Save a Dive Kit - What's really needed?

[tigerdiver]

I've read several articles about what one needs in a save a dive kit like extra o-rings, or a strap, but just like in backpacking has "the 10 essentials" what are the essentials in a save a dive equipment kit ie what are your suggestions or "wish I would have had ..." experiences?

[hydroslyder]

Just do a search on this board, there are about 10 articles on this that I have read, and your question is the same as all of them

[Epinephelus]

Let's just cut to the real essentials.
The two most important things in a Save-a-Dive kit are a credit card and a 100 dollar bill.
E. itajara

[tigerdiver]

Cash is always king in times of trouble.

[Walter]

You need the one item that breaks. It's impossible to know what that will be in advance. Some things break often, others (straps) rarely, but are so cheap, it would be crazy not to have them handy. Your skills will also determine what you want to carry. Everyone should have straps (mask & fin), o-rings, cable ties, shoe strings, wire cutters, mouth pieces, and minor medical supplies. If you are an equipment tech, you'd also want rebuild kits and tools. I usually carry a spare regulator. It depends on skills and space available.

[canuckdiver]

There seems to be a vast number of opinions on what is "needed" in a save-a-dive kit.

some peopl carry just the absolute essentials, some carry a kit the size of a dive bag! LOL

I personally carry a kit of o-rings, spare mouthpiece, spare mask strap, and a bunch of cable ties. This covers pretty much all the little problems, I've run into, anything bigger than this, and I'll need to find a shop to do repairs.

If I'm going to be in a remote area, I would guess that I would assemble a full set of spares for pretty much all my equipment, but this would be on a per-trip basis.

[KBeck]

Ok, I have a kind of dumb question......I've (finally) put together my save a dive kit, and I have all the standard stuff, and my personal essential extras--but one.

Where would I find spare fin straps? The only ones I've ever seen are in those kits the dive shop sells with O-rings, mask straps, etc., and for just those few things (which I already have, except the fin strap), they are @ $15. A bit much for just one item I need. I haven't found any shops that sell JUST fin straps....can they be bought directly from the manufacturer of my personal fin brand?

Also, Walter: Could you possibly tell us how to make one of those handy dandy PVC noisemakers of yours. I've got the general concept, but don't quite know what to ask for when I walk into the Home Depot. And then, how do you attach it to your BC?

[FLL Diver]

KBeck once bubbled...
Also, Walter: Could you possibly tell us how to make one of those handy dandy PVC noisemakers of yours. I've got the general concept, but don't quite know what to ask for when I walk into the Home Depot. And then, how do you attach it to your BC?

Walter uses a *gasp* rattle? :wacko:

RD&G :D

Marc

[O-ring]

duct tape and zipties..

[Walter]

Krista,

I find fin straps in dive shops, if you dont see them, ask and possibly look in another shop.

There's a description of how to make the noise makers in one of the wreckmania threads from last year. I don't have any, I've never had any and I've never made one, but I'll make one for you. Wanna dive on Saturday?

I forgot to mention - snorkel keepers. Always have snorkel keepers in your kit.

[FLL Diver]

Walter once bubbled...

There's a description of how to make the noise makers in one of the wreckmania threads from last year. I don't have any, I've never had any and I've never made one, but I'll make one for you. Wanna dive on Saturday?


Glad that got straightened out. :D

Marc

[KBeck]

Sorry Walter; I had seen a reference to that exact thread, but when I went to look for it, couldn't find the description!

Hmmm, so, anyone else have tips? The people at the Home Depot already think I'm a nutcase, so I might as well scare them more.....
"Hi, yes, I need to make a rattle out of PVC......" :confused:

[Walter]

Krista,

You'll have one when I see you on Monday. I'll make one for you one evening this week.

Walter

[RavenC]

TRIPTONE for those dive buddies who tend to throw-up on everyone.

You'll save your dive if you give him/her/them TRIPTONE.

And, cleaning your gear after the dive isn't as bad when you don't have to clean off someone elses breakfast. If you know what I mean. Sorry, I hope that didn't offend anyone but I've been there. TRIPTONE.

TRIPTONE. Don't leave home without it.


: ) R

[runvus4]

My current "save a dive kit" is actually broken into 4 different small packages.

In my reg bag, I have a spare long hose, spare high pressure hose and spare inflator hose. I also carry a spare 1st stage and spare 2nd stage.

In my toolkit which is a Pelican 1050, I carry two adjustable wrenches, a metric and an imperial allen wrench sets and screwdriver with room to spare. I also have xeroxes of my DAN insurance card and a copy of my cert card in this box.

In the parts box which is another Pelican 1050 drybox, I carry spare hair bungies, Voton o-rings, o-ring pick, o2 grease, zip ties, a few feet of bungee, a few feet of 25# line, some spare 1st stage port plugs, 2 spare bolt snaps, 2 spare d-rings 2 spare webbing keepers, spare C cells, Dramamine and Ibuprofen. I also store my zipper wax and KY in that drybox as well, making it a tight fit.

I am going to add a cannister light service kit with o-rings, various parts and spare bulbs and a drysuit patch kit.

Lastly, I have a small pouch that is my "general" kit which I also carry on hiking/rock climbing trips that has an electric glow stick, first aid kit, flint/steel, magnesium block, leatherman, leatherman accessory bits/bit holder, small P3 Surefire light with spare bulb/batteries, various different surefire filter heads, spare AA batteries, and rubber bulb to squirt air.

[Walter]

Take the adjustable wrenches out of your kit. Get the correct sizes. You won't need very many and you'll save your regulator.

[O-ring]

Walter once bubbled...
Take the adjustable wrenches out of your kit. Get the correct sizes. You won't need very many and you'll save your regulator.
One of those "right tool for the job" guys...hey, I have 2 adjustables in my save a dive kit!!! :eek:

[Walter]

Go for it, but keep 'em away from my regs.

[O-ring]

Walter once bubbled...
Go for it, but keep 'em away from my regs.
I understand totally...my father is the same way. I am just an impetuous shortcut taking idiot when it comes to tools. I did buy a set of metric wrenches for my Apeks regs though...just not enough room in my save a dive kit for them.

[runvus4]

I do have wrench sets at home which I use for any "real" maintenance. I'm personally fine with the adjustable for the "save a dive kit' as it is intended for emergency field repairs only which has for me been 0 instances on my reg sets for the wrenches. Once on the DIN adapter to check the O-ring/seat due to a small amount of bubbling, but that was all hex driver work, no wrenches. IMHO, if you are careful with the adjustables and use them properly, a rare single use to swap out a blown hose won't damage the regs. Versitility and kit size in this instance for me won out over individual set sized wrenches. My policy is that if I can't carry over the shoulder and/or in my two hands everything in my kit at the same time (excluding the tanks) then I've packed too much. I promise I won't go near your regs with the adjustable wrenches. At this point, I'm more interested in adding a torque wrench to the kit to protect my 1st stage.

I forgot that I also have a set of regular pliers, needle nose pliers and needle tipped tweezers that I tossed into my bag at some point because they didn't fit into the drybox. I've only used the pliers once for field work to put in a set of sping fin straps for someone. I'm sure I also have other assorted tools/parts floating about my bags that I'm not thinking of, but as they are floating about, I guess they aren't really part of my save-a-dive kit as of yet.