What length of line is most common for finger spools?

[lamont]

I'm seeing finger spools with between 75 and 150 feet of line, and was just wondering what is a standard length of line to use on a finger spool, before I go spend the money on them.

Thanks,
Jim

I would start with buying 2 150' spools. I've got some smaller sized spools which sit completely unused now (they'd probably be useful if I was full-cave and I was doing jumps where they were appropriately sized, but I'm not going to be there for awhile)

 

[cool_hardware52]

I would start with buying 2 150' spools. I've got some smaller sized spools which sit completely unused now (they'd probably be useful if I was full-cave and I was doing jumps where they were appropriately sized, but I'm not going to be there for awhile)

Lamont,

I follow your logic, but my recommendation is a little different.

For a new user I always recommend buying inexpensive spools, because the new user is much more likely to loose them.

After you drop, miss clip, etc. a couple the new user will be ready for something more substantial.

The typical Open Water diver won't start using spools in deep water to deploy bags, but will be training in fairly shallow conditions. Here an inexpensive 75' or 100' spool is fine, and they will wince less when they loose it.

Tobin

 

[rjack321]

For the vast majority of my local OW diving (to similar depths as your NAUI tech class) 100ft of line works just fine. If I was doing the same dives in the Gulf Stream or similar I'd want more.

Realize that many "100ft" spools really only hold ~85ft. So shop carefully for something a little bigger than 100ft. You can go up to 150ft if you want, but unless you have lots of stratified currents its just more line to birdsnest, or take up space in a pocket.