Marking equipment

[bgonderi]

I've got some questions regarding marking your equipment (fins, mask, gauges, BC, etc.).

I've seen a couple of messages mention marking tanks with a paint pen. Does water-based vs. latex make any difference? I'd imagine the water-based ones would have a lower chance of chemically damaging anything, but don't know about their longevity in a dive environment.

Anybody use anything else? (Sharpie, laundry marker, etc.)?

Any suggestions on color? Yellow seems like a good choice - easy to see and decent contrast with the mostly dark-colored dive equipment I've got.

Also, if you do mark your gear, what information do you put on it? Just initials or something else that'll let you identify it as yours, or more info such as a full name and phone number so it can be returned if lost also?

 

[Dee]

All of our tanks are unpainted with either brushed aluminuk or galvanized steel. They are marked with our first names in black Sharpie around the neck.

Fins, masks, computers, etc. are marked with either yellow or white paint pen. It eventually wears off but is easy to do over.

 

[large_diver]

I use a black sharpie on tanks & fins -- seems to stand up well to salt water.

 

[martinjc]

As all of my gear is black - I use a white paint pen to mark my name in everything (I also keep an equipment list with descriptions and serial numbers in my log book).

 

[bgonderi]

Thanks for all the posts. We ended up getting some white and black paint pens of fine and medium thickness, and they worked great. Some of the equipment was a little hard to mark (reg bag, webbing straps), but I think it came out OK. Only time will tell if it lasts or not.