Jingle diver, Jingle diver, Jingle all the.....

[JPENDERGRAST]

Christmas tree divers-

We all know one, and some of you are one.. Simply out of curiousity,, and maybe a little boredom- I want to know what you consider the most practical dive gear you own. And why you consider it practical.. Of course your regulator, mask, fins and all that are necessary to dive, but (IMHO a mask that takes video / pictures is not practical,,, but whatever)..

-My Jet Fins w/ spring straps- make fin don/doff easier than anything - even with golves on.
-My Omer Bandit LV mask- purchased this in Hawaii for freediving and absolutely LOVE it. Very lettle space to equalize, but doesn't restrict my field of view by much at all.

So, let's hear it....

 

[diverrex]

Spring straps for beach dives in the surf. It makes it easier to get fins on or off before the next wave rolls in.

 

[Tanked]

I love my spring straped jets. They make life so much easier

 

[kanonfodr]

My BP/W setup. I can fit the whole rig (minus tanks) into a backpack, it dives beautifully, and I can take it anywhere in my diving and only have to make minor changes to it so it's beneficial from a financial standpoint as well.

Other than that, my Cressi hood. Keeps me a lot warmer, which means my air consumption is better, and I'm super recognizable underwater with a huge yellow stripe running down my head like a freakish mohawk.

Peace,
Greg

 

[Divor]

I want to know what you consider the most practical dive gear you own.

All the stuff I don't own.

 

[b1draper]

When I travel to "tourist locations" like GC, Cozumel, etc some people have referred to me as a Christmas Tree diver. I had one guy in GC (we got to the island via a cruise ship) ask me why do I have spring straps, a reel, SMB, slate, compass, whistle, mirror, sheers, second cutting device, etc. I told him this is how I dive in Florida, I said I dive a few times a month and spring straps make getting fins on and off easier. Then I explained the other things as my typical ocean safety gear. There was a DM in the Bahamas that referred to me that guy with all the danglies; though I have everything clipped off and out of the way.

I think we need to be careful about who we call Christmas tree divers, granted there are people who have way too much gear for the dive they're doing. But some people have exactly what they should have. On the boat, when asked I’m always happy to explain why I have something. I’ve ran into divers who didn’t know that they probably should have an SMB when diving off shore or even some sort of cutting device. Or didn't know how to navigate a wreck or reef in low vis, some couldn't find their way back to the anchor line (up line).

 

[Divor]

What's the mirror for?

 

[ScubaSteve]

What's the mirror for?

Signalling on the surface

You guys seem to know how to make a rig work.....where should I clip off my my spare aire to make this completely DIR?

As for what I consider my practical dive gear....well I am about to start diving almost from scratch so I am not sure. In a week or so I will take posession of my first drysuit (Evo2), new mask, new fins (Jets w/ spring strap).....I will have bungeed my compass and spare computer, new hood, new BP/W (DR Venture w/SS).....so I will have to try it out before answering. I have loved the last 350 or so dives but I am very much looking forward to future dives with the new gear.

But I will say that bungeed compass and computer are as well as the spring straps are great practical gear for anybody IMO.

 

[AfterDark]

The only thing I have that is unusual is my old camera housing. When solo diving I put my waterproof (not pressure proof) GPS and my cellphone in it, and clip it onto the line holder for my float. When diving with a buddy I just put my car keys in it. The cases buoyancy keeps the holder above my shoulder and out of the way. Works out pretty well. My shears are in a pocket so no dangling there. If not using my float (boat dive) I clip a SS to my BC (dangling:shocked2 and I always have my mesh bag rolled up and dangling from my BC. I clip my camera onto my BC but I don't think that counts. I stow my small flashlight in my other pocket on a retractable leash no dangling there either. In that same pocket is a spare slate which I'm rethinking as I rarely write messages to myself and I do have one on the back on my console. I have a whistle dangling from my wetsuit zipper. I guess I'm a closet Christmas tree diver:shocked2:

 

[JPENDERGRAST]

.

I think we need to be careful about who we call Christmas tree divers, granted there are people who have way too much gear for the dive they're doing. But some people have exactly what they should have.

I almost completely agree with you there- Now that spearfishing is the majority of my diving, I too have plenty of gear / gadgets attached somewhere on me. However, all that gear ultimately equates to extra task loading. That's why I've trimmed down anything I can. I have an SMB with a signal mirror sewn into it which is with me on every dive. I think every person diving in the ocean should have an SMB. Slates are really unnecessary, IMHO, since my brother and I go over hand signals and know what each one means prior to making them up along the way underwater. If something is so urgent that you can't signal it- you probably need to call the dive anyway.