How do you secure your equipment?

[firediver293]

While diving recently, I set my gear up and went through my little pre-dive ritual. I secured my gear as I always do and then headed towards the water. My dive buddy (first time I dove with him) gave me a weird look and said that he had never seen anyone do that in his life. He thought I was so odd.

So here's what I do....

I have a large plastic equipment box (the kind that can be bought at Walmart, Lowes, etc.). It is very durable, and more importantly lockable. I always carry extra gear (regulator, repair parts, tanks, etc.) and don't want to leave them unattended. I have never personnally had anything stolen and don't really want to either. So the gear that I don't use, I put in this box and lock it with two padlocks and a long cable. The cable is run through the vehicle rim. The padlocks have the same combination. This way I don't have to worry about a key to lose and all I have to do is remember the combination. I can't carry my vehicle keys with me as they have a key fob and have a security device built in the key. I don't know what water and pressure would do to it (and don't want to find out).

I didn't think this was too odd, but my buddy did.

I am curious what others do to secure you gear while you dive. Lock it in the vehicle is one obvious solution, but I don't like to load and unload gear between dives.

 

[onfloat]

A buddy of mine just built a lock box in the bed of his truck and has hidden the locks so that they can be seen. He does have to lay on his back and stick his arm through an opening to get it open though. I like his design and have thought about building one for myself.

 

[gfisher4792]

My SUV has run-of-the-mill locks, so I just carry two spares with me (one in a BC pocket, the other on a necklace around my neck). One of my buddies has a car with security device in the key, and carries a spare in a small ziplock bag that is then placed inside the smallest dry box he could find, which is then tied off inside on of his belt pouches. As far as unloading/loading, when I'm in the water, my rubbermaid box is sitting inside my SUV tailgate, which is very convenient for me before and after my dives.

 

[LUBOLD8431]

All gear that I dont need, I leave in the van, locked. Everything I do need comes with me on the dive...
Me thinks you might be a little paranoid. I would look at you funny too!!!

 

[Firediver]

Mine stays in a rubbermaid containor in the back of the truck.. just close the tenu cover and lock it.. when I have my parents van(which isn't often at all), I lock everything in back of the van. rear seat is removed so I just pop open the tail gate.. As for keys, I use the Valet Key to get in and out I keep it around my neck when I dive.

 

[pt40fathoms]

I suppose we must be either completely trusting people up here, or the cool air makes people honest.

At the local dive sites, nobody locks anything up, and most of the times gear is sitting on tailgates, tarps, and picnic tables unattended. Nothing has ever been stolen, on the contrary, if you leave the dive site and forget a piece of gear there, someone will pick it up and take it to a LDS. You simply call the dive shops and you'll soon find the one who has your lost item. Hopefully the time will never come when anyone feels the need to lock things up at the dive sites around here.

 

[AndrewJD]

I have the keypad entry system on my car. Best invention ever, as it allows me to lock all of my gear, including my keys in the car when I dive or run. I also tend open my tailgate and use the back of my car to set up my gear and to assist in donning and doffing my kit. Sometimes, when diving with larger groups, I'll leave non valuable things in a rubbermaid container where we have setup our gear.

 

[ColdH20diving]

At a dive site with students, most everyone leaves their gear spread out on tarps. There's usually a spouse or non-diver around to keep an eye on the gear. I transport my gear in a large rubbermaid tub, when we dive remote areas I leave the my spare gear inside my truck. The empty tub stays in the bed of my truck, unless it's a boat dive then everything comes with me.

 

[firediver293]

All gear that I dont need, I leave in the van, locked. Everything I do need comes with me on the dive...
Me thinks you might be a little paranoid. I would look at you funny too!!!

It's not so much the gear I am worried about as I can secure it in the vehicle. What do you do with your key? I like the small dry box idea. Haven't found one that small yet and then it is one more thing to attach to my gear.

 

[firediver293]

Mine stays in a rubbermaid containor in the back of the truck.. just close the tenu cover and lock it.. when I have my parents van(which isn't often at all), I lock everything in back of the van. rear seat is removed so I just pop open the tail gate.. As for keys, I use the Valet Key to get in and out I keep it around my neck when I dive.

Ahh...the valet key. Okay I'm stupid. Never gave a thought to that.

And by the way, nice nick (lol). Guess I wasn't quick enough to get it. I had to add my ID Number (293) to mine. I go by firediver on a lot of online forums and such.