What to look for when buying DSMB and reel?

[tbone1004]

being in the UK, Deep Sea Supply may be cost prohibitive and not sure if they require CE certs and what not, but my usual answer to this type of thread is buck up and pay the $75USD for one of their DSMB's, and use the spool/reel of your choice. There are a few other options looking at, but the quality of the DSS products are just really bloody good.
SCUBA Diving Equipment for Technical, Sidemount, Rebreather, Wreck and Cave Diving: Dive Rite, Inc - Product Catalog - Surface Marker Tube - Hybrid
Dive Rite also makes a pretty nice one but a bit more expensive and takes a lot more air to fill. I got one of Tobin's a few years back and haven't looked at any others seriously since and will be getting a second one this spring so I can leave it on my other set of dive gear.

If evaluating fully, I would NEVER consider one without an OPV because half the time you shoot them it's because you don't want to get to the surface or close to it, so the premium to be able to shoot it from depth is huge, and I prefer finger spools to reels but that's personal preference, I just have a large spool that I use for it *150ft ish*.

 

[KevinNM]

If you intend to use it in the ocean you want a pretty big marker. The problem is that even small DSMBs are "interesting" to deploy when you are learning, so you might want to start practicing with a small marker.

In the UK, Custom Divers has a radar reflective DSMB that looks interesting, but their US agent is terrible. The Halcyon one-way valve is pretty nice, so you might look at their DSMBs. If you are not being directed to get a reel I'd also suggest you consider a spool for deployment.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

Reels jam and fall apart.

Finger spools don't.

I still prefer a quality reel.
DivemasterDennis

 

[steady1570]

I agree with opting for a DSMB, especially if sea diving. A useful alternative that takes the stress out of inflating are those with crack bottles, such as

AP Self-sealing SMB with Inflation Cylinder | AP Diving

Or with CO2 canisters (like the ones used for cycle tyre inflation) such as:

"OUT OF GAS" CO2 SMB (Single CO2)

Note for the CO2 you can be limited with the number you can travel by air with (think its 2 in the UK) so worth thinking about if your diving takes you overseas. I personally use the crack bottle for my main DSMB and have a CO2 one as a backup DSMB.

I prefer using a good quality reel, but depends on depth, how much stuff you want to carry etc.

-Mark

 

[TJ O'Dwyer]

Hi. Please could i get some help? I need to buy a dSMB and reel. But have no clue what I need to get or what I'm looking for? Thanks. X

Please check out apso diving on facebook. Very easy to use

 

[wKkaY]

Between the 1-meter Halcyon and DSS DSMBs, which would you recommend?

 

[Peter69_56]

In our area the DSMB colour has a meaning, Orange for here I am, (particularly when doing deco or safety stop) and yellow is for I have an emergency (usually has a slate attached with the problem written on it). If the Orange smb is up its watched until the diver surfaces, if a yellow one is sent up the same line or up by itself, a boat will immediately go over and read the slate or send a diver down to see what the emergency is and take down gas if required.

---------- Post added March 28th, 2015 at 09:25 PM ----------

You need to consider at what depth you are going to need to shoot your smb. No use being on a wreck in 40 m of water wanting to shoot a DSMB before ascending and only having a 30 m reel.
i have 2 40m finger spools, an 80m reel. Often if there is a strong current and you can't find the up line and want to ascend you can shoot a DSMB and once it's surfaced tie it off to the wreck and go up the DSMB line.

---------- Post added March 28th, 2015 at 09:30 PM ----------

Stay away from the plastic smb as they are just garbage. A quality DSMB should have duckbill fill, inflator hose/mouth inflate and relief/dump valve. In an emergency they can also be used for emergency lift if your wing has inflation problems.

 

[Freewillow]

" Often if there is a strong current and you can't find the up line and want to ascend you can shoot a DSMB and once it's surfaced tie it off to the wreck and go up the DSMB line."

I would do the same except that I would let go and drift away. In your solution, how do you retrieve the line afterwards? Thanks.

When it comes to Opp's question: a lot of good answers but who got an understanding of what she REALLY WANTED?

 

[CamG]

I like a Carter 50lb lift bag and use a Light Monkey 200' reel.
I have used spools and carry several in my dry suit pocket.
The only bummer about spools is the wind up of the line.

CamG

 

[friedrich]

as a fledgling wreck diver, i've been using a finger spool, 30m of orange wreck line and a 1.5m Dive Rite tube. great device and intended as an emergency 30lb lift bag. however, it takes a lot of air, so practice is needed! too easy to get distracted with reel, snap clip, regulator and watching your buoyancy while tasking. i'm temporarily switching to a smaller safety sausage until i get a bit more proficient.