cbrussell
Contributor
I am looking to purchase an SMB; any recommendations? What should I be looking for; I don't want it to be too big to carry but it needs to be effective.
Thanks
Thanks
SMB Recommendation
- Thread starter cbrussell
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
I recommend getting one which is self-sealing with a dump valve. Makes inflation a breeze....
Well, what you need depends in part on where you are diving and under what conditions.
I dive Puget Sound, and I don't dive in bad weather; this means that the water surface is rarely more than mildly choppy, and one doesn't need a very big marker to be seen. I therefore use the 3' Halcyon bag, which I like because the large metal flange around the inflation orifice permits easy sealing with cold, numb lips. The bags that have small tubes, or require pressure from the teeth to inflate, just don't work well for me with a numb face.
If you are diving more open ocean conditions, with significant swells, you will probably want a bigger marker, something like a six footer. Be aware that deploying these is much riskier and best done deeper.
If you are diving warm water and need only a small marker, something like the Deep Sea Supply bag is great, because it rolls up quite small.
As with so many things in diving, what you need depends on where you dive.
I dive Puget Sound, and I don't dive in bad weather; this means that the water surface is rarely more than mildly choppy, and one doesn't need a very big marker to be seen. I therefore use the 3' Halcyon bag, which I like because the large metal flange around the inflation orifice permits easy sealing with cold, numb lips. The bags that have small tubes, or require pressure from the teeth to inflate, just don't work well for me with a numb face.
If you are diving more open ocean conditions, with significant swells, you will probably want a bigger marker, something like a six footer. Be aware that deploying these is much riskier and best done deeper.
If you are diving warm water and need only a small marker, something like the Deep Sea Supply bag is great, because it rolls up quite small.
As with so many things in diving, what you need depends on where you dive.
Effective at what? Lakes, oceans, high seas, redundant buoyancy, long distances, night dives, shallow deployment...
I have a couple of each of these:
You might talk to other divers in your area.
I dive from Jupiter to Boynton. In Boynton they have small ones. West Palm "average" ones. In Jupiter, we have big ones.
I use the closed circuit Halcyons. 40 to 50 pounds,. I've used the OMS semi closed bags too. As well as Carters. But I love the Halcyons.
In my world...somebody is shooting a marker every dive.
eelnoraa
Contributor
If you plan to deploy it within recreation depth, just get the Halcyon 3.3ft close circuit SMB. The size and the close circuit construction make it easily to operate. The quality of the Halcyon is also noticeably better than others. But you do pay for the quality.
I have seen and used a few SMB, various brand, size, since I started fundie. Anything larger than size of the Halcyon 3.3 ft, it is difficult to fill with one breath. Why one breath> because by the time you exhaust into the SMB, your buoyancy hasnt changed. This make deploying SMB while maintaining buoyancy much eaiser. And even when it is full, the lift is 5-6lb, very easy to manage.
I also have a 6 foot SMB. When it is full, it has like 40lb of lift. It is also impossile to have it filled properly in recreational depth. If you want to deploy it on the surface, then it is OK.
I have seen and used a few SMB, various brand, size, since I started fundie. Anything larger than size of the Halcyon 3.3 ft, it is difficult to fill with one breath. Why one breath> because by the time you exhaust into the SMB, your buoyancy hasnt changed. This make deploying SMB while maintaining buoyancy much eaiser. And even when it is full, the lift is 5-6lb, very easy to manage.
I also have a 6 foot SMB. When it is full, it has like 40lb of lift. It is also impossile to have it filled properly in recreational depth. If you want to deploy it on the surface, then it is OK.
Now, I disagree.
The little 1 meter Halcyon (6#) is ineffective IMO. I will give you it works as a learning tool and is better than nothing, but bigger is better. At least where I dive.
I shoot my my 5 and 6 footers (30 to 50 #) from rec depths regularly, but that is the challange.
The little 1 meter Halcyon (6#) is ineffective IMO. I will give you it works as a learning tool and is better than nothing, but bigger is better. At least where I dive.
I shoot my my 5 and 6 footers (30 to 50 #) from rec depths regularly, but that is the challange.
Agreed. I use one that has an adaption to use either oraly or use the low pressure inflator hose to inflate (I use a drysuit hose so I just grab it to inflate at depth.) By using my air hose I can usually inflate it significantly before the buoyancy takes off with it.
The answer to your question is the same as so many other questions about scuba. What are you using it for? What conditions? etc........
The answer to your question is the same as so many other questions about scuba. What are you using it for? What conditions? etc........
Ben_ca
Contributor
In Monterey Bay we use the 1 meter Halcyon SMBs quite effectively.... I guess it depends on where you dive and what conditions you dive in.
Similar threads
