Least Favorite Piece of Equipment

[TMHeimer]

Dive flag! I hate dragging that thing around.

Yeah, I'd have to agree with that. My diving here in N.S. doesn't require one (I honestly don't even know the law, but I've never seen anyone official --cops, Coast Guard, etc.-- at any of the dive sites I use here). And maybe on the ones close to home, probably not one boat and never any other divers. Down in the States though, I usually drag it along except in rare places.
I also don't like my BC--it is functional and comfortable, but real old and I don't want to spend the money to replace it. One day it may just disintegrate.
But hey, there is also my 7 mil farmer john wetsuit going on & off and the ton of weights it requires. Let's have a show of hands who likes those things.
Then there's the foldable snorkel I (less & less) stuff in the pocket. Pain in the neck to stuff it in far enough so it won't fall out--see old BCD.

 

[FinnMom]

Weight belt. I only use one on warm water trips, when I must. It's uncomfortable, it's a bother, occasionally it's a worry. Once the silly thing even got stolen. Not a fan.

Exactly once someone asked me to carry a dive flag through an entire dive. Yes, that was definely a much bigger negative than anything else I've experienced.

 

[Joneill]

I agree that anything that makes noise underwater is irritating in the extreme, including other divers, their rattlers, sticks, shakers, knobs, etc.,

so... I guess you also find parrot fish, dolphins, and whales to be irritating in the extreme? I get that constant tank banging can be a little annoying - but the occasional tapping to draw attention is not a problem (for me).

To me, what is much more annoying are dive computers that beep (Zoops, etc.,). You hear them going off, but no one ever seems know who is having the issue - so those users are all looking down at their wrists to see if it is theirs - sort of comical...

 

[Haleyeah]

I was watching an old diving movie a few days ago, and I noticed that they had no BCDs like you were saying. I learned to dive as a kid in 1999, and honestly just assumed there was no other way to dive. How did they control buoyancy? Wouldn't you constantly be fighting to stay down or off the bottom? The diving seemed like constant kicking and exhausting, but that could have just been the movie. I would love to go as minimal as possible.

+1 for wetsuit (especially putting it on wet)

 

[DogDiver]

Must irritating for me is the "know it all" on a dive boat and his or her endless chatter. Next worse thing is the "tech wanna be" on a dive boat.

 

[sbijou]

5mm wetsuit. Extra weights, pain to put on and off. Yea for 84 degree summer water temperature.

 

[Fathom044]

Anyone who uses a clicker, etc should never be allowed to dive again. Look at me, I'm important! I have words about this that are not appropriate in public. I would love to take said object and drop it off the wall!!!

 

[Wookie]

so... I guess you also find parrot fish, dolphins, and whales to be irritating in the extreme? I get that constant tank banging can be a little annoying - but the occasional tapping to draw attention is not a problem (for me).

To me, what is much more annoying are dive computers that beep (Zoops, etc.,). You hear them going off, but no one ever seems know who is having the issue - so those users are all looking down at their wrists to see if it is theirs - sort of comical...

Yes.

 

[offfi]

Any piece of gear that is not absolutely necessary is annoying to me. And yes, I do almost always carry more gear than needed.
When I first dove in the pool, with just a back inflate BCD, a single first and second stage (no SPG), no lead, no suit, I was enlightened.
If the scuba police would allow it, I would always dive like this. And without the shorts.

 

[offfi]

I was watching an old diving movie a few days ago, and I noticed that they had no BCDs like you were saying. I learned to dive as a kid in 1999, and honestly just assumed there was no other way to dive. How did they control buoyancy? Wouldn't you constantly be fighting to stay down or off the bottom? The diving seemed like constant kicking and exhausting, but that could have just been the movie. I would love to go as minimal as possible.

+1 for wetsuit (especially putting it on wet)

Haha, I had this moment when I watched Alec Pierce's YouTube videos.
"Whaaat? No BCD? You can't dive without a BCD!" Or so we were told...