Lift bag versus SMB for tech divers?

[Mako Mark]

after the egyptian accident where 12 people got lost simultaneously at the brothers (for 18 hours) someone did a visual compairison of various bags/SMB's from different distances. At greater distances, a bag was better because the thin line of an SMB went beyond the resolution of the eye while the blob of a bag was easily seen.

The colour yellow was also easier to discern from a greater distance than red or orange.

I now carry a yellow 100lb liftbag on every dive, you can also use them as lift bags if you want to.

 

[battles2a5]

One thing to consider is whether or not your marker device has a dump. If using a lift bag as back-up bouyancy is part of your contingency planning, you need a dump to help control your ascent and keep nuetral at your stops. I am in training now as well, and this consideration is why I chose lift bags instead of a SMB. I have am orange 100lb'er which is still pretty big out of the water and a 50lb'er (yellow) as a back-up/ emergency marker.

 

[texdiveguy]

Both my on-board lift bags are different colors and sport my initials in big font to be visible to surface crew.

 

[BarryNL]

Ok, I'm still gathering up my collection of equipment before I take Intro to Tech. As for marking your position, are lift bags or SMB's the preferred method?

As usual, using the equipment for its designed purpose works best. A lift bag is best for lifting things and an SMB is best for marking your position. Especially at sea or in other rough water a lift bag may be difficult to see. An SMB might sometimes seem like overkill, but no-one ever got into trouble for being too visible, right?

 

[grazie42]

I own two smbs (orange-open and yellow-closed) and one liftbag.

I find I use open/closed smbs for different things and in different situations (when there´s no surface support).

For training, I´d go with whatever your instructor recommends, for real life I´d get all three.

If you ever intend to travel you´ll need both colours sooner or later anyway (you don´t want to shoot the wrong colour- trust me) and I like a liftbag as backup bouyancy...

ymmv...

 

[texdiveguy]

I forgot to mention....the lift bags I use are yellow and orange.

 

[jlgrimes]

I use an oms 100lb smb, has a dump valve on it. I find it useful as a lift bag and a marker.

 

[Jimmer]

Thanks for the tips guys. I think I'll just end up getting one of each in different colours for now and experimenting until I figure out what works for me.

 

[Meng_Tze]

.. (you don´t want to shoot the wrong colour- trust me)

Huh? There is a standard?

 

[JeffG]

Huh? There is a standard?

In Europe....darn crazy people. Using that metric system too....nuts I tell you.