Deep Sea Supply SMB

[sffrenchman]

I am thinking of purchasing a DSS SMB? Would anyone share their experience with it?

Thanks

 

[theduckguru]

The one breath inflate and tampered design look nice, but $75 MSRP is steep.

 

[MrsBBC]

I am thinking of purchasing a DSS SMB? Would anyone share their experience with it?

Thanks

I'm glad you posted this; I was going to ask the same question earlier today.
It is a lot of money for a DSMB but I am on the lookout for a dependable backup dsmb, i.e. it will be deployed from a deco or safety stop but not at depth.

There is much debate on how best to inflate a dsmb and inflating using the reg in my mouth works best for me.
Does this dsmb require me to remove the reg and blow into the dsmb (holding the dsmb with 2 hands?). How would I master this and not tangle myself in my finger real... this will take practise.

So yes, please, anybody who has used this dsmb please let us know your thoughts and experiences.

Nic

 

[TSandM]

I don't think the price is out of line . . . I looked up EE's price on the Halcyon 1 meter bag, and it's ten dollars more.

In our household, we have two bags that we regularly USE (I think we have four or five altogether). Peter loves the DSS bag. It's tapered, so it is easy to inflate with a small volume of breath. It is an oral inflate bag, so yes, you have to take the reg out of your mouth to blow it up -- it's not that hard to do, once you have practiced it a few times. You do have to be careful to keep the bag out in front of you, and handle the spool correctly so you don't get tangled in it. A little coaching from someone who knows how would be very useful.

The DSS bag has a unique OPV, which is a thick, flexible membrane with a slit cut in the center of it. When it is flexed, it lets gas escape. The up side of this is that it allowed the bag to roll up very small. The down side, for me, is that it's more difficult to empty the bag when you're floating around on the surface, waiting for the boat to come. It's also difficult to rinse the bag out, compared to taking off the standard OPV.

For very cold water, I find the simple oral inflate hose difficult to seal around with my numb lips.

But if you are diving warm water, and don't mind handing up the bag to the boat crew without rolling it up in the water, it's a very nice bag -- well made and well thought out, as things Tobin makes always are.

 

[phillybob]

Lift Bags & SMBs These guys have some cool stuff, too. At little lower price.

 

[MrsBBC]

The down side, for me, is that it's more difficult to empty the bag when you're floating around on the surface, waiting for the boat to come. It's also difficult to rinse the bag out, compared to taking off the standard OPV.
But if you are diving warm water, and don't mind handing up the bag to the boat crew without rolling it up in the water, it's a very nice bag -- well made and well thought out, as things Tobin makes always are.

Oops, I pretty much always hand up my inflated dsmb and then deflate it on the boat. On the surface I am more concerned with 'where is the boat' 'where is my buddy' 'is the group tight together' 'does the boat know we are surfaced' etc than deflating the dsmb. and I often end up giving it to other divers who are lazy..

....plus my rig needs rejigging anyways as although it's easy as pie to remove my dsmb, I can;t get it back into the bungee. On one dive where I didnt think we would find the line in poor vis, went to inflate, and then found the line, I got so frustrated trying to tuck it back into the bungee that I shoved it in my thigh pocket, booo.

Nic

 

[cool_hardware52]

The DSS bag has a unique OPV, which is a thick, flexible membrane with a slit cut in the center of it. When it is flexed, it lets gas escape. The up side of this is that it allowed the bag to roll up very small. The down side, for me, is that it's more difficult to empty the bag when you're floating around on the surface, waiting for the boat to come. It's also difficult to rinse the bag out, compared to taking off the standard OPV.

To vent the DSS SMB at the surface invert the bag, hold the small end under water. Depress one side of the OPV, push in on one side of the slit. When the bag is empty check to make sure the two edges of the OPV still "meet", you might have to squeeze the OD of the OPV.

Tobin