What are the accessories that you will always dive with, and why ?

[lairdb]

Nothing especially earthshaking, I think, but:

Line cutter lives on the harness, so it's "always" by default. Ditto airhorn lives on the reg.

Always:

• giant DSMB (bungeed below BP)
• 2 small (18650 LED) lights (R+L shoulders.)

Usually:

• watch with watchband compass
• extra bolt snap
• pocket shorts with
  • 3rd small light
  • trauma shears
  • small mesh trash bag
  • 3 SS bolt snaps
  • 40ft spool w/bolt snap
  • small slate with Croquis

Mostly:

• pocket camera

Over the horizon:

• add-on pocket with
  • strobe
  • dye marker
  • mirror
  • whistle
  • usually a water bottle or juice pouch

 

[Dive Concepts]

• Always Dive With a Cutting Tool
• Audible Surface Signaling Device
• Pocket Flashlight
• Delayed Surface Marker Buoy
• A BCD is just like any other equipment in scuba diving that you should pick the best for your safety.

A BCD works exactly what its name describes. It gives you control in the water, the BCD also holds your tank. A BCD with routine carrying and proper maintains lasts approx eight to nine years. Sport and professional divers should never think of diving without a BCD that has an air cell.

 

[Wibble]

Depends on where you're diving, but the general principle applies: if it's important, take two.

• Primary dive computer plus backup computer
  
• Primary torch plus backup torch
• Primary SMB and backup SMB
• Primary BCD plus backup buoyancy (drysuit and SMB)
• Primary mask plus backup mask
  
• Knife and two line cutters
• Spool or reel for running lines off the shot or into wrecks

Etc.

 

[Bigbella]

What are the accessories that you will always dive with, and why ?

Primarily -- back-up analogue gauges and a dive watch.

Why?

Because I have seen or have experienced serial failures of electronic equipment, over the years -- from computers to transmitters (which I still refuse to use); and have yet to have an issue with a conventional gauge, that didn't involve a costly five minutes, an open-ended wrench, and the replacement of o-rings and a spool.

When I worked on boats, years ago, I cannot even tell you how many times, vacationing divers (occasionally, sadly, on remote "live-aboards"), were left sitting on their hands, relegated to snorkeling, after equipment failures, most often attributed to either flooded electronics; battery issues (truly, how many, out there, carry 3.6V CR 1/2 AA Lithiums, as a force of habit?); or some other ghost in the machine.

Above, is my fall-back, day to day set-up, among several others. How many failures or aborted dives occurred, even when that Suunto P.O.S.™ started sporting bizarro "data transfer" error messages?

Zéro, Null, μηδέν, нуль . . .

 

[brownie]

DSMB on a 90' spool (I deploy it on most dives, in preparation for a safety stop)

Small knife (only used it a few times for removing fishing line entangling parts of a reef)

Two flashlights (one is a backup) great for highlighting colours on the reef, peeking into nooks/crannies, or signalling someone to get their attention (though I take care on a night dive to never flash it in a diver's face)

When I know in advance a dive will likely include lots of "small critters", I will take my magnifier--I like seeing stuff in detail, and I'm happy to share the view with others

 

[CosbySweater]

SMB with 150' reel, two knives, a line cutter, a torch, a spare mask, a fully redundant 30 CF SCUBA kit, and a Nautilus Life Line. I dive with two AI computers (one on a transmitter and one hard lined). I recently started solo'ing during drift dives so those are all standard equipment (minus the Life Line which is a nice-to-have).

I also frequently dive with a go-pro or various hunting tools (zoo keeper, pole spear, lobster gear). I'm a stickler for streamlining so all accessories have their place. It took a while to figure out a configuration that worked without looking like a Christmas tree. The scuba pro cargo shorts have certainly come in handy.

 

[lairdb]

battery issues (truly, how many, out there, carry 3.6V CR 1/2 AA Lithiums, as a force of habit?)

Agree with your main point -- but who doesn't carry a spare of each primary battery in their Save kit??!? That's my number 3 priority item, behind only a mask strap and a fin strap.

When I know in advance a dive will likely include lots of "small critters", I will take my magnifier--I like seeing stuff in detail, and I'm happy to share the view with others

Ha, I forgot to mention that. I could have gotten the ubiquitous Harbor Freight hand lens but I already had some cheap Chinese 55mm macro lenses so I printed a holder that bolt-snaps on for most dives:

 

[Bigbella]

Agree with your main point -- but who doesn't carry a spare of each primary battery in their Save kit??!? That's my number 3 priority item, behind only a mask strap and a fin strap.

Even so, you'd be still surprised how often a spent battery, was the case on those live-aboards (largely peopled by weekend warriors, having pulled crap out of their closets or garages, with little thought, once or twice a year); and that battery model, in particular, was for the Suunto Solution and a couple of other models, popular at the time, from the early 1990s, which either had to have its battery replaced in an approved shop; or, more often, even sent back to the manufacturer, to maintain warranty coverage. Suunto even went so far at the time, as to place some odd, red adhesive crap to cover the screws on every module, to thwart user access.

Suunto was consumer-friendly, and making friends, even thirty years ago . . .

 

[flyboy08]

My wife, cuz she's my buddy!

 

[Gareth J]

Even so, you'd be still surprised how often a spent battery, was the case on those live-aboards (largely peopled by weekend warriors, having pulled crap out of their closets, with little thought, once or twice a year); and that battery model, in particular, was for the Suunto Solution and a couple of other models, popular at the time, from the early 1990s, which either had to have its battery replaced in an approved shop; or, more often, even sent back to the manufacturer, to maintain warranty coverage. Suunto even went so far, as to place some odd, red adhesive crap to cover the screws on every module, to thwart any user access.

Suunto was consumer-friendly, and making friends, even thirty years ago . . .

I think it was the same for all the computers at the time.
The Monitor II was worse because it was filled with oil, the Alladin's had to go back because they where also sealed.
I think the Suunto EON (the first version) may have been one of the first that had user changeable batteries.
I've still got a few Alladin's somewhere, all with dead batteries.