Useful uncommon gear

[Colliam7]

What besides the obvious is in your bag on practically every trip for pretty much any dive?

The OP was titled 'Useful uncommon gear'. You have received a number of very useful and practical replies, so I will pick up on the 'uncommon', perhaps less 'obvious', part. You may find that having pockets available, beyond those on your BCD, is particularly useful. Many (and, not just newer) divers struggle with where to put their 'stuff' - lights, signaling devices, slates, folding snorkles, etc., and the pockets on some BCDs are simply not very accessible, particularly on weight-intergrated units. So, items like X-Shorts - shorts with pockets that can be worn over a wetsuit - or some of the commercially availble pockets that can be attached to a waist strap or BCD, might be examples of uncommon, but very useful, gear.

 

[Straegen]

The above post is exactly the kind of info I am looking for. Not necessarily some fancy gear I need to buy, but often just some good common gear used outside the box making it uncommon.

Great posts and thanks for the link. The forums are ripe with info but even with the searching it almost seems like overload.

 

[diver 85]

My Divers Alert Network membership card with emergency number...

monetarily the most important.....could save a diver a bundle....

 

[don Francisco]

Two somewhat unsual items are a cheap (under $2.00 in school stores) 3" magnifying glass about 3x power in air, or 2x in water, and a SS mirror.

Both are used to better see small critters along the reef. The mirror is a neat way to lure certain fishes from their lair, as they come out to check out or chase off the new visitor. (their image).

One of the coolest things was when a pikeblenny figured out he couldn't get to the other guy through the mirror and went around the back to take him on.

 

[muddiver]

I have a pocket that hangs on the belt portion of my harness (DiveRite rig) that I cary an surface marker bouy, a signal mirror, a whistle and a battery powerd strobe. That is my boat diving kit for safety.

I also have a folding titanium knife that is blunt tipped and has a cutting hook for fishing line or rope. Most divers have pointy knifes that work real well as diver stabbers or finger pokers. I perfer blunt tip object underwater, their a little safer.

 

[randy54]

A very cheap, $ wise, plastic devise called a "Cable Cuff" When I went from my wetsuit to a drysuit, whenever I slipped out of the top half, I'd try different ways to keep the arms from flopping around. One day walking through the hardware store I saw this device for holding electrical cable togather. It looks like one side of a handcuff the police use. These come in various sizes. I bought a pack of different sizes, and found the next to smallest clamped around my drysuit sleves just right. They're inexpensive, so I always carry a couple in case one breaks, but that hasn't happend. I've showed many divers on the boat I generally use, and noticed a few had started using them.

Here's a link to see what they look like
http://www.cablecuff.com/

 

[Doubler]

1. Jon Line
2. SMB
3. Marine Band radio with GPS in a McMurdo dive canister attaches to tank strap
4. Signal Mirror, Flares, Dye marker, Silver reflective blanket, light sticks, Emergency strobe in an Otter box attaches to wife's tank strap.
5. Storm whistles
6. Dive alert

A little uncommon but after reading stories of divers getting left at sea I am doing all I can to prevent it happening to me and my buddy. A little anal I know, but I won't be a tea bag steeping in the sea.

 

[CNicoll]

PufferFish came up with the one thing I've rarely found on my dive buddies, but I find useful: a noise making device like a rattle or something. Been u/w a lot of times and want to get my buddies attention without having to grab him/her. A small (metal) rattle works wonders. The mirror/magnifying thing also can be fun/useful to have.

 

[John_B]

Aside from the usual fair that most beginners use such as mask, fins, BCD, etc. What other nifty pieces of gear do you carry with you to the boat? What besides the obvious is in your bag on practically every trip for pretty much any dive?

Someone brought up camping already (disparagingly), but this is something I borrowed from my camping gear... On a boat I take a dry bag with a dry towel, dry hoodie, and goretex-style breathable waterproof jacket. I can't count the number of times someone has laughed about me wearing a hoodie between dives 1 and 2, but has been shivering on the ride back to the docks. The 10 liter size holds plenty and fits under a seat or in an empty 7-1/4" tank holder.

 

[spoolin01]

A couple of things not yet mentioned I think:
spare hoses
spare reg
spare mask
socket drive for adjusting 2nd stage
EPIRB/PLB (for private boat)
ZAP glue/accelerant - quick fix for pinholes in BCs, inflatable boats, probably work for wet/dry suits too
lengths of small diameter bungee cord
SS snap hooks/small carabiners
mesh bag
zip ties