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There is massive differences in lines. A few flat lines seem to be quite fragile.
https://fb.watch/1Iy0LQnsDg/
Noted. Interesting demo ... although, it's to be expected that different lines would prove not to be of equal "strenght" under stress conditions. Usefull video nonetheless; sometimes a picture/video is worth a thousand words.
 
I do plan on a bit of destruction testing

I'd really like to see some real data about those flat aliexpess polyester diving lines.

There's a huge difference in material (hence strentgh and durability) between a 2mm diameter round line and a 2mm wide flat line. I agree, you get more line on the same tiny reel but ... I'm led to ask myself if it does compromise basic security/reliability of the system? (even if it's just about launching a DSMB at medium depth).

I wonder what true cave divers think about that stuff.
 
Was already planning to buy this for recreational diving intended only, for use at safety stop on no-deco dives.... looks perfect for me and my low annual divecount usage.

Also ordered to get a 1.5M SMB from the same store on AliExpresss. Hope it turns out well!
 
With everyone jumping on the Apeks Lifeline AL spool, and not wanting to go AliExpress, I ordered one of DGX's Gears Aluminum spools. Only $30 for 100 feet.
Like the Ali, it comes with flat dacron tape rather than round braided. It's 3mm wide (compared with what I gather is thinner AliExpress tape), and though DGX won't give a strength rating, it seems clearly over 30#. The best part is how much room it leaves on the spool for a bolt snap.
IMG_20210814_163457.jpg

IMG_20210814_163614.jpg

The center hole is huge! Compare with my DGX Delrin 100 (which I've sanded to make that sharp inner corner a little easier on the thumb and finger during unwinding).
I took it to Key Largo last week for some wreck dives, and compared it with my Delrin spool for shooting a shallow DSMB. It was an easy hang at 20' for some drift deco off French Deep (90' for an hour).
The finger hole was great! But oops! About 20' of fast spinning and it burned the web of my hand!
I released the reel, and it went up 5' or so, spinning like crazy, but was easily caught a few seconds later, as the DSMB surfaced.
Here's why:
IMG_20210814_163650.jpg

That knurling, touted on the website as an aid to grip, was a little buzzsaw spinning between my thumb and middle finger. Ouch!
I promptly wrote to DGX, complaining about the unintended consequences of their "feature", and they offered to take it back, as always. Great customer service!
But I don't want to spend $90 on a Lifeline.
So when I got home today, I got out my belt sander and a bastard long angle file and went to work. Took about a half hour (not counting rewinding).
IMG_20210814_165258.jpg

I don't know if this'll do the trick, but I'm optimistic. And for $30 with that interesting and smoothly reeling tape, I might have an inexpensive winner. I'll report back. And, it's lighter than the Lifeline.
 
With everyone jumping on the Apeks Lifeline AL spool, and not wanting to go AliExpress, I ordered one of DGX's Gears Aluminum spools. Only $30 for 100 feet.
Like the Ali, it comes with flat dacron tape rather than round braided. It's 3mm wide (compared with what I gather is thinner AliExpress tape), and though DGX won't give a strength rating, it seems clearly over 30#. The best part is how much room it leaves on the spool for a bolt snap.
View attachment 676555
View attachment 676556
The center hole is huge! Compare with my DGX Delrin 100 (which I've sanded to make that sharp inner corner a little easier on the thumb and finger during unwinding).
I took it to Key Largo last week for some wreck dives, and compared it with my Delrin spool for shooting a shallow DSMB. It was an easy hang at 20' for some drift deco off French Deep (90' for an hour).
The finger hole was great! But oops! About 20' of fast spinning and it burned the web of my hand!
I released the reel, and it went up 5' or so, spinning like crazy, but was easily caught a few seconds later, as the DSMB surfaced.
Here's why:
View attachment 676560
That knurling, touted on the website as an aid to grip, was a little buzzsaw spinning between my thumb and middle finger. Ouch!
I promptly wrote to DGX, complaining about the unintended consequences of their "feature", and they offered to take it back, as always. Great customer service!
But I don't want to spend $90 on a Lifeline.
So when I got home today, I got out my belt sander and a bastard long angle file and went to work. Took about a half hour (not counting rewinding).
View attachment 676561
I don't know if this'll do the trick, but I'm optimistic. And for $30 with that interesting and smoothly reeling tape, I might have an inexpensive winner. I'll report back. And, it's lighter than the Lifeline.
Great review...thanks for posting!
 
DGX has obtained 1000m of that flat tape from the manufacturer as a trial. I snagged the first 200m and easily put 200' on a medium finger spool. I'll bet my LM wreck reel could hold 800' with room to spare. Fortunately, my last Spiegel Grove run only used about 300' down to the pump room :D
If anyone is interested (and if DGX has any left, because I'll bet I'm not the only one asking), send them a contact form asking Joyce about item DX-OR-656 Orange Flat Dacron Line.
Maybe this will spur them to make it a standard bulk item. My cost was $0.14/ft.
 
I use the silver 150 foot spool. Everything is the same size but they load 150ft of the flat Dacron on it. It is a little harder to get a bolt snap through when full loaded but still very much doable. But I don't really rig my DSMB that way, I use a bungee to keep is spooled up on my DSMB and use the bolt snap just on the DSMB, that is less likely to come off when clipped off.
 
Yep @Manatee Diver is right. I have no use for clipping your bolt snap to a hole in the spool except when hanging at a stop on a drift dive. If you mount your bolt snap thru a hole it will unsnap itself and you'll lose your spool.
Here's how I carry my spool when it's not in a pocket.
IMG_20210906_234628.jpg

As above, the only time a bolt snap is thru a hole is when it's in my hand hanging on the line.
 
Here's how I carry my spool when it's not in a pocket.

Mine lives on the outside of my pocket attached to the dsmb and clipped to a D-Ring. However if the worst should happen the loop of bungee prevents it winwinding and me having to hover and curse rewinding underwater

Yes I've had to do it
upload_2021-9-7_13-43-0.png


With regard to the Apex lifeline, this on is my oldest, its done well over 700 dsmb launches, often in current always from 15m+ The line is twisted and the outer braid has frayed in places. It's been well used and abused in the high heat UV of the Middle East. Mine's been on lift bags and towed me on teh end of it when the dsmb has been caught in current - quite a few times

I poke my thumb through the hole, I don't wear gloves and have never had line cuts of finger damage from the spool. I use a crack bottle dsmb which shoots up like a rocket and I've come close to emptying my spool a couple of times.

I've tried the knock off spools. Don't like them, they're not as tactile nor well made (ignoring the design rip off) I doubt they'd stand up to prolonged hard use.

But if you're a diver just using one occasionally and not every time, then a cheap spool might be okay. I'll continue with my lifelines even though they're expensive (I have 5 now)
 
@rslinger I used to do that until I had to use my Spool in my cave course and I realized it was really hard to work blind.

Now I use a bungee. When used with a DSMB it is run through the DSMB, other wise it is connected to the end loop.

20210907_075221.jpg
 

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