What do you carry in your BCD pockets?

[ptyx]

What if anything is tethered?

What is a "double ender"?

What boulderjohn said. It's the underwater equivalent of duct tape.

Tethering: everything is clipped (using bolt snaps) to a short bungee loop inside the pockets. Except the energy gel - I haven't figured out a way to do that yet

But items are unclipped for use - the loop is just there to eliminate the risk of having random items fall out of the pocket when you're fishing for a particular one.

 

[SailNaked]

SMB + Reel.
Eprip on all ocean water dives if there is current or more than 1 mile from shore.
Slate
dive tables.
analog depth gauge.
knife. (cutting tool).
Flash light (small but bright).
whistle / mirror.
Spare O rings.
sometimes a spare mask.

all are tied and clipped besides being in a pocket.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Often a light is in my pocket, tethered to the end of my shoulder strap, unless I'm wearing my "back of hand" light or have my camera with strobe, either making pocket light overkill except at night.

My whistle is tethered to a ring right above a pocket, and stays in my pocket when not in use (never used, only tested).

My tables are in a pocket for backup if computer dies, or for use by guests without computers (computer has never died).

I also pocket an old "Free AOL" disk as my safety mirror (never used).

Mostly I carry extra 2 pound soft weights in case guests can not stay down with the weight they started with. That may be one reason most dive operations use VEST BC's for rentals; so there are pockets to put those extra weights into!

 

[Web Monkey]

Right front pocket, 7' Surface Marker Buoy and 100'+ finger spool (I think it was 120', but I took some off).

Left front pocket: shears and strobe.

Tektite strobe

Right bottom pocket: Backup flashlight

Outside, left: Line cutter

Air horn (Dive Alert), on a hose and clipped to the right d-ring.

The line cutter is on a hidden retractor, the flashlight is on a short piece of cave line, clipped to a d-ring. The shears are on a short piece of cave line on a d-ring in the pocket, the air-horn is on a hose, and clipped to a d-ring, the SMB is pre-rigged to the spool, and clipped to a d-ring in the pocket and the strobe is clipped to a d-ring in the pocket.

One of the few absolutes in SCUBA is that if you really need something, you're going to eventually drop it, and this is all stuff where if I need it, I really need it.

I've been laughed at more than once for carrying this stuff, but I don't really care, and was quite popular when the dive boat sank on Grenada.

 

[Guba]

In my only true "pocket" (kangaroo style, across my middle), I keep a slate (magnadoodle on one side, traditional slate on the other) and my backup light. On a small pouch on my right BCD strap is a cyalume light stick with 7 meters of nylon cord around it and my safety sausage and whistle clipped to the other end. On my left BCD strap is another small pouch with a backup folding knife. Sounds like a lot, but it takes up surprisingly little space and mass.

 

[lmorin]

Slate and flashlight. Just bought an add-on small pocket to hold a macro lens when not in use.

 

[Blackwood]

I have pockets on my exposure suits, but either way:

spare mask, wet notes, rigged SMB on spool, car key (if beach diving), shears, line markers and safety spools as appropriate, additional cutting devices as appropriate

 

[DCBC]

I dive the North Atlantic in high current/waves, so I'm usually equipped with:

Slate/marker
Cyalume Light Sticks (4)
Rescue Sausage w/signal mirror
Finger Spool w/line
Shears
ACR Rescue Strobe

My deep-water package (thigh pocket) contains:
- ACR MicroFix EPIRB & Laser Rescue Marker in pressure case
- GU Sports Gel (2)
- Mainstay Water Packs (2)
This provides me with marginal energy/water for 48 hrs. If SAR doesn't follow the satellite signal and recover me in that time, I'm dead from hypothermia anyway.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

No BCD pockets here (BP/W).

I do have a glued-on thigh pocket on my wetsuit, where I carry a small slate. That's it. Well, and 2-3 knives, and a whistle attached to my inflator hose.... yeah, that's all of it.... oh, and dive tables.... I guess that's it

I believe "less is more", especially when shore diving.

Best wishes.

 

[Rhone Man]

No BCD pockets here (BP/W).

Me too, but I have a pouch on my harness. I carry SMB, small slate and spare lobster bag (never used it, but hey, you never know) in my pouch.

Main lobster bag and lights are clipped to my harness. I think I am the last diver in the world who still secures their dive knife on their calf.