DAN SMB pics

[BSOD]

Recently got a "new" DAN SMB to replace the safety sausage I've been carrying, and since there weren't many detailed pics (that I could find), thought some pics might be useful for others looking in to it. I have not used it yet in water, so can't really comment on that. The primary differences I noticed/read about this new/revised version are that it now has a reflective strip on both sides, and has a "radar reflective panel located inside the tube" (and if you get the whole kit, it now comes with a battery powered light instead of a light stick - I only got the SMB since I already have the other stuff).

As mentioned elsewhere, it's fairly sizeable. This (along with a whistle, mirror, and lightstick in the velcro pocket) plus a spool makes for quite a bit of kit.


I'm not sure if other SMB's are the same or not, but one thing I'm not really digging is it doesn't really roll up that tight and compact (my sausage on the right doesn't have an OPV - only thing sticking out of it is the inflator mechanism). I think it's partly due to the loop and strap partway up the tube as well.


Looking up an inflated tube, you can see the X shaped radar reflecting panels in the upper couple of feet.


The straps/loops on it can be used to form a life jacket/PFD (at least I think that's what they're meant for - there's no included instructions/info, and I only saw it mentioned on a review of the older version).


Hardware at the top portion. There's two velcro tabs to loop around something, as well as the plastic loop at the top. The clear sleeve is open at the bottom, so the lights that'll fit in there without slipping through might be limited. DAN shows the Princeton Tec light fitting fine though. The chemlight I tried falls right through it if I don't use the hook, in which case I'm not sure how using the sleeve is better than just hooking the chemlight to the top ring.

 

[Splitlip]

just subscribing

 

[Akimbo]

My DAN SMB arrived a few days after leaving for a week in Monterey where a friend has a boat and agreed to run a radar test on it. It will be interesting to see how much the radar reflective material lights up the blip.

I will report findings/impressions when I get the test completed but it probably won’t be for a month or two.

 

[fisheater]

My DAN SMB arrived a few days after leaving for a week in Monterey where a friend has a boat and agreed to run a radar test on it. It will be interesting to see how much the radar reflective material lights up the blip.

I will report findings/impressions when I get the test completed but it probably won’t be for a month or two.

PLEASE post the results. Thanks.

 

[BSOD]

Bit of an update: Used it a few times recently (launching from 15-25 feet as seems the custom/standard in this locale), and being on the large side, it obviously doesn't easily fill up fully from these depths. I'm not sure if it's because of it flopping over at the surface, I'm doing something wrong (waving it around too much when unraveling it before deployment?), or if it's just the way semi-closed (I think that's the right term?) SMB's are, but often it'd have a cup (or 2 or 3) of water in it by the time I get back on the boat. With the small (3/4" or so) overpressure valve as a drain (pics of the old version seem to have a considerably larger OPV), it seems like a slight inconvenience to fully empty the water (unless there's a better way I'm overlooking) in that it can take quite a while.

 

[korvette]

I have one and did not realize that you can use it as a pfd. I dont like the size but if you were stuck alone in the ocean I would be wishing that thing was 50' tall and has flares coming out the end!!!

 

[klschnepp]

Thank you for posting the photos!! I too have tried to figure out what all tabs and loops were for and nice to have some of my thoughts confirmed. It really makes no sense that DAN does not include any kind of instructions for use! I have had the kit for a couple of years now and, while a bit bulky, I am now quite used to it and don't even notice it clipped to lower D-ring on BC (and I really really hate loose gear).

However, and I feel a bit stupid about this, I do have a bit of trouble inflating it on the surface with any method other than manually blowing it up. Alas, I don't like the manual option as it takes far more than the four big puffs you large guys can get away with! The answer may well be more practice (going to get a good bit of shore diving in a couple of weeks, so will be taking some time to muck about with it!). Anyone else have practical tips on both octo and LP hose inflation for this particular piece of kit on the surface and underwater?

 

[tbone1004]

practice more. As far as draining water, inflate it fully, get the OPV at the lowest point, and slightly crack the diaphragm. Not all the way to let it blow out, but just a hair to let it push the water out. Works the same on bc's for draining them. Smaller outlet is better

 

[BSOD]

Another minor thing of note is the dye bleeds a bit - after 20ish dives with it so far (though inflating it only a half dozen or so times), it still drains out neon pink koolaid water.

The last time I didn't wave it around so much (underwater, before deploying it), and it had noticibly less water in it - so that's that (probably).

 

[Grog]

I know this is an old thread, but... I bought one of these in 2019 and finally dove with it this past month and really had not unrolled it until I went to rinse it and dry after my trip and noticed it is actually fully sealed at the bottom. Not the very bottom, but there's a clear membrane on the inside just past the mesh pocket (about 3-4" up from the bottom). It sounds like what you have will allow The current listing on DAN's site says you can inflate from the bottom with an octo, but the amount that mine is blocked off would be nowhere near enough to get it to go up. Were these sealed at some point to only allow inflation through the LP valve? I was wondering if maybe there was some sort of valve, but it seems really solid. I also tried and couldn't get air through with the octo in a tank.

I guess my question is were these able to be filled from the bottom with an octo, or is this just a feature of the newer versions. It sounds like you could do this back then from your description(s).