How do you personalize your markers?

[caveandreas]

Thanks all for the thoughtful recommendations. For the record, I decided to do the following:

• Name and progressive number with a permanent marker for ease of note taking
• Drilling holes for 0 viz identification
• Adding some reflective tape to increase visibility from a distance in good visibility

While I agree that 0 viz is unlikely in the kind of diving I do, it doesn't take much effort to drill holes and it doesn't take functionality away from the markers (e.g., I don't like adding zip ties because it may make staking markers more tricky).

It’s not necessary for zero visibility alone. It’s only in situations where there’s zero visibility, the navigation is accessible from both directions, and people are actually doing that, that it could have any effect at all.

If there are cookies on only one side of the T, you don’t need to identify your specific NDM (other than by team order) to figure out the correct exit. As long as that’s clear, the only potential issue is trading cookies at the surface after the dive. I don’t have a problem with people customizing their NDMs, but this feature is absolutely oversold. It feels more like a rite of passage for new cave divers than a meaningful addition to safety.

 

[halocline]

don’t have a problem with people customizing their NDMs, but this feature is absolutely oversold. It feels more like a rite of passage for new cave divers than a meaningful addition to safety.

Well gee, I’m glad you don’t have a problem with it. Jeesh….

You’ve apparently never encountered a main line tie in with half a dozen existing reels and sets of markers, or a popular jump with a few other teams already tied in. Being able to quickly and easily identify your own markers, and to allow others to quickly and easily identify your stuff as ‘not theirs’ is a convenience and possibly a safety issue. Clarity of intent is a guiding principle in navigation (at least the way I was taught) and anything that helps to avoid confusion is beneficial, and that includes the possible confusion of other teams.

Oh, and BTW, I dove in caves for years before modifying my markers to make it obvious to identify them in a crowd. So this ‘rite of passage for new cave divers’ is BS.

 

[caveandreas]

Well gee, I’m glad you don’t have a problem with it. Jeesh….

You’ve apparently never encountered a main line tie in with half a dozen existing reels and sets of markers, or a popular jump with a few other teams already tied in. Being able to quickly and easily identify your own markers, and to allow others to quickly and easily identify your stuff as ‘not theirs’ is a convenience and possibly a safety issue. Clarity of intent is a guiding principle in navigation (at least the way I was taught) and anything that helps to avoid confusion is beneficial, and that includes the possible confusion of other teams.

Oh, and BTW, I dove in caves for years before modifying my markers to make it obvious to identify them in a crowd. So this ‘rite of passage for new cave divers’ is BS.

No offense intended; I’m sorry if it came across as an attack.

To clarify, my point was about modifying the NDM so that they are identifiable by touch.

I don’t quite understand from your description how that situation would make the exit direction unclear for you. But perhaps that’s a discussion better suited for another thread.

 

[garyh]

Been cave diving since about 1997 and have always marked all reels, spools and markers the same. Get a cheap set of metal stamps, warm them up with a propane torch and brand my initials in them, then fill the brand in with a sharpie or paint marker. Upside never comes off and visually great, no vis easy to feel. Downside if u ever want to sell it's permanent.

 

[addohm]

I put braile on one side of my markers so that even if its no vis, I can still read my markers