in dive...
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