Dive Rite Liftbag, in regards to DIR attachment

[WillAbbott]

First, off... feel free to move to the LiftBags and SMB forum if you feel it needs to be there... but I figgured here was better since it's DIR oppinions and what not, I want.


I bought a Dive Rite 50lbs lift bag not long ago for use in my DIR-F class, and normal use in the water.

For thoose who may not know, the Dive Rite bag, comes with a D ring at the bottom of the webbing. Obviously when I use my spool, I just loop the line around the D-Ring and over the spool, just as you would if there was a boltsnap there (or at least I seem to recall reading that's how they teach to attach the spool to the bag)

Anyways, my issue is in, when it's stored behind my back (I rigged some bungee to keep it against the plate when not wearing the BC, but is easy to deploy... because I had issues with the Halcyon storage pack causing my drysuit to leak)

With the D-ring there is no way to attach it to the crotch strap, and though I'm not sure it is standard proceedure to actually attach it, I would like to have it attached so as to prevent loss on entry's/exit's donning/doffing, or should it wiggle free while underwater. Currently I have a double ender attached to each D-Ring (the liftbag on one end, and rear crotch D-ring on the other end)

This works, but seems like a waste of a perfectly good double ender, which upon liftbag deployment will just get stored on a cest D-ring, or possibly stuffed in my pocket.


Any suggestions? Should I just forget about attaching it? I think having it attached leaves a good portion of it out, so I can grab it easier, and prevents loss. Or am I "creating a solution to a problem which doesn't exist" and being a bad boy?

Thanks, and safe diving?

 

[OneBrightGator]

Sounds reasonable to me, leaving anything unattached is an invitation for it to float off. Why not just use the bolt snap to attach it to your spool instead of looping the line through it?

Ben

 

[Scubaroo]

I've got a similar issue trying to stow an OxyCheq SMB - this just comes with a webbing loop at the bottom of the tube, with no D-ring or bolt snap like my Halcyon CC liftbag has.

Attaching the spool line to the webbing is not an issue - you just use the snoopy loop on the end of the spool line, but no boltsnap means no way to clip the bag off to the rear D-ring (assuming that is a DIR method of carrying the bag - got no room left in my pocketses).

I was thinking of just tying a boltsnap (not a double ender) to the webbing loop using some cave line, just like you would attach one to a backup light etc. The cave line might need to be a little longer, so that the webbing can stay tucked up in the pocket and not flap about, but I would then have a method of clipping the bag off, and still be able to easily retrieve the bag from the pocket by unclipping the boltsnap and pulling.

OxyCheq has it's own backplate pocket coming out soon to suit the Koplin-designed backplates.

 

[Genesis]

I've got a similar issue trying to stow an OxyCheq SMB - this just comes with a webbing loop at the bottom of the tube, with no D-ring or bolt snap like my Halcyon CC liftbag has.

Take a boltsnap, pass the loop of the webbing through the loop of the snap, pull it through enough to get the loop available, then pass the bag through the loop.

Voila - you have attached the boltsnap to the webbing and its not going anywhere. Then just clip it off.

Size the boltsnap to suit your requirements and comfort.

 

[Scubaroo]

Take a boltsnap, pass the loop of the webbing through the loop of the snap, pull it through enough to get the loop available, then pass the bag through the loop.

Voila - you have attached the boltsnap to the webbing and its not going anywhere. Then just clip it off.

Size the boltsnap to suit your requirements and comfort.

Duh, that's so simple. Thanks!

 

[LUBOLD8431]

Attaching the spool line to the webbing is not an issue - you just use the snoopy loop on the end of the spool line, but no boltsnap means no way to clip the bag off to the rear D-ring (assuming that is a DIR method of carrying the bag - got no room left in my pocketses).
<snipped>

SO, if I am reading correctly, you have your liftbag inside of the nylon tube that comes with the DR bag, and then you are going to attach a bolt snap to the webbing loop, and clip it off to your back crotch strap dring???

I take it that its not DIR to leave your bag in the tube without it being clipped off??? AND, what about using surgical tubing or bungee to attach the bag right to the bottom of the BP??? I am just wondering what you DIR guys are doing to attach a lift bag to your BP (lets assume, we dont have room in our pocketses for a bag).
I am not too thrilled about the little bag that comes with the DR LB and looking for another solution...

Thanks...

 

[Cave Diver]

Currently I have a double ender attached to each D-Ring (the liftbag on one end, and rear crotch D-ring on the other end)

This works, but seems like a waste of a perfectly good double ender, which upon liftbag deployment will just get stored on a cest D-ring, or possibly stuffed in my pocket.

I do the same thing. A double ender is kind of like underwater duct tape and can be used to fix a variety of problems. I normally carry one attached to the rear d-ring even when not carrying a liftbag.

If I have to deploy a lift bag, I normally just unclip the bag d-ring from the double ender and leave the double ender in place on the rear d-ring.

 

[Scubaroo]

SO, if I am reading correctly, you have your liftbag inside of the nylon tube that comes with the DR bag, and then you are going to attach a bolt snap to the webbing loop, and clip it off to your back crotch strap dring???

I take it that its not DIR to leave your bag in the tube without it being clipped off??? AND, what about using surgical tubing or bungee to attach the bag right to the bottom of the BP??? I am just wondering what you DIR guys are doing to attach a lift bag to your BP (lets assume, we dont have room in our pocketses for a bag).
I am not too thrilled about the little bag that comes with the DR LB and looking for another solution...

Thanks...

Chuck, I'm not using a Dive Rite bag - I'm assuming that's what you meant by DR - WillAbbot is. I'm still using my Halcyon backplate and MC pocket until OxyCheq brings out their backplate pocket, then I'm switching plates. Either way, I want to keep the bag attached to the rear D-ring with a boltsnap as it makes the bag easy to retrieve. I'd personally rather not bungee the bag to the backplate - haven't done it before, but I reckon it would be more prone to damage there as it is exposed - most likely something happening on the boat or while donning/doffing gear, rather than actually while underwater.

 

[LUBOLD8431]

Ahhh... Now I got ya. I was confused by the two different "pockets".

 

[WillAbbott]

Take a boltsnap, pass the loop of the webbing through the loop of the snap, pull it through enough to get the loop available, then pass the bag through the loop.

Voila - you have attached the boltsnap to the webbing and its not going anywhere. Then just clip it off.

Size the boltsnap to suit your requirements and comfort.

Thanks for the input guys.

I like Genesis's idea best so far...

I keep my bag on my plate with a peice of bungee holding it against the plate (works good too, though Mike at Hood Sport N Dive gave me crap about it, told me to put 2 bungee loops on the bottom of the plate to hold it)

I did 4 dives this weekend, and all but 1 deployed my bag... worked pretty good... last dive I had a little trouble getting it out, otherwise not bad... needs practice still though.

Funny though, you won't belive this, I LOST the double ender FIRST dive with it... some how it came uncliped from the bag, AND the d-ring... gone without a trace... ROFL So I've just been keeping it on the plate... after using it 4 dives now, I see the only chance it has of falling out, is if I remove the rig underwater, or durring donn/doffing which would be easy to see I lost it, and recover it.