Starting from scratch

[Bismark]

Here is another thought about belt pockets. From personal experience, I found that I had to bend my elbow considerably to reach up and in to that pocket. It was inconvenient in a drysuit. Pockets on the thigh are far easier to reach into as the bottom of the pocket should be at about the level of where your fingers hang naturally thus making it easier to grab items from the furthest reaches of the pocket. The difference here is that in a confined area you may not have the extra room to bend your elbow out that wide.

More importantly also consider using a scooter: your deco bottles are on your left side, your can light is on your right and your right hand is driving the scooter. Thus, you don't have room on the left side for pockets, and even if you placed a pocket on the right side in front of the can light, how would you reach it when driving your scooter with your right hand?

So, since DIR is all about learning it once, learning it right, and building on these principles with the end in mind, belt pockets don't make much sense. But that being said, because we are thinking divers, a warm water tropical dive with no can light and a decent pocket on the right hand side also serves to loop your long hose under. Just my 2 cents......

As far as x-shorts, I keep scratching my head to think of a reason why they couldn't be "DIR", and I am drawing a blank............other than the egregious rule 6 violation that is............

 

[Deep-Thief]

Thanks all for the pocket comments. You have given me a lot to think about. I generally use one or more. I have the Dive Rite two zipper one with arrows and such inside. I don't own a scooter ( I have used them and love them and one day will own one) I just never thought of the scooter problem. Like I said, lots to think about. Mark

 

[lamont]

pocket zippers in saltwater seem like they'd be a problem eventually...

 

[Belmont]

pocket zippers in saltwater seem like they'd be a problem eventually...

No more than zippers on wings, wet suits, dry suits and so on.

 

[TSandM]

Well, if my experience with dry suit zippers is any indication . . . I'd rather have a pocket fail open (as with old velcro) than fail shut (as with old zippers)

 

[nadwidny]

No more than zippers on wings, wet suits, dry suits and so on.

Except you don't need to zip or unzip your wing, wetsuit, or drysuit underwater during the dive.

 

[pwl]

any DIR thoughts on the dive rite thigh pocket as an alternative? <http://diveriteexpress.com/bcs/pockets.shtml#thigh> - i have a belt pocket but need weight on the belt too & they don't go together very well

the (tekpocket) shorts are just too freaky for me: all that neoprene around the crotch seems like it would be a bit uncomfortable, plus they make the "comfort zip" just that much harder to get to

 

[nadwidny]

any DIR thoughts on the dive rite thigh pocket as an alternative? <http://diveriteexpress.com/bcs/pockets.shtml#thigh> - i have a belt pocket but need weight on the belt too & they don't go together very well

the (tekpocket) shorts are just too freaky for me: all that neoprene around the crotch seems like it would be a bit uncomfortable, plus they make the "comfort zip" just that much harder to get to

This is why the Xshorts are frowned upon. They lead to the slippery slope of foolishness with companies coming up with ideas such as the DiveRite thigh pocket.

Rule of Thumb- If DiveRite or OMS make it, it isn't DIR.

 

[wreckchick]

This is why the Xshorts are frowned upon. They lead to the slippery slope of foolishness with companies coming up with ideas such as the DiveRite thigh pocket.

Rule of Thumb- If DiveRite or OMS make it, it isn't DIR.

Not to get all sense-talking or anything, but everything is a slippery slope if you let it be. The x-shorts (rule #6 violation aside) are designed to serve the same function as glued-on/stitched-on pockets without actually gluing or stitching a pocket on while the harness mounted pockets are a totally different thing and the actual functioning of the pocket differs from the well-established 'approved' pockets. The location and capacity of the x-shorts is identical to the aforementioned attached pockets, it's only the delivery method that's different.

R

 

[nadwidny]

Not to get all sense-talking or anything, but everything is a slippery slope if you let it be. The x-shorts (rule #6 violation aside) are designed to serve the same function as glued-on/stitched-on pockets without actually gluing or stitching a pocket on while the harness mounted pockets are a totally different thing and the actual functioning of the pocket differs from the well-established 'approved' pockets. The location and capacity of the x-shorts is identical to the aforementioned attached pockets, it's only the delivery method that's different.

R

I agree completely. Aside from the fact they look stupid I don't have a problem with X shorts (but then again I'm not an official voice of DIR. I just play one in videos.).