Product review by James Toland, September 2011.

I conceder myself a die hard SS fan. Not just for their commitment to customers or their constant pursuit to better their product and use new top of the line technology. Primarily I chose them for their durability/dependability to withstand the rigors and abuses of extreme backwoods exploration. As a proud owner of two UV 26's and a prototype 18 with a lithium battery pack. I've repeatedly put them to the test exploring caves well off the beaten path as well as our more popular training caves. In both syphons and springs I depend on SS scooters to work regardless the conditions. 

Just a short while ago I was rewarded with the opportunity to test one of the dream machines the Magnus. It just so happened during a particular difficult cave system I was exploring. This system presented several problems such as a substantial trek threw dense woods and up and down a large steep ravine. Not to mention low visibility and side mount restrictive passages that would stretch for a 100+ feet at times at a moderate depth of 150'. Right away the benefits were phenomenal. This machine gives a whole new meaning to the old saying "dynamite comes in small packages". Light weight and easy to carry. Definitely a sweet treat getting to and from the dive sights. 

The real magic is revealed in the water, with the speed control at your fingertips. I was blown away at how beneficial this was in conserving gas and energy. At first I thought that speed one would be useless but boy was I wrong. It's just right for low side mount passages. Slow enough to control but still slightly faster than I could swim in the restrictive sections. This allowed me to keep a low breathing rate while maintaining swift progress. As soon as the cave opens up with more breathing room, a flick of the wrist and off you go to second gear with out having to stop and go back and forth between prop pitches. 

The muscle behind this innovative ride in second gear is no joke. This particular cave never allowed me to open it up to full speed. So after putting it threw an abusive test run where it worked flawlessly, I had to take it somewhere I could unleash it's raw power. It just so happen that I was guiding a dive at Indian Springs the next day. Man what a rush, this beast can move. Just to be fair we switched out rides several times between a UV 26 and the Magnus during the dive to make up for differences in trim, size and battery power. It didn't matter who was in control of the Magnus. It simply walked away on speed three. The Magnus is the toughest, fastest, light weight and most versatile scooter bar none. Made for explores and recreational enthusiast alike. The potential applications are limitless to mention all of them. It's a must have for anyone looking for a new ride.