What Are Some Good Dsmbs?

[buddhasummer]

I have a 3' closed halcyon which I like, I also have a bigger 6' Carter SMB should the extra size be necessary.

 

[pinshootr]

the longer the better, my wife Neon Pink is really easy to spot !!!!

 

[Skulmoski]

I have a few but I really like my Hollis. However, I have a smaller Deep Sea Supply DSMB that I use in calm waters.

GJS

 

[HowardE]

Carter #50 Lift bag Personal Floats Safety Sausage Tubes

With or without the flag

 

[stuartv]

I think 6' is long enough. I wouldn't go shorter. But, I don't want to hassle with the bulk of one that is longer.

I have the DAN one and like it because it has the radar reflective strip in it. I don't KNOW if that will help or not, but I know it won't hurt and it MIGHT help.

DAN: Online Store | scuba diving safety equipment

I also like the XS Scuba one:

http://www.leisurepro.com/p-xsssmb/scuba-surface-marker-buoy-smb

I now feel the need to carry 2 SMBs on some dives, so I think I'm going to get the XS Scuba one in yellow to have as a mate to the DAN one, which is orange-ish pink.

If the bottom is open how could you need the OPV?
Expanding air will flow out the open bottom.

I happen to be a fan of the Halcyon SMBs myself, though I've never tried the giant ones.

If you are using it as buoyancy to replace a damaged BCD for some reason, you might need to have air in it, but not so much that it spills out the bottom. My Solo Diver instructor has informed me that I will be learning, and practicing during my class, how to use an SMB or lift bag to make an ascent - including venting using the OPV on the way up - not just sending it to the surface and reeling myself up.

I would rather have an open bottom SMB than a closed one. If you're very low on gas, being able to fill the SMB using your exhaled gas coming out of your 2nd stage would be better than filling it by dumping gas into it using your LPI. Admittedly, you're not talking about a lot of gas either way. And I'd rather use exhaust from the 2nd stage than take the reg out of my mouth to orally inflate. I really don't see any significant disadvantage to an open bottom. But there is a clear (but not huge) disadvantage to a closed bottom. For Open Circuit diving, anyway.

 

[stuartv]

If you are using it as buoyancy to replace a damaged BCD for some reason, you might need to have air in it, but not so much that it spills out the bottom. My Solo Diver instructor has informed me that I will be learning, and practicing during my class, how to use an SMB or lift bag to make an ascent - including venting using the OPV on the way up - not just sending it to the surface and reeling myself up.

ps. I freely admit that I'm curious to see how that's going to work with the OPV being down so low on the SMB...

 

[RyanT]

I've got one of Zeagle's kits that comes with the SMB, finger spool, and storage pouch. It stores neatly on my backplate and is easy to reach and deploy. I like it for those reasons. I think it's only 6' tall though, so I'm thinking of going to one of the Carter 10' buoys. These actually don't take up much more room than my 6' buoy and I like the idea of having the added height in the even that I need a boat to see me.

 

[rongoodman]

ps. I freely admit that I'm curious to see how that's going to work with the OPV being down so low on the SMB...

You might want to consider a lift bag for that application, with the OPV on top, where the air will be.

 

[sunshower]

Hands down my favorite is the Halcyon closed circuit ones. They are a expensive, but extremely well made with nice features (their oral/low pressure inflation mechanism is great. I also have a HOG one which is also good quality and is probably a better buy due to the price. The downside to the HOG ones is the inflation mechanism is plastic, but if stored properly I don't see an issue with that.

I used to use a DAN one which was nice, but a little bulky. I ended up replacing that one because I was looking for closed bottom ones that were a little more compact when rolled up in my drysuit pocket.

I'm planning to get a Halcyon smb; have the lift bag and really like it. At risk of overthinking this, any thoughts on the slim version v. the regular? All else equal I'm thinking slim means a little less bulk to stow.

 

[stuartv]

All else equal I'm thinking slim means a little less bulk to stow.

... and harder for a boat to see if it's off in the distance.

I was on a boat down in NC last year where a guy surfaced away from the boat and was carried off by the current. By the time the rest of the divers were back aboard and we could unhook and go after him, he was totally out of sight. And this was a bright, partly cloudy day, with 4-ish foot seas. We drove at a good speed in the direction he went for a good couple of minutes before someone caught a glimpse of his SMB waving off in the distance. Then, we could only see it when he and the boat were both somewhere close to the peak of a swell.

I'm happy to stow the extra bulk of my fat, DAN SMB.