Scuba Gadgets - what's great and what's not

[Shcubasteve]

GOOD: LionTamer for killing the invasive species

BAD: Illegal/too small dive flags... and Guys like that

 

[Jbell8289]

GOOD: LionTamer for killing the invasive species

BAD: Illegal/too small dive flags... and Guys like that

i was thumbing through this months issue of wreck diver magazine at the book store today and there was a pic of a guy with almost that much gear on including a full facemask system connected to a rebreather??? i couldnt tell if it was a joke or what but i dont think it was, which is scary....

GOOD : oxycheq raider I light sock, fits many different size lights even weird ones.
tackle boxes make good gadget organizers
doc's pro plugs, earplugs for divers can save your diving trip
xs scuba weight pockets

Bad: every octo clip ive ever used...bungied is the only way to go
super tiny octo's that are like sucking air out of a straw
cheap giant dsmb that have to be orally inflated are useless

 

[Colliam7]

GOOD: LionTamer for killing the invasive species

Great video! I need to get one of those. At first viewing, I didn't see that the guy was wearing gloves, and was REALLY impressed.

GOOD : oxycheq raider I light sock, fits many different size lights even weird ones.

I love my Big Blue Goodman glove - my Intova fits it very nicely. But, now I am also impressed by the Oxycheq Light Sock. Hadn't seen them until your post. Tx.

Bad: every octo clip ive ever used...bungied is the only way to go

Agree that most clips are useless. Looking for something for the pool with OW students (where I want to have the same gear they have, and a bungeed necklace octo won't work), I now tie a loop of bungee through a split ring, which I have attached to my jacket, and put the octo mouthpiece through that bungee IN ADDITION to using a standard hose holder clip. The mouthpiece comes out of the bungee readily when an 'out of air' diver pulls on it, but stays in otherwise and I avoid the usual dangling octo.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I would add:

EMT Shears - cheaper and safer (in my hands) than a knife

IP Gauge - even though I am not servicing my own gear, the ability to check IP is very helpful

Small LED Light - just to look in holes and such

 

[pedo]

I really do like the spring straps but believe me they can (and do) break.

 

[scubadiver888]

The 'triangle' is deliberately worded to include 'the mouth'...thus allowing primary donation. This enables 'sanctioned' use of primary donation, long hose and AIR2 configurations. It isn't the 'octo' that has to be here... it is the AAS. If the primary is chosen as the AAS to be supplied to the buddy, then that is ok.

I teach with a bungeed AAS. On my recreational kit, I use a 'pull-free' version, so that the reciever can opt for either of the regulators (I teach them to use and understand both primary and secondary AAS donation techniques).

On OW courses, the reciever is expected to obtain the AAS. On rescue courses, the donor supplies it.

Thank you Andy. This is helpful. I can see now how your interpretation of the standard makes perfect sense and my previous instructor was limiting definitions and thus changing the intention.

I never noticed that the mouth is included in the triangle I always through it was the chin and down but your explanation makes much more sense.

Being DM for Open Water made me forget that during Rescue training we were taught to supply the regulator (and make sure it is handed right side up and facing the OOA diver). Time to re-read my books and notes again plus hit the pool.

I usually use a snorkel keeper to hold my octo in place. Last class I helped with the think broken when a student took it from me. I was going to just use another snorkel keeper but now I think a necklace might be better. Has anyone every had to replace the necklace because it broken when a student pulled it out? Is it as fragile as a snorkel keeper on a D-ring?

 

[fjpatrum]

Do I read this as saying that you have bungied the regulator you intend to donate? That's not the way a bungied backup is generally used. Most people put that backup reg on a short hose, and put the longer hose on the primary regulator, and donate that one if it is needed. Donating off a bungied necklace under my chin would make me very uncomfortable -- if you pull hard enough to pull the reg out of the necklace, the bungie recoils with a very nasty sting to the face!

No, actually I told my buddy to just grab my primary if anything happens because it breathes better than my octo anyway. Currently my hoses are very close to the same length so it doesn't really matter which one is used. I haven't bought any new hoses yet and was just trying the bungee to see if I liked the configuration better mostly for "danglies" than for any other reason. For me it seems to keep the octo better than all the "keepers" I've tried so far.

I had tied my own bungee necklace and didn't notice anything when I pulled the kit off after my dive, the bungee came loose from the mouthpiece without any problems. Of course I was also wearing a ridiculous amount of neoprene so maybe it snapped back and I just didn't notice.

 

[TSandM]

If you tie the necklace with the double fisherman's knot loop, you can certainly pull the regulator out of the necklace, and it does no harm to the bungie. Some people knot the ends of the bungie, and zip tie it to the mouthpiece. It is far more difficult to pull the regulator out of the necklace, and trying may pull the mouthpiece off the reg, unless you used two different zipties for the mouthpiece and necklace.

I use the fisherman's knot loop for mine.

 

[Rainer]

Some people knot the ends of the bungie, and zip tie it to the mouthpiece. It is far more difficult to pull the regulator out of the necklace, and trying may pull the mouthpiece off the reg, unless you used two different zipties for the mouthpiece and necklace.

I use the fisherman's knot loop for mine.

Everyone I see using a ziptie and knotted bungee ends for the necklace are using a separate zip tie to the one on the mouthpiece.

I've used fisherman's knots on all my necklaced regs, but I've had them pull out about a half dozen times over the years (half those times due to one knot coming undone). They can be quite annoying to put back together in the water (dry gloves, lots of gear, etc). I might convert them all to the ziptie method next year...

 

[rjack321]

I use thin 1/8" bungie and attach the bungie onto the reg along with the mouthpiece using one ziptie. I use a fat ziptie and pull it tiiiight! Even if the little single fisherman's knots come undone that bungie is not slipping off. I may hae put a drop of super glue on those knots years ago, I can't exactly remember.

I have never had anyone grab for the backup reg. I consider having it slip loose and not be where I want it when I want it the greater hazard.