Slate recommendations?

[trigfunctions]

I just got one of these slate and compass combos at Divers Direct and it's pretty cool. Kills two birds with one stone.
http://www.diversdirect.com/item/Compass Slate Combo with Clip_ID50409

 

[CompuDude]

I use the three page slate when I know I'm going to be needing it, else I just keep my wetnotes in my pocket at all times.

Too much stuff on my arms as it is to add slates to the "every dive" checklist, so I only bring it if I know in advance that I'll need it.

 

[CompuDude]

Get a DiveRITE pencil. The absolute best underwater pencils.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned WetNotes.

A couple of people have, actually. (and floater mentioned it in post #3, actually)

The DiveRite pencils ROCK, but they also break into many pieces in no time, it seems. Every time I rig up a new one, within a dive or two I have 3 pieces.

I've discovered the BEST solution to the underwater pencil problem: The Pilot Croquis artist's sketching pencil.

http://www.cultpens.com/acatalog/Pilot_Croquis_Artists_Pencils.html

(Note I got mine on eBay for a lot less)

All plastic inside. One moving part, a simple plastic worm drive moves the lead in and out of the protective case. Nothing to rust or corrode. The lead is beefy so it won't break easily, but not fragile like the DiveRite pencils, and it sits safe inside the pencil casing so breaking is not an issue. The barrel is beefy and easy to hold even with gloves on. Just twist the little grey end and the lead comes out, a couple more twists and it pulls safely back in. The 6B lead draws a nice, dark, legible line.

LOVE IT.

I tied an 18" piece of thin bungee (1/8"?) to my wetnotes on one end, tied a figure 8 knot in the other end (just to prevent slippage) and ziptied it to the body of the pencil.

Problem solved.

 

[TheRedHead]

I'll have to check out that pencil, CompuDude. I'm always looking for a better pencil. The standard ones on the yellow surgical tubing have all been crappy, IMO. I have tried lots of slates and never liked the standard pencils.

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

Great Find Compu!!!! Thats a perfect pencil

 

[UnderSeaBumbleBee]

DRIS, I am using the pencil that came with it. I will sharpen it again and see what happens.

In the mean time I have been using a childs 99 cent magna doodle and it works pretty well most of the time.

I have purchased wet notes and they should be here soon. We will see how that goes! I will have to pick up one of those worm drive pencils1

 

[TheRedHead]

Worm drive sounds like it should be used in spacecraft propulsion.

 

[archman]

I have heard that simple carpenter's pencils are preferred by many divers. Cheap, strong, thick lead... and you can sharpen them with a dive knife, apparently. Supposedly every hardware store has these things.

I'll have to check out those Pilot pencils, however. Wow, no metal parts.

Myself, I use the three-page wrist slate, complemented by a full-sized Quest magna-doodle when teaching students. Occasionally I'll opt for a mini-Quest. For the magna-doodles, they're clipped to the side of my BCD with a big locking retractor. Only a nuisance in heavy vegetation.

The Quest2 is a piece of junk. Stay away from that thing.

 

[CompuDude]

Disclaimer: No metal parts is what I was told. I have not smashed one apart to verify this. Mine has worked out great so far though.

 

[CompuDude]

Great Find Compu!!!! Thats a perfect pencil

Perfect would be if it was a little flatter (but I can live with that) and had a good strong place to attach a bolt snap and/or lanyard. LOL (My zip tie method works fine, however)