Permanent marker on apollo bio-fins okay?

[thespoons]

We're about to take head off for our Australian GBR liveaboard and want to mark up some of our equipment to help keep it identified. Is a permanent marker like this one okay to use on apollo bio-fins? Just don't want something that will in any way damage the equipment. It seems like it would be okay.

I also plan to write on the boots (light gray part), safety sausages and maybe mask and snorkel (probably just a small dot in a specific out of the way place).

Basically, is there anything a newbie should know about marking on any equipment as far as damage goes?

 

[Misa]

mark your fins inside the shoe spot with any water-resistant marker and you will be ok.

 

[thespoons]

When you say inside the shoe spot, do you mean the opening where you stick your foot in? If not, where? And why particularly in that spot?

BTW, these are yellow so the black marker will show up well.

 

[MSilvia]

Basically, is there anything a newbie should know about marking on any equipment as far as damage goes?

Unless you do something stupid like put paint on the filter in your reg first stage, gunk up a moving part so that it won't move anymore, or use something with a solvent so nasty it'll eat through rubber or plastic, I don't think you have anything to worry about.

A permanent marker should be fine... the only "damage" it's likely to do is make semi-permanent marks on your gear.

 

[letterboy]

I use a paint marker on my gear . . .

my first BC I put my name up the side of the wing . . .

now it is on the BP and bottom of wing, under side of my fins, where foot pocket meets the fin, on my wetsuit on the thick smooth rubber inside the zipper. . .

hell my first "octopus" was a normal R190 that I paint markered the face of with a yellow marker . . . I still have it just to show how retarded it was of me


sort of like connecting a LP hose to a HP port . . . but thats a different thread . . .

 

[Misa]

When you say inside the shoe spot, do you mean the opening where you stick your foot in? If not, where? And why particularly in that spot?

BTW, these are yellow so the black marker will show up well.

Well, fins with name or letters where everyone can see are ugly Yes, inside the opening where you stick your foot in...so ppl will notice only when they grab'em.

Black on yellow is great...just keep it low profile

 

[thespoons]

Well, fins with name or letters where everyone can see are ugly Yes, inside the opening where you stick your foot in...so ppl will notice only when they grab'em.

Black on yellow is great...just keep it low profile

Is that just a personal opinion, or a general consensus? Serious question from a newb.

I think I'll write on them on the inside of the pocket simply because if only in case I want to resale them one day it might make it easier.

Though I thought it might be nice to have a unobtrusive line or something along the side to make it easier for us to identify each other if we're in a group of divers. The question is, are yellow strap fins as common as dirt?

 

[letterboy]

You want it to be obvious, and you want it to be in a place that isn't a high wear area, ie INSIDE the foot pocket, or on the bottom where you might be walking on them . . .


just my opinion yours may very . . .

 

[mdb]

No problem marking your bio-fins with that Avery pen. Enjoy your diving.

 

[thespoons]

No problem marking your bio-fins with that Avery pen. Enjoy your diving.

Well, that's about as authoritative an answer on the marker safety question I could hope for. Hope you don't mind me marking up "your" fin.

As an aside, ship out some more fins to Smith Diving in Fridley, MN! We're leaving in a couple of days and they keep waiting to get some more in.

I'm just teasing yah. I know it's not as simple as that.