Absurd dive equipment

[ScubaTwo]

MOST of what we use in diving would be looked at as silly by somebody.

Why is a tank valve light more silly than a light stick?

Why is a force fin bad but a rocket fin is great?

Heck, diving those old twin hose regulators with small tanks made depth gages and pressure gages redundant. Wet suits and computers (including that Bottom timer that I would call the Un-computer) did not exist. Dry suits were used only by commercial hard hat divers.

The real definition of an absurd piece of equipment?
Any gear that I am not using that gives me the opportunity to make fun of someone else.

I just happened to be reading thru old stuff and thought this was a very well said post.

 

[ODIN61]

I have 2 pairs of TAN Delta ForceFins (one for Drysuit, one for tropical), and been using them for the past ~8 years. In the past 30 years I have tried many. I would have to disagree with all who think that FF's are a joke http://www.scubaboard.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=397736#. In my opinion, they are the best fins I have owned. Period.http://www.scubaboard.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=397736#

 

[jaycanwk]

My dive buddy still has his st72's with j valves that we use all the time except, we don't use them and leave them open as if we were diving regular k valves.

 

[Dragracer]

Hey! I love those!!!


It was a squeezeable pouch with a tube that you inserted through your mouthpiece. The premise was that you filled it with your beverage of choice, and squeezed the bag to get a drink while diving.

SCUDA: Self Contained Underwater Drinking Apparatus. I saw one on eBay a while ago!

 

[KrisB]

I think that the SCUDA was probably a good idea, but the marketing was what makes it so silly... you don't come up with an acronym for such a frivolous item.

And, for the diabetic comment: if they're so diabetic they may need an emergency boost of sugar, they shouldn't be underwater... it's not worth risking their lives and those around them. I'm sure none of us would want to go diving with someone prone to epileptic seizures... same deal here.

 

[pipedope]

In many cases it is a matter of gear that works for the diver in the particular environment or does not.

There are many dives I have done where jet fins would be absurd but lead boots were perfect. Then again the opposite is also true.

Anyone who thinks the SCUDA is absurd should spend 6 or 8 hours on the end of a hose and see what they think then.
Would I take one on a 30 minute dive? Probably not.

It is more a matter of planning the dive and diving the plan. Part of planning the dive is choosing the gear and configuration for that dive. In most sport diving the gear setup will be very similar from one dive to another but even in DIR the gear (including gasses) changes for many dives so it is still an important part of the dive plan.
In commercial diving the gear may vary widely depending on what is needed for the job. Sometimes there are multiple lights and cameras mounted on the helmet and the diver still has to get the job done knowing that besides the extra stuff on his head everyone is watching and any screwup will be recorded and replayed forever.

Some gear appears to be absurd but is only being used in the wrong place or way. A great example is the 'SpareAir'. This is a great item to have in your Mustange suit on a heli flight to a rig, especially over cold water. It is perfect for getting out of a crashed heli but is not very useful for diving. I would probably not fly to a rig without one but also would not dive with one. Use the right tool in the right job.

 

[Xarifa]

1. UW GPS system
2. contact lens that do away with the mask
3. a kayak that turns into a mini sub
4. cordless reg
5. computerized BCD
6. Mini turbo fans you can mount on the back of your theighs
7. lets see if where dreamin here than. take the air capacity of AL80 and put it in the size of a coke bottle. surely someone can do that?
8. a dive puter the size of a wrist watch Nitrox compadable also
9. nightvission divers mask
10. a small packet that is the size of a shoe that you press a button and it inflates to a full size yatch with a mini bar, captain and crew that runs on nuclear power! I can see i have run out of Ideas today but there's always tomorrow! Right!!!
I think this is what the starter of this thread wanted to know.

Mike

How about UW hot-rollers! No more hood-head for me! :anon:

As for underwater snacks, too bad they don't make 'Space Food Sticks' anymore. Remember those?

 

[ScoobieDooo]

OceanMaster 2000 Dry Snorkel

Swan1172,
My entire family has Ocean Master Dry Snorkels and we all love them and wouldn't dive with anyhting else. They work great and none of us have had ANY problems or issues with ours. Bone dry!

 

[KrisB]

Swan1172,
My entire family has Ocean Master Dry Snorkels and we all love them and wouldn't dive with anyhting else. They work great and none of us have had ANY problems or issues with ours. Bone dry!

For their price, I should hope so.

 

[ScoobieDooo]

For their price, I should hope so.

Few things in scuba come cheap. Even my decent vintage Aqua Lung Aqua Master DA cost me $400!