SMB - buy another of the same or something different?

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Randy over @ Piranha Dive Manf. has a good selection, fairly inexpensive too.

Here's the one I have, thing is made really well;
6ft / 72

He also has others;
Surface Marker Buoy's

I never understood why some smb's cost so much. I "think" mine is quality, but I've never compared it to a super expensive one side by side either.
 
I never understood why some smb's cost so much. I "think" mine is quality, but I've never compared it to a super expensive one side by side either.
The brand's name for a start.
Really have to put them side by side and compare. The material used and the fabrication process are very important.
 
My mares once (same as op) is fairly midrange quality wise imo. It's not a toy but could be made much more durably with better material, stitching, valves etc.
 
Hi @CapnBloodbeard ,
Usually I find a 4ft (1.2m) is more than sufficient. I've gathered you're in Melbourne, but it doesn't sound like you've done much diving here.Do you plan on using your SMB in Mel, or abroad?

I have a Halcyon 1.2m and a 1.8m. Most of the time the big one stays in my gear box, and the small one in my dry suit pocket.

The small one is easy to inflate at, depth with a single breath. I usually shoot it from 10-15m depending on the dive. At 15m a single breath will give it plenty of air at the surface. If I'm shallower, sometimes a small puff to help unravel it, then big breath.

The large SMBs take a lot more air, and unless you get them full, they flop about on the surface not much more visible than a small one.

The only time the large one is handy in Melbourne is out the heads on a day with a lot of swell. While I'm on my stop there's not that much difference to the boat between large and small, but on the surface i can fill it and keep it upright to be more visible to the boat.
 
The brand's name for a start.
Really have to put them side by side and compare. The material used and the fabrication process are very important.

I don't want to sound like a salesman for Piranha, but if you call and talk to Randy he'll tell you what the quality is. I got mine for ~ $22 shipped during a black friday sale. I have only the cheap crap that PADI gives away to compare it to, but I was really impressed with the quality for the cost. I'll see if I can snap some up close pictures when I get home. I've seen other smb's, just never really picked one up with the intention of comparing it directly to mine, but I would go out on a limb and say it's the same.

Mine just doesn't have a fancy name on the side, which I really don't care for anyway. When OMS, Hog, or even Halcyon decide to sponsor my diving habit I'll be glad to advertise for them... until then no thanks!
 
G'day all,

About to buy an SMB - wife and I only have one between us (I know, I know...)

Anyhoo, onto my point - currently we have the Mares all-in-one SMB/reel - Diver Marker Buoy - All In One

Diver Marker Buoy - All In One

6 foot with 20m spool, open ended for reg inflating, has oral inflator for LP hose or oral inflation, overpressure valve....cheaper than a lot of SMBs on the market.

So, should I just get another the same, or is there something else I should consider in getting something different?

Funny story - first and only time we've used it was in Komodo. somehow it got dropped from the surface - i think my wife deployed it then may have handed it to me...

anyhoo, we were on a liveaboard. Let our DM know in case somebody handed it in on the boat. They might have put the call out because a couple of days later another diver on another boat found it, handed it in and it made its way back to us!

After looking around I went for the same model SMB you currently have. It checks all the boxes for me. The only thing some other models have that I would have maybe liked is the glowstick compartment some have at the tip of the SMB.
 
i have the same one but the mesh pocket is a pain in the ass to get the reel out of. I went back to a regular smb and reel assembly. i practice deployment on pretty much every dive now.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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