Question Spool for Fat Fingers?

[Fin Finder]

Looking for suggestions on a spool with a large enough center to stick my finger through while wearing a cold water neoprene glove?
- It doesn’t need to hold a lot of line, I’ll just be using to shoot an SMB.
- I’d prefer a simple basic compact design.

Thanks.

 

[inquis]

Sticking your finger through is asking for a broken finger, IMO. Inserting a quarter-inch on either side with a light grip is plenty. If it feels like it's getting away, loosen the grip and let it spin.

FWIW, I like the house spools at divegearexpress.com.

 

[azstinger11]

Looking for suggestions on a spool with a large enough center to stick my finger through while wearing a cold water neoprene glove?
- It doesn’t need to hold a lot of line, I’ll just be using to shoot an SMB.
- I’d prefer a simple basic compact design.

Thanks.

Perhaps this? Apeks Lifeline Halo Spool ?

scale is a bit hard to gauge just realized, this video shows someone holding it,

 

[Bowers]

Is there a particular reason you don’t just pinch the spool? It’s generally considered bad practice to put a finger all the way into the hole because you could get caught and drug toward the surface. Fwiw i dive all year round in the midwest (so often thick wetgloves or drygloves) and have never had issues with simply pinching the spool with thumb and middle finger on either side.

 

[Fin Finder]

Sticking your finger through is asking for a broken finger, IMO. Inserting a quarter-inch on either side with a light grip is plenty. If it feels like it's getting away, loosen the grip and let it spin.

FWIW, I like the house spools at divegearexpress.com.

Ok, I see that now.
I’ll try to master the pinch grip first.
Thanks everyone for the advice and suggestions.

 

[broncobowsher]

Pinch for the win. And learning to use it, you will have a run away at some time. Make sure the line is tied around the spool so when you chase down your float and retrieve all the line there will still be a spool on the end of it.

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

I have a Halcyon defender pro spool. Halcyon Dive Systems

 

[Joneill]

Looking for suggestions on a spool with a large enough center to stick my finger through while wearing a cold water neoprene glove?
- It doesn’t need to hold a lot of line, I’ll just be using to shoot an SMB.
- I’d prefer a simple basic compact design.

Thanks.

These are really nice with a large center hole:
Best Apeks LifeLine Finger Spool for Sale Online | Divers Supply

 

[Wibble]

The Apeks spools are great. A good shape and the thin, flat line means there's a lot of string for low cross section. The best thing is the string's not wound all the way to the edge meaning you can actually clip the double ender to the spool.

When launching a SMB there's enough space to hold the inflator nozzle down with a finger, thus holding the reel and SMB in one hand.

The shape of the spool makes winding in easy too.

N.B. you do need to do spool knitting.