What is scuba diving's orange shovel?

[Mike Edmonston]

I use my "PIG STICKER" when I do the first few guided dives with my students. We have ALOT of Bluegills in our lakes, and using the knife to open up little clams and molusks in the sand, make the dive real real fun. The students are there, amazed that they're underwater (Basic OW), Looking at the fish eating some clams that I opened. So yeah, for me, it's needed. It makes the boring lake dive fun and entertaining. I also use the pommell of the knife as a tank banger to get their attention. It works. WOW, A 2 for 1 tool.... Such a deal....

Cheers

Mike

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

For me, the orange shovel is those straps I bought to help me carry my tanks. You know the type made of some sort of webbing with the plastic handle and velcro.

I got one! 'Cept my dive shop gave it to my cause they couldn't sell it. Actually nice. But I wouldn't spend $$, or even $ on one!

 

[JGBrown]

A thread off track in this forum?? OMG, say it isn't so!

it isn't so

 

[Heffey]

This thread seems to have gotten way off track, my intention was to find out what gear I don't need, therby saving money for gear that I do. I was hoping for some clear answers as to the frivilous stuff so that I can avoid getting it in my gear bag in the first place, and that way have more of my budget left for things that are useful and needed.

Looking for consensus?

ScubaBoard is not likely to be the place to find it.
ScubaBoard is made up of people from all walks of life and every diving style imaginable.

Backpacking is like a sub category of camping. The Orange Shovel of backpacking is likely to be different than the orange shovel of trailering

Diving is also divided into many sub categories and mixes of categories based on personal preference. A tech diver, rec diver, dir DIR diver or what ever will all have their own Orange Shovel.

When I see a technical diver all rigged up for a cave dive it looks to me like they are literally covered with Orange Shovels but I don’t dive the dives that they do.

Let’s face it, it’s all subjective. To dive you need tank, BCD, reg, mask, fins, weight belt, watch and tables and that is about it. Everything else will fit into the Orange Shovel category. Works but not needed.

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

I got one! 'Cept my dive shop gave it to my cause they couldn't sell it. Actually nice. But I wouldn't spend $$, or even $ on one!

I rather like mine. Plus, the handles give me a convenient tie-down point in the back of my Jeep.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Newbie here ...

- Got a slap strap from every dive shop I've ever worked for (check)
- My orange whistle ain't attached to my D-ring ... it's attached to my inflator hose (check)
- Got two drawers full of dive-related T-shirts ... as well as a half-dozen or so baseball caps ... and am excited as hell to hear that Coz has a t-shirt shop on every corner (check)
- Got FOUR dive stickers on the divemobile (check)

Oh ... and thanks for reminding me that I almost forgot to pack my snorkel ... there might even be a place to use it during SI in Coz (check)

Dang! Think I'm gonna see how many more orange shovels I can collect next week ... to celebrate my 1,700th dive (which should happen about a week from now) ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

*genuflecting before His Orange Shoveliness*
"We're not worthy!!"

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Oh ... and I almost forgot ... tank banners on all seven of my singles, both sets of doubles, and all three deco bottles ...

http://www.airspeedpress.com/stickers2.html

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[fisherdvm]

Tank bangers or tank wraps.

the K

I was thinking of getting pink tank wraps to dress up my tank.... And a pink tank banger too!!

Wonder if the tank wrap will muffle my pink tank banger??

 

[rongoodman]

I'd just like to say that, inspired by this thread, I could no longer help myself and ordered a Halcyon baseball cap. I should definitely get a rise out of the local dive shop owner/OMS dealer on the upcoming Saba trip.