Recreational divers, post your rig here, let's share good and bad ideas

[LI-er]

Special thanks to @Tassie_Rohan, without his input on my other thread this one would not have existed.

I've tweaked my rig for the past 4 1/2 decades, being rather OCD I've tended to the smallest details such as the type and size of each clip and the best use of retractors, keeping in mind their inherent unreliability. Note that all retractors confirm to one of my 3 sacred retractor rules as per this thread:

Thread 'Retractor Rules #1 to #3'

Friday at 5:39 PM

I've been tweaking my dive gear set up for the better part of 4 decades. More than I probably need to, more than most divers probably do, especially for a recreational diver. But it's fun! A different sort of clip here, a larger one there, I'll never be able to click that double-ender open while wearing 5mm gloves... a snap clip will be easier and in that location not very likely to snag a piece of monofilament.. wait that brass bolt snap clashes with the chrome D ring, back in the box for you!

But leaving all those precious clips aside for a moment, in my heart there will always be a...

• LI-er
• retractor
• Replies: 35
• Forum: Basic Scuba

• 

Recreational divers only, please feel free to post your own rig here to share your great ideas with other divers, feel free to critique mine and share thoughts, ideas comments & questions.

My rig will differ from many in that: If not diving with my wife or one of very few dive buddies I have learned to trust, I dive solo whenever possible. So in addition to redundant cutting gear, lights, and signaling devices that most recreational divers do not require, I carry a stony bottle on most dives, one reason being that a) I don't have an octopus on my first stage, and b) even on easy, shallow dives, you just never know when you might need it or c) want to extend a dive.

For a more detailed conversation about stony bottles please go here:

Thread 'I finally decided to sling my stony bottle rather than backmount it and I won't go back here's why.'

Feb 20, 2025

After decades of diving with a back mounted stony bottle (19cf and 30 cf) I made the switch to slinging it and I wish I had done so much sooner. With the back mount I could never get the trim right, either too much or too little lead in the opposite pocket to offset the bottle caused a roll tendency throughout the dive and the available weight increments on the charter boat often made it impossible to get just the right amount in that opposite pocket. Sometimes when I didn't require any weight such as no wetsuit and steel tank, I'd have to add up to 4 lbs to offset the bottle, which meant...

• LI-er
• Replies: 17
• Forum: Advanced Scuba

• 

I wear an AI computer on each wrist (one for the stony bottle) so the only gauge is a small backup spg about the size of a nickel (the hose could be a bit shorter).

Mask, fins, snorkel, gloves, booties, save-a-dive-kit, tool kit and gear bag are not included, if you post your own gear you don't need to include those either.

Please refer to the attached photos with file names that correspond to this list. File attachments are limited to a maximum of 5 so I will have to spread them out over 4 posts.

A- Seaquest Balance rear inflate BCD with all gear less stony bottle & camera
B- rig + stony bottle + camera. Note the necklace for stony bottle regulator.
C- camera with tray clipped to upper D rings and also a 3rd ring to clip bottom of camera to waist strap during long periods of non-use. Also visible is lightweight red clip for computer storage between dives and rubber reg holder.
D- reel & SMB clipped to lower right D ring in front of weight pocket.
E- compass/slate/pencil/eraser, backup computer (both on retractors) & Nautilus PLB on coiled (green) lanyard.

 

[LI-er]

F- gear stowed in closed pocket. This pocket expands (by releasing a Velcro connection) to about double if needed, possibly if you pick up an item.
G- integrated air horn & retractor for corrugated inflator hose
H- lightweight clip to stow dive computers when not diving & rubber regulator holder for primary to keep it off the bench. Also visible is adjustable regulator venturi level, breathing adjustment dial, and swivel.
I- mini spg on a swivel attached to thin miflex hose (which could be shorter).
J- backup shears in sheath on corrugated hose & whistle

 

[LI-er]

K- left side accessory pocket contains foldable snorkel with quick attach clip for mask & whistle.
L- foldable snorkel in open accessory pocket
N- knife retractor (XS scuba combo knife/shears is great but tends to slip out of sheath so retractor is a backup)
O- knife retractor different view
P- stony bottle top clip, shares D ring with clip for camera. Hose holder was attached after the last trip to experiment with stony bottle reg hose but have not yet tried it.

 

[LI-er]

Q- stony bottle bottom clip
R- stony bottle bottom bungie to backplate (yes I see it's frayed!)
S- torch on Cetacea high force lockable retractor
T- torch on retractor stowed and unlikely to hang up on anything or break. As per my "retractor rules thread" this is the only piece of dive gear that is at risk of loss due to a broken retractor, to me the risk is worth the tradeoff for convenience as my hands are usually occupied with my camera.
U-vented ear plugs (not used in years but very handy when needed, really could be in my save-a-dive-kit)

 

[BoltSnap]

You have too much shiiit on you, almost more than a tech diver. Why not use a thigh pocket and take what you really need?

 

[LI-er]

You have too much shiiit on you, almost more than a tech diver. Why not use a thigh pocket and take what you really need?

What gear do you think is excessive? Keep in mind that as a solo diver I must carry redundant signal devices (audible and visual) and of course the stony bottle and regulator. And the earplugs could be left in the tool box.

I thought about a thigh pocket but decided I didn't need it. All my gear has a place and I consider every piece to be essential even if not used on every dive, the exception being that I occasionally swap the reel with a spool (or sometimes carry both), and I'll sometimes leave the pony bottle behind. Unless I am traveling overseas, and diving where gear is included, or it's not convenient to lug it around, or too expensive due to flight baggage restrictions, or the trip isn't "dive centric" so not worth the trouble. In which case only the mask, computers and torch go with me.

 

[happy-diver]

Assisting in negating the environmental impact of lead

 

[Tassie_Rohan]

Well, as you reference me in your post, this is my setup. I'm carrying almost as many items as you...

 

[Blackcrusader]

Perdix DC, Mask, Fins, booties, regs, DIN, DSMB, & reel, BCD, Dive Torch 6000 lumens, reef hook, dive knife, whistle, video lights with emergency distress beacons, satellite beacon

 

[rongoodman]

of course the stony bottle and regulator.

"stony bottle"?