What SMB do you have?

[chris408]

Thanks all, I can see there are just as many options as BCs, reg, suits, tanks, knives.. oh my.

I've noticed width sizes from 4" to around 7". Is wide better?

 

[CompuDude]

Thanks all, I can see there are just as many options as BCs, reg, suits, tanks, knives.. oh my.

I've noticed width sizes from 4" to around 7". Is wide better?

It's more visible. It may be better depending on conditions, but which conditions you'll use it in would dictate whether it's "better" ... or just more difficult to fully inflate.

 

[CompuDude]

I went looking for the kind that you inflate from an LP port, and found that Halcyon makes an array of these in several sizes. I bought the 4 ft size, which I can use as either a Surface Marker Bouy activated at the surface, or else for an up-line activated underwater. It is orange.

I use the drysuit inflator LP hose to inflate it, which I keep attached to a DiveAlert, and clipped to a D-ring by an attached bolt snap. Since I use argon for my drysuit, this hose is an auxiliary which serves as a backup in case the argon bottle runs out on me.

The SMB when rolled up and secured by elastic cord is nice and compact, and clips onto a D-ring with another bolt snap attached to the elastic cord. On my last trip to the Florida Keys, the dive boat captain said, "I see that all of you have a marker buoy on your B/Cs, that's good, I'm glad; you all took our notification seriously that these are mandatory on our dive boat."

Dive-Alerts were also mandatory on that boat.

I'm all for mandatory SMBs when conditions dictate, but I would find another boat if anyone ever tried to insist that I carry a DiveAlert. I don't want one of those things on my inflator.

 

[LowVizWiz]

I carry the Zeagle Deluxe it's two tone (orange/yellow) and can be orally inflated at the surface.

if anyone ever tried to insist that I carry a DiveAlert. I don't want one of those things on my inflator.

Not to hijack this thread, but would you care to expand as to why not carry a DiveAlert?

Wys.

 

[CompuDude]

I carry the Zeagle Deluxe it's two tone (orange/yellow) and can be orally inflated at the surface.

Not to hijack this thread, but would you care to expand as to why not carry a DiveAlert?

Wys.

It's heavy, it makes my inflator hose too long and too inflexible, it adds a failure point to my system, and it's not necessary.

I have a whistle and I know how to use it.

 

[LowVizWiz]

PM sent since it's off topic. =)

 

[sambolino44]

I have the DAN model, and it includes a whistle. I clip it, and a finger spool, to a D-ring on my harness. I try to take it every time, even though I hardly ever use it; and have only practiced with it a few times. But it gets rinsed and hung out to dry every time.

Which brings up another topic: how do you get these things dry enough not to mold?

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I'm currently carrying Tobin's SMB. It's a 3' bag, with a tapered shape, and it's delightful how little air you have to put in it to have it full and visible on the surface. The inflator is oral, but you don't have to do anything fancy to it to get air in it, and it's big and round and easy to get cold lips around. The dump is a flexible slit in a round soft plastic window, and I'm still ambivalent about it, but it does work, and it certainly works well as an overpressure valve. At any rate, this is my current favorite.

I also use the DSS SMB. Compared to the monster I used to have, it is MUCH easier to use. It's a closed design and orally inflated. It's designed to take very little air to get it fully inflated and upright at the surface.

 

[beester]

Did you think it would be any different for SMB's then for all the other stuff we carry around.

Face it we are all equipment-addicts... that's one of the perks of diving and as always everybody has his own opinion.

I'm using a Halcyon SMB with fingerspool from the same brand.

Not much can go wrong with an smb... so pick what you want depending on the functionality you need (with op-valve, size, etc) however I am satisfied with the halcyon service... one of the carabiners (sp) began to rust and they replaced the whole set. (smb with carabiner) and gave the rusty carabiner back as an extra of course cleaned (ultrasound).

 

[*Floater*]

I have 2 Carter bags. A semi-closed red primary that is meant to be inflated from your reg (imo that's the easiest way to do it), but has an oral inflate option too (meant for surface use mostly), and I have a smaller yellow closed circuit backup SMB that's oral inflate only.

The reason I have 2 different colors is because in some places they use the yellow (or whatever color is pre-agreed) to signal a problem on tech dives (i.e. send O2 or send a support diver, for example, when you cannot just surface because of deco obligation).

I like the Carters because they are rugged and have OPV's that are interchangeable with my wings' OPV's. The primary also has a little D-ring on top (custom added by jagfish I think) to hold a signal light (for night dives) or a message if needed. The oral inflator tube is a short stub so it doesn't get in the way or take much space (but works fine) and both are small enough to fit in my thigh pocket but have enough lift (20-30#) to act as backup buoyancy devices in a pinch if necessary.