Thigh Pockets, What And Which Pocket Do You Store Stuff?

[Bigeclipse]

All,
I am a recreational diver who will start tech training next summer. I pretty much dive dry for every dive as I am in cold waters. I figure since I will be doing tech training next summer I might as well start diving standard kit configurations now. I also know it will likely depend on what diving you do as to what you bring and where you store it. I will not be doing cave diving, but will be doing deco and wreck penetration diving(eventually). So what do you bring with you on these type dives and where do you store them? I have shears, knives, extra mask, reels, lights, slates, smb, lift bag...cant think of anything else at the moment. My lights are usually clipped to my D-rings on my shoulders. My slate is in my right pocket. Shears are in my left. SMB has been tucked between backplate and my back. Dive knife is where you would have your canister light. So far that is all I have dove with on both my singles and doubles rigs. Thoughts? thanks.

 

[rivers]

Left hand pocket: primary DSMB and spool.
Right hand pocket: back-up mask, back up dsmb and spool, and wetnotes. I dive stages left, so if I lose my mask or cock-up my dsmb deployment, I don't want to have to faff around a stage to get my back-up mask or dsmb out. My wetnotes are in the right hand side purely because that's where the wetnotes pocket divider is.
I have a small knife on the left hand side of my crotch strap and a trilobite attached to the head of y canister torch. Back-up torches are clipped off to either shoulder d-ring.

 

[kensuf]

Left pocket:

* Spare double-ender
* Safety spool
* Jump spools
* Cookies and arrows
* Spare mouthpiece (when diving CCR)
* Stage bottle leash (if doing a stage dive)

Right pocket:

* Wet notes - which also includes a few spare zip-ties, tables, and a compass
* Spare mask
* Spare light head (10w HID on an EO cord)

Cutting devices - I keep a small knife on my harness (left waist), and a Trilobyte on my computer (which is on my right forearm).
SMB's - If I'm in the ocean, SMB can be stowed on rear D-Ring and tucked behind my back.

I still haven't figured out which pocket I should put the brick. We've had many debates over that.

 

[DominicSavio]

Left pocket-safety spool and jump spool, arrows and cookies spare double ender.
Right pocket-wet notes-backup mask,SMB w/spool
Back up lights on chest D-rings
Line cutter on my light head and one on my waist strap left of the buckle.

 

[Bigeclipse]

Left pocket-safety spool and jump spool, arrows and cookies spare double ender.
Right pocket-wet notes-backup mask,SMB w/spool
Back up lights on chest D-rings
Line cutter on my light head and one on my waist strap left of the buckle.

If you are not cave diving, is it worth having cookies/arrows? When you all say safety spool...is that the same thing as a reel? I currently own a halcyon cave type reel (I have never dove with it, got it second hand for a really good price).

Are all these things tied off on a lanyard type deal to the pocket?

 

[Doby45]

They are clipped on to the lanyard with bolt snaps and when you need something you pull the whole lanyard out, get what you want and stuff the rest back in your pocket. Spools are spools and reels are not spools. Spools are generally a single piece of plastic, delrin or metal that line is wrapped around. Reels have more parts and are generally larger.

 

[Bigeclipse]

They are clipped on to the lanyard with bolt snaps and when you need something you pull the whole lanyard out, get what you want and stuff the rest back in your pocket. Spools are spools and reels are not spools. Spools are generally a single piece of plastic, delrin or metal that line is wrapped around. Reels have more parts and are generally larger.

ok thank you! Question then, I currently have a spool with double ender attached and a Halcyon reel. Are you saying I should carry spool and reel when diving (one in each pocket) OR I should be buying another spool as my backup spool and leave the reel at home except on dives needing it? Im sure they will cover this in my tec courses but again, I want to start diving now with everything so that way it is second nature by the time I get to tec courses.

 

[kensuf]

That's a spool. Many people use a spool because they do not jam. They work great with SMB's, and for running jumps.

In a cave or wreck, you'll also want a primary reel, which should have at least 400' of line on it.

As for the question about arrows / cookies, you'll probably want them for wreck penetration too.

 

[KevinNM]

Your instructor should send you a very clear list of what you need to have well before class and then go over how you should have it stored in class.