What's in your pockets?

[D-Rail]

I'm interested to find out what people are carrying in their pockets during a dive, and why? My wife and I are new to diving and just completed our major purchases - wetsuit, bcd, regulator, computer, octo, mask, fins, snorkel... Probably like everyone else, we have very limited pocket space on our bcd's. We don't want to over accessorize, and we definitely don't want to be unprepared. Our first 25-50 dives will be Midwestern, fresh water dives. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[rongoodman]

Spare mask, wet notes, spare cutting device right leg pocket, finger spool and small SMB, or just large SMB on left leg.

 

[fisheater]

Left pocket: snorkel, DSS SMB with finger spool, Nautilus Lifeline, signal mirror, Storm whistle and a nylon strap (for keeping buddies together at the surface).

Right pocket: EMT shears, spare mask, Wetnotes with pencils.

 

[kaerius]

Right pocket: pocket mask.

 

[TMHeimer]

I have 10 lb. integrated weights severely limiting usable pocket space. In one pocket goes the shell collecting bag until it is needed (also for keeping poke-speared flounders). In the other one goes the foldable snorkel (don't tell PADI), which is real hard to squeeze in. If I'm diving with bare legs my knife holster tends to dig into my leg a bit, so I manage to get that in the pocket somehow.

 

[TSandM]

I take what I think I need for the dive. For open water dives, I carry a surface marker buoy on a spool. I almost always carry wetnotes (a slate would be the same idea) in case the dive ends up requiring some communication you can't get across with hand signals. When I'm teaching, I carry a roll-up snorkel and a whistle. I think a lot of people carry small lights in their BC pockets, in case they want to look into crevices.

Don't get carried away. Especially for the diving you are describing, you don't need a whole lot of stuff.

 

[BluewaterSail]

Usually left pocket SMB and spool and right pocket wet notes. I am going to add spare mask to the right pocket. I had a mask problem and was grateful that a buddy had an extra with him. Made me think. Sometimes I carry an extra double ender type clip.

 

[dbulmer]

Left pocket: spare Timer, Dsmb+spool, double ender
Right pocket: spare mask, Dsmb + spool, wetnotes (sea: spare cutter) + wetnotes.

I carry this on all dives even if I don't need it to ensure that I do not forget to pack an item I might need.

Abroad I carry a DSMB+spool , wetnotes and a DTimer only.

 

[doctormike]

I'm interested to find out what people are carrying in their pockets during a dive, and why? My wife and I are new to diving and just completed our major purchases - wetsuit, bcd, regulator, computer, octo, mask, fins, snorkel... Probably like everyone else, we have very limited pocket space on our bcd's. We don't want to over accessorize, and we definitely don't want to be unprepared. Our first 25-50 dives will be Midwestern, fresh water dives. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Most of these answers refer to bellows type dry suit pockets - Jacket BC pockets probably wouldn't be big enough to carry all these accessories.

If you are diving wet, this is a far better solution than trying to cram stuff into your BC pockets... I always use a pair of these with my wetsuit.

So, for me - right pocket has a spare mask and my Nautilus GPS, left pocket has SMB, reel, and wet notes.

M

 

[Abdullah]

I use Highland pocket shorts over my wetsuit or skin. Left pocket, SMB, spool, & whistle. Right pocket, backup mask, small torch, wet notes. I carry these on every dive and they always go in the same place.

On night dives I add a small xenon strobe to the left pocket.

I'm probably a little different, I glued the backup mask pouch inside the bellows pocket so that it stays put when I pull other things out of the pocket.