Sublue Vapor Pump-Jet Underwater Scooter for Divers

sublue Vapor Pump-Jet Underwater Scooter: A High-Thrust DPV Built for Serious Recreational and Freedive Use

The sublue Vapor is a diver propulsion vehicle (DPV), a handheld underwater scooter that pulls you through the water so you can cover more ground, dive longer, and save your energy for the experience rather than the effort of swimming.

If you are a recreational scuba diver, a freediver, or an advanced snorkeler who wants to explore reefs, wrecks, or open water at a pace your fins alone cannot match, the Vapor is worth a serious look.

It is not a toy or a beginner pool device. The thrust, speed, and depth-safety features here are aimed at people who already know how to manage themselves underwater.

Propulsion: What Pump-Jet Means and Why It Matters

Most underwater scooters use an open propeller. The Vapor uses a pump-jet system, which draws water in and expels it through an enclosed channel rather than spinning an exposed blade.

This matters for two reasons. First, there are no open blades to snag on hair, wetsuits, or marine life. Second, the enclosed design tends to be quieter and more efficient at channeling thrust in a single direction.

The result is up to 21 kgf (46 lbf) of thrust and a top speed of 10 km/h (6.21 mph). That is genuinely strong output for a recreational DPV, and the manufacturer notes it can pull multiple swimmers at once.

Three Speed Settings

The Vapor gives you three gears to match your situation:

In practice, most divers mix speeds during a session. The manufacturer quotes up to 60 minutes of intermittent use on a full charge, which is realistic if you throttle back when hovering or observing and push to full speed only when crossing open water.

Gear 1 is your endurance setting. Gear 3 is for covering distance fast, but at 18 minutes of continuous runtime, you will want to be deliberate about when you use it.

Battery and Charging

The 13,000 mAh battery is removable, which is a meaningful practical advantage. You can carry a second battery, swap it at the surface, and effectively double your session time without waiting for a charge.

A standard charge takes 3 hours. An optional fast charger cuts that to 1.5 hours, which is useful on a multi-dive day when surface intervals are short.

The battery is covered by a 1-year warranty. The main unit carries a 2-year warranty, with repair or replacement at no cost for covered issues during those periods.

Display and Data

The 4.3-inch LCD screen is large enough to read while moving. It shows battery level, current speed, direction, water temperature, and depth in real time.

That depth readout is not just informational. It feeds directly into two active safety systems.

Depth Alert and Descent Rate Controls

This is where the Vapor separates itself from simpler scooters.

The depth alert lets you set a maximum depth threshold. When you reach it, the screen flags the warning and the motor cuts out until you return shallower. For freedivers or scuba divers who want a hard ceiling on how deep the scooter will take them, this is a practical safeguard, not just a notification.

The depth change rate setting monitors how quickly you are ascending or descending. If your rate of depth change exceeds the value you have set, the screen alerts you. This is directly relevant to decompression safety: ascending too fast on scuba increases the risk of decompression sickness, and the Vapor can flag when you are pushing that boundary. The manufacturer recommends a maximum descent rate of 18 m/min and an ascent rate of 9 m/min as reference points. You can also disable this feature entirely if you prefer to manage your own profile.

These are not features you typically find on entry-level DPVs. They reflect that the Vapor is designed for divers who are going deep enough for the numbers to matter.

App Connectivity

The Vapor connects to a smartphone app and can share dive data including depth, water temperature, rate of depth change, and location. If you log your dives or want to review a session after surfacing, this gives you a record beyond what the screen shows in the moment.

Build and Buoyancy

The body is constructed from carbon fiber, which keeps weight down relative to the thrust output. At 19 pounds (on the surface), this is not a light piece of kit, but carbon fiber is the right material choice for a device this size.

Underwater, the Vapor is designed with slight positive buoyancy. This means it will slowly rise rather than sink if you let go, which matters both for safety and for maintaining a comfortable neutral position while diving. You are not fighting the scooter to stay at depth.

The dimensions are 21.26 x 14.96 x 11.42 inches. It is a large device. Plan your travel and boat-entry logistics accordingly.

Camera Mount and What's in the Box

A universal action camera mount is built into the body, compatible with most action cameras. The hydrodynamic housing is shaped to minimize drag, so adding a camera should not dramatically affect performance.

The Vapor ships with:

• The VAPOR unit itself
• 384 Wh rechargeable battery
• Standard charger
• Action camera accessories
• Anti-lost lanyard
• Instructions

The lanyard is worth using. At this size and price, you do not want the scooter drifting away if you release your grip mid-dive.

Who This Is Not For

If you are a beginner diver or snorkeler who wants something light and simple for a shallow reef, the Vapor is more machine than you need. The size, the safety settings you need to configure correctly, and the speed on Gear 3 all assume a user who understands how to manage depth and ascent rate.

If you are a technical diver looking for a DPV rated for deep decompression diving or cave penetration, the Vapor's specifications and intended use do not point in that direction. This is a recreational and freedive tool.

For the recreational scuba diver who wants to cover a large reef site without exhausting their air on swimming effort, or the freediver who wants to reach depth faster and conserve breath for the bottom, the sublue Vapor is a capable, well-instrumented choice with safety features that actually respond rather than just display.