Question Show me how you keep gear streamlined [Pics Requested]

[Sascha314]

She should get of this bcd at all.. its blocking the view ... i mean its not streamlined

 

[Cornbread O'Malley]

Tech shorts are the way forward have a look at Apeks or Fourth Element - you can also find these from OEM in China to similar specifications

@BHWookiee As noserider stated, tech shorts will handle a lot of your equipment stowing issues especially as you progress in diving and start carrying more stuff. I stow in my shorts: DSMB, finger spool, whistle, wetnotes, and Nautilus Lifeline device as my standard kit for open water dives. Depending on the dive, sometimes I carry more torches, a strobe, spare mask. My shorts also double as a layer of thermal protection and works well in warmer water diving.

 

[noserider]

@BHWookiee As noserider stated, tech shorts will handle a lot of your equipment stowing issues especially as you progress in diving and start carrying more stuff. I stow in my shorts: DSMB, finger spool, whistle, wetnotes, and Nautilus Lifeline device as my standard kit for open water dives. Depending on the dive, sometimes I carry more torches, a strobe, spare mask. My shorts also double as a layer of thermal protection and works well in warmer water diving.

Have you looked in my tech shorts pockets? The only thing missing is a pair of shears and I carry 2 spools

 

[Cornbread O'Malley]

Have you looked in my tech shorts pockets? The only thing missing is a pair of shears and I carry 2 spools

Those tech shorts you mentioned, the Apeks and Fourth Element, have such huge pockets that a Challenger 2 tank can fit in them!!

 

[BHWookiee]

@BHWookiee As noserider stated, tech shorts will handle a lot of your equipment stowing issues especially as you progress in diving and start carrying more stuff. I stow in my shorts: DSMB, finger spool, whistle, wetnotes, and Nautilus Lifeline device as my standard kit for open water dives. Depending on the dive, sometimes I carry more torches, a strobe, spare mask. My shorts also double as a layer of thermal protection and works well in warmer water diving.

Have you looked in my tech shorts pockets? The only thing missing is a pair of shears and I carry 2 spools

Those tech shorts you mentioned, the Apeks and Fourth Element, have such huge pockets that a Challenger 2 tank can fit in them!!

Yeah it seems that Tech Shorts might be the best option, kind of don’t want to spend $350 on a pair of pants, but here we are. Haha.

Assuming these just always go over whatever wetsuit I’m wearing?

 

[OTF]

The best way to keep your gear streamlined is to not carry anything, eliminate anything that hangs especially in front, use a Hogarthian approach to rigging and of course, must I even say it, a minimal wing and simple, appropriate plate to the mission be it textile or metal or whatever. Get rid of hanging and oversized consoles and go to a wrist mounted computer and a simple clipped off spg. Necklace the secondary regulator or if an octopus donation then secure it with a snorkel keeper in the chest area on a D-ring.

I have a D-ring on my crotch strap where it attaches to the plate, that is where my DSMB and spool go. A tiny but bright DGX light clips on the right chest D-ring and slips under bicycle tube retainer loops, a rescue cutter of some sort on my waist strap or LH chest strap and a knife when appropriate also on my left waist strap. I either do long hose donation thus necklacing my secondary or lately for benign vaca tropical diving eliminating the secondary/octopus entirely and using a combo reg/inflator (DGX BCI).

BCs of whatever type that have those adjustable pulls with the plastic and useless one inch D rings on the ends of them and plastic clips, figure out how to get rid of those as they create a forest of dangly plastic D-rings and failure prone connections. In other words, if you are the only person using the rig, why does it need adjustable chest straps?

Or better even, buddy up with an underwater dive shop type buddy, that way they carry everything and I just borrow it from them when and if (never) I need it.

This post nails it. Longhose + necklace eliminates big loops of hoses. Or if you don't want to go the 7ft primary hose route, get a nice short primary hose and figure out a neat and reliable way to store your octo and octo hose.

Have a buddy take pictures or point out any time you have anything dangling below you. It can be surprising how far down a small clipped off item will hang, and how much it will drag across the environment. If you can bring a mirror on a dive or into a pool to watch yourself experiment with gear setup, even better.

Tech shorts are great. You can also get glue-on pockets and attach them to any wetsuit (or have a shop attach them). Get BIG pockets with Velcro not zippers on the main opening. Pockets never feel big enough and won't cause appreciable drag. Zippers can jam.

When I must bring extra stuff (like a second big reel or lift bag) I like to clip it off behind me on a butt D-ring. I also sometimes dive with a sidemount-style butt pocket which can hold lots of misc junk neatly out of the way if necessary. Though the trick is to dive without lots of misc junk whenever you can. It's a nice solution because you can add or remove it to any rig as needed.

 

[happy-diver]

She should get of this bcd at all.. its blocking the view ... i mean its not streamlined

That's part of the mystique mate so we can imagine who we want to imagine

 

[happy-diver]

Please mate you can do all this at home then learn how to use hands to feel where things are whilst diving

Have a buddy take pictures or point out any time you have anything dangling below you. It can be surprising how far down a small clipped off item will hang, and how much it will drag across the environment. If you can bring a mirror on a dive or into a pool to watch yourself experiment with gear setup, even better.

Be instinctive, wisely spend your time learning stuff you can use and will need during diving, not mirroring

And there is a thigh pocket mounted sideways under the plate for accessories, now that needs some hands

So also with everything clipped to a string so it does not all spill out across the ocean floor like a shipwreck

 

[KenE]

OP mentioned that they intend to maintain a SPG with AI. If this is the case, then I suggest routing the SPG on a shorter hose over the left shoulder and bungee to the inflator hose. This removes a hose on the left side and provides a quick glance at the SPG if/when you loose comms with AI. I found that this streamlines the SPG and hose very nicely.

 

[Cornbread O'Malley]

Yeah it seems that Tech Shorts might be the best option, kind of don’t want to spend $350 on a pair of pants, but here we are. Haha.

Assuming these just always go over whatever wetsuit I’m wearing?

Not many gear items in this sport are inexpensive it seems. Well, maybe my whistle is inexpensive. If you are not carrying too many items then you can get by with the other options. Eventually, you'll get to the point of needing a better technique to carry more items.

Yes, the tech shorts go over whatever you're wearing: shorts, leggings, wetsuit, etc. It would really help if you can try on a few sets for size.