Organizing the rarely needed

[martincohn]

1st question is S#&$ hits the fan and u r going to be able to peal open this package.
2nd is why would u need any of this stuff

This isn't for SHTF, its for those long hours afterward when you are floating in the ocean all alone hoping someone sees ya.

Kinda like a gun...
Would rather have it and not need it, then need it and not have it!

 

[rhwestfall]

battery maintenance?

 

[lexvil]

What needs to be waterproof? Maybe the dye marker but the rest can ride in the mesh bag without issue.

 

[lairdb]

battery maintenance?

The strobe has a lithium primary AA, so that's marked at 10 years. I should put a "change battery in 2026" slip of paper in that's visible through the shrink.

What needs to be waterproof? Maybe the dye marker but the rest can ride in the mesh bag without issue.

Nothing -- all those things have been on hundreds of dives already. (Well, the signal mirror doesn't like it -- the delamination you see is from those hundreds of dives, plus possibly some mechanical damage):

(The sealing isn't really important, except it keeps things organized and maybe a little protected. If it actually holds watertight, it may keep the mirror from degrading. (Further.))

It's more about keeping it organized and lightweight, than keeping it protected -- adding a separate snap to every item would add bulk and weight and expense, and having them all "loose" in a pocket, even clipped off, makes it that much more annoying to fish through the pocket for anything else.

 

[Akimbo]

Do you have any concern that hydrostatic pressure will damage the mirror due to unequal stress? It will be interesting to see if the vacuum bag holds up when repeated 4+ atmospheres presses against edges of components. Keep in mind that the vacuum pressure is +/- half an atmosphere.

Another thing to test is if the pressure slowly leaks out of the housings, will you still be able to get the cap off the dye package? If that occurs, you could just replace the dye pack tube with a vacuum bag. Another thing to think about is will the airport security be uncomfortable with these devices in a sealed bag? (non-issue with local diving)

Another consideration is to make sure you can get the bag open in sloppy seas without dropping your cutting edge. Interesting experiment, please let us know what you learn.

 

[lairdb]

This isn't for SHTF, its for those long hours afterward when you are floating in the ocean all alone hoping someone sees ya.

Photograph of what you see 20 miles offshore at night:

Kinda like a gun...
Would rather have it and not need it, then need it and not have it!

"Guns are like lawyers: most of the time they're annoying and inconvenient -- but when you need one, you need it Right Now, and nothing else will do." --I forget who.

 

[kelemvor]

I really like the idea. Might have to steal it . Can you get vacuum seal bags that are more transparent?

I use ziplock bags so extensively around the house that my wife thinks I have a problem. I also use the vacuum seal zipper bags for storing extra bedding, those are dandy. Just wait till I buy a vacuum sealer machine... I hope she doesn't have me committed.

 

[wheeledgoat]

I was thinking ziplock bags myself - if you already have the sealer then I guess I could see the use so long as you're sure it can be easily opened without tools - but wouldn't a ziplock bag do a better job of containing the items and letting you take just one thing out and then reseal?

 

[garyh]

This isn't for SHTF, its for those long hours afterward when you are floating in the ocean all alone hoping someone sees ya.

Kinda like a gun...
Would rather have it and not need it, then need it and not have it!

True I guess its the minimalist or kiss principle in me.
I carry a primary light with 2 BU's and an SMB.
Never had a lets say an occurrence at night but have had a few in daylight and the SMB always worked out for me.
If I was going to carry this package I would eliminate the length of line between the bolt snap and carabiner altogether, eliminate the carabiner and tie everything directly to the bolt snap, melt the ends of the line and put a drop of super glue on all knots.

 

[lairdb]

Do you have any concern that hydrostatic pressure will damage the mirror due to unequal stress? It will be interesting to see if the vacuum bag holds up when repeated 4+ atmospheres presses against edges of components. Keep in mind that the vacuum pressure is +/- half an atmosphere.

Another thing to test is if the pressure slowly leaks out of the housings, will you still be able to get the cap off the dye package? If that occurs, you could just replace the dye pack tube with a vacuum bag. Another thing to think about is will the airport security be uncomfortable with these devices in a sealed bag? (non-issue with local diving)

Another consideration is to make sure you can get the bag open in sloppy seas without dropping your cutting edge. Interesting experiment, please let us know what you learn.

Good questions. The unequal stress is something I'll have to dive it to see, but I don't think so. It's on my mind as a possibility, but the mirror is polycarbonate, so it's pretty robust, and the arrangement of contents should spread the pressure. I could also put the mirror in the middle third, and the clip in the top third, so the whole package tri-folds like a letter.

The vacuum from the sous vide gadget is pretty weak; I don't think it will overcome the seals on the strobe or dye tube. Granted that resisting pressure is different from resisting vacuum, but those are built to resist 6 ATM pressure -- they should cope. The dye tube is a screw top, so that gives major leverage to breaking any vacuum if it leaks into the tube. The first time I sealed it I was actually more worried about crushing the whistle, but everything seems okay.

In terms of opening it, no tool required. The pouch isn't that sturdy (teeth are sufficient, like starting a bag of potato chips) -- plus I added a tear notch so it can be started bare-handed.