What basic bits & bobs to buy?

[davidpfitz]

Hi folks,

I excitedly took delivery of my new Mares Icon BC, Mares 2D console and Aqualung Mikron regulator this morning. I already had computer, mask, snorkel, fins and wetsuit & boots.

Now, there are a few more bits and bobs I'm going to need before I can jump in the water with all my own gear on (yay, no more smelly rentals!) ... but knowing myself, I cold fall prey to poor choices in terms of buying silly gadgets and accessories.

Here's what I know (think!) I need:

- Bag to carry everything in
- A nice sturdy clip/carab for my camera
- Something white to white balance the camera with
- Scumball for the octo

I think I will also get a MiFlex LP hose for my BCD, since the regs already have them.

Can anyone recommend other pieces of kit I'm forgetting? It's all for travel, so trying to keep it light and to the bare minimum!

Thanks,
David,

 

[Scubagolf]

Inexpensive safety items: safety sausage, whistle, and pocket mirror. I attach the safety sausage and whistle to D-rings on my BC. The pocket mirror goes in a pocket, of course. You may also want to pick up an inexpensive pair of surgical shears. I stow the shears attached inside a BC pocket with a small retractable holder.

 

[RJP]

It's all for travel, so trying to keep it light and to the bare minimum!

Good idea, but extend the "bare minimum" thinking to diving in general and not just for travel. In general, avoid as many accessories as possible.

For camera, try a simple bolt-snap cave tied to the housing if possible.

To secure octo, use a 50-cent rubber snorkle keeper.

White balance for camera? Do you have a white dive slate already?

Bag to carry it all in? There's a million different bags. Don't spend too much money on any of them!

 

[davidpfitz]

Good idea, but extend the "bare minimum" thinking to diving in general and not just for travel. In general, avoid as many accessories as possible.

For me, diving means travel!

For camera, try a simple bolt-snap cave tied to the housing if possible.

To secure octo, use a 50-cent rubber snorkle keeper.

White balance for camera? Do you have a white dive slate already?

Bag to carry it all in? There's a million different bags. Don't spend too much money on any of them!

Thanks for the advice - no, I don't have a slate already so that'll kill two birds I guess.

D.

 

[Ursus]

Other items...
1) small blunt tipped knife to attach to BC (if small then most places will allow it)
2) good backup flashlight ($75 - $100)...Salvo Rat Jr or something as reliable
3) Octo Hose Barrel Magnet ($15)...clamps around octo hose and the other side fastens to somewhere along the side/back of BC...it keeps the octo hose pinned tight to you side with no more issues of it being in way...magnet just strong enough to keep it in place but not to strong to inhibit ability to easily detach octo.

My 2 cents

 

[ToddK]

For the dive bag, get a cheap mesh bag that can get wet. Space on a boat is limited, so it's always a good idea to have your stuff be as compact as possible.

 

[Ursus]

For the dive bag, get a cheap mesh bag that can get wet. Space on a boat is limited, so it's always a good idea to have your stuff be as compact as possible.

XS Scuba has a great mesh gear bag with wheels for $50. After a dive to rinse your gear simply submerge the entire bag.

 

[avlena]

I'm not very good about buying only the necessary. I found it very useful to have lots and lots of clips to keep things out of the way.

 

[RJP]

I found it very useful to have lots and lots of clips to keep things out of the way.

Hoping your post was meant as a sort of "ironic joke" but if not, it sounds like you simply need fewer "things" that need to be kept out of the way.

 

[avlena]

Hoping your post was meant as a sort of "ironic joke" but if not, it sounds like you simply need fewer "things" that need to be kept out of the way.

lol... not really, but i can see the joke.

no, honestly, i always need a clip for something, and I don't really have anything unnecessary. I clip on my whistle, slate, my flashlight, etc. It's not like I let things drag - everything is usually tucked into various pockets when not in use, but I prefer to make sure that nothing floats off, and I like to have things easily removable in case I need to hand it to my buddy or whatever.

Plus, when we're shore diving and lugging our gear all over, clips are really handy. I can clip my fins/water bottle/snack bag/whatever to either myself or my gear bag, and voila, I'm mobile, and can do it all in one trip!

So I like clips. To each his/her own I guess!

That said... I DO have a lot of unnecessary odds & ends that sit in our scuba bag/closet unused! ;-)