Organizing the rarely needed

[lairdb]

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?

Yes -- but if I reach this point, I'm not really worried about re-sealing. Pull it all out, clip it off so I don't lose anything, use the relevant items, and probably end up ditching my whole kit when the heli-basket comes down.

 

[lairdb]

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.

Fair enough, and same here -- but there are a few stories of SMB insufficiency to be found on the boards.

My core kit includes two BU lights, a 7 foot SMB, and a DiveAlert, always, day or night; this kit doesn't even get added unless going over-the-horizon from shore. As martincohn said:

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

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.

I wanted to be able to detach things. For example, if I want to put the strobe up at the top of the SMB to make it more visible all night, I can detach it and use a double-ender to clip it up there. Similarly, using the mirror is a PITA if it's clipped to a bunch of stuff.

My theory on the length between is to allow the bolt snap to be separate from the bundle, so that when opening the pouch, the bolt snap can be grabbed and clipped off while maintaining a firm grip on the bundle -- less chance of fumbling the whole thing.

 

[lairdb]

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.

The sealers are pretty handy. I got mine for free, and I buy a 100-pack of restaurant-grade (i.e. cheap) pouches every couple of years. Really prevents freezer-burn on steaks.

In re. ziplocks, that would work too -- just not quite as easy to fully squish into a solid lump. You can drive most of the air out by semi-submerging it in the sink -- look for web content on making sous vide food without a vacuum. Then you've got @wheeledgoat 's resealability, too.

 

[rhwestfall]

One thing I began to carry is a modest sized white trash bag. "inflated", and a torch/strobe stuck in the bottom, it becomes quite a visible item. And, it packs so easily....

 

[Heka]

Would it be possible to tie a big loop into the line inside the bag and seal inside of the loop and add a grommet to sealed part? That way you could pass line through the grommet and clip the items to you not just the bag.

 

[lairdb]

One thing I began to carry is a modest sized white trash bag. "inflated", and a torch/strobe stuck in the bottom, it becomes quite a visible item. And, it packs so easily....

That's interesting. A couple of folks on the EPIRB thread talked about having a mylar sheet for either/both of radar visibility or exposure protection; your garbage bag could also meet the exposure goal.

 

[garyh]

Fair enough, and same here -- but there are a few stories of SMB insufficiency to be found on the boards.

My core kit includes two BU lights, a 7 foot SMB, and a DiveAlert, always, day or night; this kit doesn't even get added unless going over-the-horizon from shore. As martincohn said:







I wanted to be able to detach things. For example, if I want to put the strobe up at the top of the SMB to make it more visible all night, I can detach it and use a double-ender to clip it up there. Similarly, using the mirror is a PITA if it's clipped to a bunch of stuff.

My theory on the length between is to allow the bolt snap to be separate from the bundle, so that when opening the pouch, the bolt snap can be grabbed and clipped off while maintaining a firm grip on the bundle -- less chance of fumbling the whole thing.

Agree, fumbling the whole thing would be bad, trying to unclip from the carabiner and dropping something you really need or may need latter on might not be a pretty picture. I take it you are ocean diving and assuming fairly warm temps?

 

[lairdb]

Would it be possible to tie a big loop into the line inside the bag and seal inside of the loop and add a grommet to sealed part? That way you could pass line through the grommet and clip the items to you not just the bag.

Okay, that took me a few minutes to work out the topology. I think this is what you are thinking:

Yes, that totally works -- if you could get a good seal (or didn't care about the seal) around the hole. I made a low-effort attempt, and it didn't really seal:

...but if you got it to seal, it would have worked.

 

[lairdb]

Agree, fumbling the whole thing would be bad, trying to unclip from the carabiner and dropping something you really need or may need latter on might not be a pretty picture. I take it you are ocean diving and assuming fairly warm temps?

Yes on both -- though I'm curious how you assumed warm temps; survival time vs. cold, or dexterity?

Obviously little need for any of this on cave, cavern, quarry, etc.

 

[Heka]

Okay, that took me a few minutes to work out the topology. I think this is what you are thinking:

View attachment 613969

Yes, that totally works -- if you could get a good seal (or didn't care about the seal) around the hole. I made a low-effort attempt, and it didn't really seal:
View attachment 613970
...but if you got it to seal, it would have worked.

Yes, that was just the thing i was trying to say. Sometimes it's just hard to convey my toughts in english