Retractor Rules #1 to #3

[Eric Sedletzky]

Yesterday just before this thread dropped my wife and I were organizing gear for our next dive trip. I happened upon her camera retractor she used 10 years ago for a handful of dives. My inner seven year old was exhilarated and he spontaneously coerced me to pull the cable! The unit is still laying on the floor with two feet of line dangling out of it un-retracted. Sigh. I was immediately reprimanded and shamed. Not judging those that use retractors, but I have personally never used one and doubt I ever will...especially now.

During our gear drive someone included a brand new retractor in a box of stuff. It even had a plastic suicide clip, not even a metal one which is bad enough!
I couldn't do that to somebody so it went straight into the trash. I can't think of a single thing it would be good for doing urchin collection.

 

[davehicks]

Most of the coil lanyards aren’t that great. Weak point at a piece of plastic at end of coil. Fortunately my husbands broke on the camera table. Looking for a new one, it appears most of them are the same basic design.

Coil lanyards are my preferred solution for dive lights and cameras, even heavy 25-30lbs cameras like I use. A camera or light not clipped off is likely to go walk about eventually. If you or a buddy ever have an emergency to respond to you need drop everything and use both hands. Anything not clipped off is either gone or a distraction. In my diving situation I need to deploy a DSMB pretty often and this requires both hands to deploy and wind up during ascent.

However, I agree that coil lanyards do have that weak point at the attachment of the coil. I've had one break on me similar to your example. My simple resolution to this was to simply add a loop of 5mm bungie cord threaded inside the coil and around the webbing at each end. A few small zip ties keep it nice and tight to avoid snags. If the coil ever breaks, the bungie will keep everything secure. My current lanyard is over 5 years old and still works great.

Be sure to buy a lanyard with a brass or stainless-steel bolt snap. Plastic or carabiner style clips should be avoided. (Plastic is not secure and most carabiners have a notch catches on d-rings making them difficult to remove while in the water)

While writing this response I looked for a few lanyards online, and I found what looks like a really good one from AOI sold by Backscatter. It has a coated stainless-steel coil with stronger attachments and good bolt snap. It is probably time to replace my aged lanyard and will order one of these.

AOI Coiled Lanyard with Quick Release Buckle

AOI Spring Coiled Lanyard with Quick Release Buckle and Swivel Eye Bolt Snap

www.backscatter.com

My lanyard with reinforcement:

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Coil lanyards are my preferred solution for dive lights and cameras, even heavy 25-30lbs cameras like I use. A camera or light not clipped off is likely to go walk about eventually. If you or a buddy ever have an emergency to respond to you need drop everything and use both hands. Anything not clipped off is either gone or a distraction. In my diving situation I need to deploy a DSMB pretty often and this requires both hands to deploy and wind up during ascent.

However, I agree that coil lanyards do have that weak point at the attachment of the coil. I've had one break on me similar to your example. My simple resolution to this was to simply add a loop of 5mm bungie cord threaded inside the coil and around the webbing at each end. A few small zip ties keep it nice and tight to avoid snags. If the coil ever breaks, the bungie will keep everything secure. My current lanyard is over 5 years old and still works great.

Be sure to buy a lanyard with a brass or stainless-steel bolt snap. Plastic or carabiner style clips should be avoided. (Plastic is not secure and most carabiners have a notch catches on d-rings making them difficult to remove while in the water)

While writing this response I looked for a few lanyards online, and I found what looks like a really good one from AOI sold by Backscatter. It has a coated stainless-steel coil with stronger attachments and good bolt snap. It is probably time to replace my aged lanyard and will order one of these.

AOI Coiled Lanyard with Quick Release Buckle

AOI Spring Coiled Lanyard with Quick Release Buckle and Swivel Eye Bolt Snap

www.backscatter.com

My lanyard with reinforcement:

View attachment 886007

I used to use one of those with my Nikonos.

 

[Tassie_Rohan]

The only place for my retractors is in a box full of unused dive paraphernalia.

Items I bought on impulse, and stopped using after 1-2 dives, if ever used at all.

It's a large box full of items and regrets: I am sure every diver has one in a corner somewhere.

Keep things simple and streamlined. Take only what you need for the dive. Store gear in pockets when unused with simple clips for when deployed.

 

[Tassie_Rohan]

I dive a Seaquest Balance, it's a rear inflate BCD, with D rings on the top shoulder straps and two more D-rings below each weight pocket. I ran a length of bungie through the bottom of the backplate and clipped a double-ender to it to secure the bottom of the bottle.

Dive light on retractor mounted behind the right (and only) BCD pocket (keeps it somewhat protected and out of the way), compass/slate, backup PC on retractors in pocket, Nautilus PLB in the pocket on coiled lanyard, dive knife in a sheath attached to a grommet above the left BCD pocket with backup retractor. Accessory pocket attached to the left shoulder webbing that holds a foldable snorkel and mirror. I have a second cutting tool (shears) in a sheath ziptied to my corrugated deflator hose, along with a ziptied whistle, and a reel/smb hooked to the lower right D-ring. Integrated air signaling device on my power inflator, plus the retractor to keep the corrugated hose streamlined. The pony bottle is slung on the left side and shares the left D ring with a ring for the camera. The pony reg is on a necklace. A wrist computer on each arm (one for the pony bottle), that's 3 computers total. A contact lens case with holes drilled in it attached to the back left of my BCD that contains vented ear plugs but I haven't used them in a while. I guess those could go in my tool kit. Rubber reg holder on right D-ring so it doesn't hang when it's sitting on the boat. Small lightweight carabiner to hold my dive computers when my rig is sitting in the rack. Two chrome rings with a quicklink on each D-ring to clip off camera and makes it a bit easier to clip/unclip as it hangs a bit from those rings (Gopro on a tray with two video lights) plus a 3rd clip on a lower D ring to secure the camera close to my body if it's not used.

I guess it is a lot of stuff after all.

Can you post a photo of this setup?

 

[Pavao]

Maybe someone can come up with a Retractor Rule #4.

Sure,
- Retractor Rule #4, For every use you may think a retractor is good for, realize there’s a better way to do it, throw the retractor in the garbage.

Seriously though, they’re garbage, use it all you want yourself, I really don’t care, but let’s make sure new divers hear they’re not good options in scuba, in any scenario!

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Retractor rule #4
(condensed version)
Throw it in the trash!

 

[LI-er]

Can you post a photo of this setup?

It's all stowed away in a closet. I'll have to unpack it and set it up on a tank and rig the pony. I just put all of it away after my recent trip. I'll see if I get a chance later.

 

[LI-er]

Sure,
- Retractor Rule #4, For every use you may think a retractor is good for, realize there’s a better way to do it, throw the retractor in the garbage.

Seriously though, they’re garbage, use it all you want yourself, I really don’t care, but let’s make sure new divers hear they’re not good options in scuba, in any scenario!

You've got your opinion and I've got mine. Yours is worthless because you don't give a single reason to support your claims while I provided several.

 

[LI-er]

Can you post a photo of this setup?

Done.

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

Yesterday at 3:36 AM

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:


Recreational divers only, please feel free to post your own rig here to share your...

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• Forum: Basic Scuba

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