Retractor's for console? What else to use?

[RonFrank]

Does anybody want to place bets on which reaches the market first ---- the Mares HUD or the GUE OW cert course? :banana:

It seems like both have been just a couple months from release, for the last 2 or 3 years!

It's the Oceanic HUD, not Mares!

They had them for demo at the CO dive Days this past weekend, and were taking orders. I guess we have a winner, the HUD over GUE OW by a mile!

 

[djanni]

Of the top changes I ever made to make my diving more fun, moving my gages to my wrists is very high on the list. They are always there in front of your eyes to glance at, without having to reach down for anything. Your awareness of depth and time suddenly improves dramatically. Imagine if when you were driving your car, every time you wanted to know how fast you were driving, you had to reach down and pull up some retractable speedometer. But by having it right in front of your eyes, you are always aware of your speed (regardless of what you told the policeman ).

Just my 2 cents and what works for me.

Are you recommending the OP stop using his console and buy a wrist mount?

In a car you don't even need to raise your arm and/or twist your wrist to see the speedometer. I think they design cars that way on purpose.

I've owned an Oceanic VTPro w/ transmitter and I've owned a ProPlusII and used a retractor with it. I like the wrist mount a tiny bit better but either works quite well.

From an ease of use perspective you can't beat Oceanic's HUD mask!!!!

 

[Blackwood]

My favorite way of attaching just about anything to a DRing is a zip tie, and a bolt snap.


Retractors are great while they are working. The problem is that over time, they tend to fail, and the attachment point is generally plastic which is also subject to breakage. They are expensive compared to my preferred method of attaching things!

Zip Ties are plastic too. How often do you change them out?

 

[Rick Inman]

Are you recommending the OP stop using his console and buy a wrist mount?

I am not recommending that anyone do anything. I am simply stating what works for me, and why it has made my diving so much more enjoyable. From my post:

Just my 2 cents and what works for me.

 

[bolantej]

I got hung up by my console when going over an obstacle, and the retractor streeetched all the way out. I could not figure out what was holding me back until I backed up. No more retractors for me.

 

[Charlie99]

It's the Oceanic HUD, not Mares!

They had them for demo at the CO dive Days this past weekend, and were taking orders. I guess we have a winner, the HUD over GUE OW by a mile!

The winner only gets declared when the OCEANIC HUD gets delivered, or a diver gets an initial OW cert with a GUE logo on it. Until then, IMO they are both mythical creatures.

 

[Marek K]

It's the Oceanic HUD, not Mares!

You're right, of course. Duh. That was my bad, not Charlie99's... he just picked up on what I stupidly wrote.

Shows how much I'm following the release of the Oceanic HUD mask...

 

[Marek K]

If you're going to use a console then a new big bolt snap and either some cave line or zip ties will do the trick. It's simple easy and never wears out.

I've been toying with the idea of using a bolt snap, if only to -- er -- look less Dorky.

But nah. DDHF, and I wouldn't want to have any less fun.

Besides, the wieght of all my gear for travel is heavy enough already, without adding yet another hunk o'metal...

 

[evil_xander]

FYI, because carabiners allow things to slide in unnoticed, but not slide out - things like nets and cables and wires and stuff - some people consider there use inappropriate (dangerous) for scuba diving. In fact, carabiners have a pet name by some divers: "Suicide clips."

A good bolt snap requires permission by the user for it to be opened and closed.

I always wondered what the suicide clip part meant, carabiners or bolt snaps, thanks for the definition.

I used one for some time to clip the console to the BC, now left hip D ring. The very same thing about things sliding in crossed my mind so I exchanged the one at the primary reg for a bolt snap. Will do the same for the console, bye bye carabiners...

It is really not much of a problem to have it clipped/unclipped on a per need to basis, but then again I only need the SPG, depth gauge I check occasionally (secondary information source for my depth anyway), the rest is on my wrists...

 

[CheddarChick]

I use a version of this
http://www.mikesscuba.com/store/productspecs.asp?prodid=3703
Comes apart easily when I want to look and the magnet finds it's other half to hook back up