Best DSMB/spool?

[tracydr]

I'd like to buy my DSMB and spool. I want to make sure this will work for a Fundies class and any future classes I may take.
Any recommendations? There are just so many to choose from online, I have no idea where to start.
Currently, I have a DSMB, but it can only be orally inflate. I'm assuming that this won't work for a class? I don't have a spool, yet.
My husband just purchased a Halcyon lift bag and spool when he bought his Halcyon Cinch system. Would this work?

 

[PfcAJ]

If you just want to take a class, get the little 3ft Halcyon with OPV (gotta have it so you can shoot it from depth). If your diving takes you to places where there are large waves or the potential to be far from the boat (aka the ocean), get a bigger SMB that has a larger profile. The open/ baffled bottom ones are ok, but I think the closed circuit ones are better, ymmv. Both work. The open bottom ones can dump the gas out of the bag, but you don't have to take a reg out of your mouth to fill them. All mine are Halcyon, and all work very well. Lift bags are better for lifting

Grab a simple 150' delrin spool. That'll cover you for just about anything in the 100' range. I remain unconvinced by the new spool gadgets that are out there (the 'Defender Pro').

 

[g1138]

Any spool bigger than 100' will work; 200' and it's kinda unnecessary unless you plan on going very deep. Don't go for the 3-holed ones that's on the Piranhamfg dive special. It'll make it harder to clip off at certain lengths, which might be important if you have to hold a stop with your team at a certain depth. Those 3-holed spools I would save for use as a short guideline.

With ABS plastic or Delrin spools, you'll have to take off some line to allow easier clipping off. This makes a 100' spool about 90' and a 150' about 140' etc.
The Stainless steel spools don't have this issue as much, but man are they expensive.
I prefer using spools with Hi-viz orange or yellow line. White line can be hard to see sometimes in the water column.

SMB's you need to have one with an OPV dump valve. Without one your SMB can burst on ascent if you over inflate it.
Halcyon's 1m Dive Alert Marker is the go to for Fundies. GUE divers in my area will carry that on their dives and some will also carry the bigger 4.5' Halcyon marker when the waves are really high.
The 1m is easily inflate on dry land with 2-4 breaths. At depth it just takes 1 breath at 15' and it will be fully inflated at the surface and easy to keep upright even in neutral trim. Just a little tension on the arm is enough to keep it upright, where as the larger SMB's need a lot of weight; you usually have to hang from them.

Other SMB's will do as long as they have an OPV and can be orally inflated. BC inflation ones can also be orally inflated. You will be orally inflating your SMB in the class setting and I think the instructor will require you to inflate enough so it's full on the surface. So keep in mind, a bigger SMB will be harder to deploy at depth because you will need to put more than 1 breath in and perform BC input to keep your buoyancy while you do it.

 

[tracydr]

I'll check into the Halcyon SMB and spools.
We do dive in the ocean. Channel Islands, San Diego and dive trips. I hope to take some tech classes in the future but my eyes are on Fundies and then Cave right now. ( obviously I won't deploy the SMB in a cave,lol)
I need to check my old SMB that I used in Galapegos. I haven't deployed it in ages. Can't remember if it had an OPV or not. It's possible that it could work just fine, which would leave me needing just a spool.
Thanks!

 

[Pullmyfinger]

I have the Halcyon 1 meter, and 1.5 meter SMBs. As was mentioned above, the 1 meter is great for ease of inflation, the bigger one for bigger seas.
the small one fits in a pocket, and the bigger one goes in the MC storage pack.

An alternative to the Halcyon 1 meter SMB, is the Deep Sea Supply 1 meter SMB.
The DSS one will roll up smaller than the Halcyon, so if pocket size is an issue, you might opt for the DSS SMB.

The DSS inflates so easily!

-Mitch

*Note:
My suggestion of both the Halcyon or Deep Sea Supply surface marker bouy is based on my personal experience with each of these products.
It does not imply in any way, a critism on my part of any competing products. Nor does it indicate my agreement with any previous posts that may have expressed any negative or scandalous comments that may have been directed at any competing products.
I am not responsible for any posts that relate to this topic that have been made in the past by person(s) that are unknown to me, or that might have been made before I was even a certified diver.
;-)

 

[eelnoraa]

I'd like to buy my DSMB and spool. I want to make sure this will work for a Fundies class and any future classes I may take.

If you are planning for fundie, you want the Halcyon 3.3ft DSMB with OPV version. I even think futher GUE/DIR type of class, that is the one you want. Oral inflate is fine, it is likely what you will be doing in fundie.

 

[kathydee]

+1 for Halcyon 3.3ft orange SMB with OPV & 150ft spool for Fundies. It is easy to orally inflate in cold water.

As others have said, later you will want to also purchase a larger Halcyon SMB which can be deployed at the surface if needed.

 

[TSandM]

I've owned six different brands of SMB, and my personal choice is the Halcyon bag. I really like the structure of the inflator -- it will allow oral inflation or LP hose inflation, and the large metal flange around the attachment is perfect for getting a seal with cold, numb lips. The standard OPV is easy to use and permits access to the inside of the bag to rinse it out, if you're that anal.

A 100 foot spool will serve for most purposes. I'm intrigued with the new Halcyon spools, because the solid center allows the spool to be smaller in overall diameter (thus easier to get in and out of pockets) and you can't get a dry glove stuck in the middle.

 

[Scott L]

+1 for Halcyon 3.3ft orange SMB with OPV & 150ft spool for Fundies. It is easy to orally inflate in cold water.

As others have said, later you will want to also purchase a larger Halcyon SMB which can be deployed at the surface if needed.

Not so much in S. Florida. Charter operators want deployed to mark safety stop activity. Your position in queue to be picked up sooner is enhanced and you stand a better chance of not being run over by a speeding power boat upon surfacing...

 

[tracydr]

I have the Halcyon 1 meter, and 1.5 meter SMBs. As was mentioned above, the 1 meter is great for ease of inflation, the bigger one for bigger seas.
the small one fits in a pocket, and the bigger one goes in the MC storage pack.

An alternative to the Halcyon 1 meter SMB, is the Deep Sea Supply 1 meter SMB.
The DSS one will roll up smaller than the Halcyon, so if pocket size is an issue, you might opt for the DSS SMB.

The DSS inflates so easily!

-Mitch

*Note:
My suggestion of both the Halcyon or Deep Sea Supply surface marker bouy is based on my personal experience with each of these products.
It does not imply in any way, a critism on my part of any competing products. Nor does it indicate my agreement with any previous posts that may have expressed any negative or scandalous comments that may have been directed at any competing products.
I am not responsible for any posts that relate to this topic that have been made in the past by person(s) that are unknown to me, or that might have been made before I was even a certified diver.
;-)

Small and easy to inflate is good.

---------- Post Merged at 09:31 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 09:24 PM ----------

I've owned six different brands of SMB, and my personal choice is the Halcyon bag. I really like the structure of the inflator -- it will allow oral inflation or LP hose inflation, and the large metal flange around the attachment is perfect for getting a seal with cold, numb lips. The standard OPV is easy to use and permits access to the inside of the bag to rinse it out, if you're that anal.

A 100 foot spool will serve for most purposes. I'm intrigued with the new Halcyon spools, because the solid center allows the spool to be smaller in overall diameter (thus easier to get in and out of pockets) and you can't get a dry glove stuck in the middle.

If anybody could get a dry glove stuck in the middle of something, I could. I'm a total dork. Dork proof toys are very good!
And, highly likely that I will be takie Fundies in cold water, even if it's in our local lake. If it gets much past April, I'd probaly prefer taking it somewhere ont the West coast. Although I get cold easily in cold water, I really don't do well in heat. Once we hit May 1, I don't like to do much strenuous outdoors in AZ.

---------- Post Merged at 09:36 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 09:24 PM ----------

+1 for Halcyon 3.3ft orange SMB with OPV & 150ft spool for Fundies. It is easy to orally inflate in cold water.

As others have said, later you will want to also purchase a larger Halcyon SMB which can be deployed at the surface if needed.

Sounds like I may want a larger one for a backup on boat trips. And, the smaller one for classes. I'll purchase the smaller one for now, get proficiency. When we have a boat trip planned somewhere, I'll pick up the larger one.