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From Ice Skating Instructor to the Father of Modern Diving Equipment
Mares founder Ludovico Mares has been posthumously honored with the 2026 Early Pioneer Award from the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame (ISDHOF). The award recognizes his lasting contribution to the development of modern diving equipment and his profound influence on our favorite hobby, recreational diving.
Rachael and Michael Steidley accepted the honor on behalf of Mares and HEAD Watersports during a festive ceremony in the Cayman Islands.
A Life Between Ice and Water
Ludwig Mareš - his original name - was born on January 10, 1898, in Pula, on the Istrian Peninsula, which was then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Even as a young man, he was a versatile athlete: he became a national champion in ice hockey, held a regional record in high diving, and made a name for himself in figure skating, to which he later devoted himself as a coach. His innovative spirit was evident early on - he even secured a patent for roller skates with a steering mechanism that were copied worldwide.
During World War I, he served as a diver in the Austro-Hungarian Imperial and Royal Navy; after the war ended, he remained devoted to diving and worked on underwater salvage operations. In the 1920s, he worked as a diving instructor on the island of Brijuni, where he taught wealthy guests how to dive - it was there that he also changed his name to the Italian form, Ludovico Mares. After World War II, like many refugees from Istria, he was forced to leave his homeland and settled with his wife Irma in Rapallo on the Ligurian coast. At first, he made ends meet as a skating instructor, but soon returned to his true passion - diving.
A mask made from a piece of old glass and a bicycle inner tube
In 1949, at the age of 51, Mares founded the company Mares Sub in Rapallo - named after himself. The beginnings were humble: He crafted his first diving goggles from a round piece of old glass and a car tire inner tube, along with spearfishing gear made from improvised materials. Out of sheer necessity - to provide for his family - he spent years perfecting his own diving equipment before it evolved into a full-fledged business. A few years later, he was among the first to mass-produce pneumatic spearfishing guns; in the 1960s, the company expanded rapidly throughout Europe and beyond.
In 1971, at the height of his success, Ludovico Mares sold his company to the American conglomerate AMF. He died in 1989 at the age of 91. The small business in Liguria has long since become one of the world’s best-known manufacturers of diving equipment. Today, Mares is a subsidiary of the sporting goods conglomerate HEAD.
“Curiosity, courage, resourcefulness”
The tribute to Ludovico Mares and the celebration of his life’s work took place on Friday, September 4, 2026, at the Hotel Indigo Grand Cayman - it was the 23rd annual International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
During the ceremony, the Steidleys recounted the story of how Ludovico crafted his very first diving mask from salvaged round glass and a car inner tube - driven by the practical need to feed his family through spearfishing. “Accepting this award on behalf of Mares was both an incredible honor and a great responsibility,” explained Rachael Steidley, Marketing Manager at SSI North America. “Ludovico’s legacy isn’t simply something we look back on with pride. It challenges us to continue approaching the future with curiosity, courage, ingenuity, and an unwavering passion for the ocean. Sharing this message with more than 200 young people made this week even more meaningful.”
Rachael added: “On behalf of Mares, HEAD Watersports, our colleagues worldwide, and the generations of divers who have benefited from Ludovico’s vision and innovative spirit, we are deeply grateful to the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame. This recognition ensures that Ludovico’s remarkable life, his pioneering spirit, and his place in diving history will never be forgotten.”
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