Is there a best way to mark your equipment?

[kabluton]

Anyone have tips on putting your name on your equipment so it doesn't get mixed up and/or lost? The first place I took instruction from had us put 3 unique colors of electrical tape on our stuff but I don't really like that method too much. The last trip I was on I somehow left my $189 fins on the boat but luckily some honest person turned them in to the lost and found and I recovered them the next day. It would have been nice to have my name and maybe address on them somehow.

 

[Damselfish]

Paint pens which you can get at craft stores. Will wear off eventually, but lasts pretty long. Or sharpie markers - black for lighter colored stuff and silver for dark stuff. Other permanent markers will work too.

 

[jonnythan]

The best way is to put your name on it

 

[abitton]

Actually, my dad has one of those little engraving pens. Would it be resonable to use this on regs?

 

[RobC]

I'd be hesitant to use an engraver. No expert on the matter, but I'd not want to 1) give any cause for potential rust or 2) give the potential for rupturing or weakening a line or whatever.

Not to mention, if you ever decide to sell it, the new guy couldn't get rid of your name from it...

 

[Parrothead_Diver]

I us a Silver Sharpie for dark and black gear, and a black sharpie for everything else.

Just make sure to redo it every so often because it will fade out.

 

[Lead_carrier]

Anyone have tips on putting your name on your equipment so it doesn't get mixed up and/or lost? The first place I took instruction from had us put 3 unique colors of electrical tape on our stuff but I don't really like that method too much. The last trip I was on I somehow left my $189 fins on the boat but luckily some honest person turned them in to the lost and found and I recovered them the next day. It would have been nice to have my name and maybe address on them somehow.

I know where you took lessons. Sharpies and paint markers, as previously mentioned, work great but you will have to touch it up occasionally.

P.S. Buy them are a craft, dept, or hardware store. WM charges too much.

 

[DiveMaven]

I actually bought little DAN tags (plastic) with our name and phone number on them. They're attached to regs and BCs with zip ties, so great for sorting stuff on the boat, etc. For someone who wants to steal things, they could cut the tags off, but generally even writing in pen won't deter someone who is determined to steal. Everything else is written on with a Sharpie

 

[abitton]

Good points...

I'd be hesitant to use an engraver. No expert on the matter, but I'd not want to 1) give any cause for potential rust or 2) give the potential for rupturing or weakening a line or whatever.

Not to mention, if you ever decide to sell it, the new guy couldn't get rid of your name from it...

 

[WVDiver]

I also use the black and silver shrapies and I have also found that if you use the self adhesive clear "plastic" address labels that you can purchase by the roll and use super glue to apply them that they will work great on all your hard and palstic things and then you have your address on your stuff also.

Actually you can have nearly anything put on these labels, or left off the of them, you may want your dive club or LDS address instead of your personal address, your cell or work phone number or whatever important information you would want people to know if they were to find your stuff.

Let's face it if a person finds your stuff and is honest enough to turn it in to a lost and found they are likely honest enough to phone and tell you directly that they have your stuff. I would prefer this to the lost and found pile. I have seen people cliam stuff that didn't belong to them before.