Glue on pockets vs pocket shorts

[WhiteSands]

Please give us a review when you've dived them I'd be interested to hear what you think. Cheers!
Mike

Here's a review of the Dive Rite XT Thigh Pockets. I had a chance to use them for 8 dives over the last week.

Pros:
- Big enough to stuff my big 2m SMB + spool comfortably. My wife managed to stuffed her 4th Element 3mm gloves in a mesh bag in hers in addition to SMB + spool.
- It's the most roomy low cost pocket I have found on the market. Others I've tried cannot accommodate even my SMB + spool.
- Once adjusted and tightened in place, they do not move around when swimming. I was wearing shorts so that's pretty impressive. I figure it will grip even better on wetsuits.
- Seem to be well made and works for the purpose it was built for.
- I feel the strap that attaches to the BCD is a fail safe and it is not really needed once you tighten the thigh straps properly.

Cons:
- I clipped on the thigh pocket "failsafe strap" to my BCD permanently for the entire duration of the dive. As it is made of 1 inch nylon webbing, it can twist around. So when you are trying to don the pocket on a small speedboat on choppy seas, it can be a bit challenging.
- I think I much prefer the old version where there is a clip between the pocket and the part that attaches to the BCD. In that way, you can put on your pocket first. After donning your BCD, clip it to the part that attaches to the BCD. However, I believe the old version pockets are smaller than the new ones.
- You kinda get used to it after a few dives though, but I think this is one area of design that can be improved. Perhaps use a much stiffer material for the failsafe strap so that donning is easier.
- The bungee inside the pockets are way too long. After removing my SMB, I later realized that the pockets were closed but the bungee was floating outside the pockets. Simple problem to fix though.

Overall, I would recommend these pockets, and I am happy with my purchase. I just have to find a way to make the fail safe strap rigid so the pockets cannot twist around.

Any ideas?

 

[Mike.D]

Excellent thanks whitesands.
I'm thinking about getting one of those but cutting off the 'failsafe'. If i ditch my bcd I'd like to keep my smb.
Good idea to have a removable pocket you could use on any wetsuit/shorts instead of permanently gluing them on.

 

[WhiteSands]

Excellent thanks whitesands.
I'm thinking about getting one of those but cutting off the 'failsafe'. If i ditch my bcd I'd like to keep my smb.
Good idea to have a removable pocket you could use on any wetsuit/shorts instead of permanently gluing them on.

Anytime!

One idea I have for the failsafe strap - cut it off from the thigh pocket leaving a small stub. Sew the stub over itself, then tie a loop of bungee to this stub.

Similarly, tie a bungee around your BCD waist strap or some other fastening point. You can clip both bungees together with a small double ender. This ensures you will never accidentally lose the thigh pocket.

 

[hroark2112]

I spent a week in Bonaire with my Irikonji shorts. I shouldn't have brought the other bathing suit. Waste of space in the bag.

I'll be the first to admit that I think they look more than a bit geeky. Oh well!! They're great shorts, plenty of room for a spare mask, backup dive light, anything else I wanted to carry really. I went with the old version to save some $$ and they were perfect. They even fit over the wetsuit for those dives >2 hours.

I'll take looking geeky and being able to easily find and access what I need underwater any day!

 

[Colliam7]

Pro's/Con's/Experiences/Suggestions?

If you go 'glue on', also go 'sew on'. 'Glue on' pockets tend to come off, beginning at the corners, over time.

Do it right - have them glued AND sewn by someone who knows what they are doing - e.g. Superior Diving Repair (Superior Diving Repair, Inc.) or Steve Gamble (Gamble Scuba).

Personally, I like the glue / sew on - I can position them where I want them when I have them attached.

 

[eelnoraa]

I spent a week in Bonaire with my Irikonji shorts. I shouldn't have brought the other bathing suit. Waste of space in the bag.

I'll be the first to admit that I think they look more than a bit geeky. Oh well!! They're great shorts, plenty of room for a spare mask, backup dive light, anything else I wanted to carry really. I went with the old version to save some $$ and they were perfect. They even fit over the wetsuit for those dives >2 hours.

I'll take looking geeky and being able to easily find and access what I need underwater any day!

I just bought a pair but have to return. The smallest they made is 32" waist. but in reality, they measured 34". I guess they are counting on people wearing wetsuit or drysuit underneed. My jean is 30" wait, so this short is way too big for me. too bad, I like it a lot.

 

[bradells]

I purchased the shorts DGX sell.


First few dives, the big Velcro tabs was very annoying. After the first 3-4 dives, it lost a lot of the annoying grip to open said pockets.

40 dives later (2-4 times using each pocket per dive), they still hold closed well, and store all that I need (2 smb and reels/spare mask and wet notes)

The only thing I did to them, was replace the waist draw string with bungee, as I could never get it tight and stay tight throughout a dive (drysuit). Luckily the crotch strap always caught them.

Works great for all of my diving (drysuit or rash guard) with no adjustments (so far).

I'd prefer to have pockets on my drysuit, but I only have a sport skin on my fusion.

BRad