I am looking at reels and SMB's...recommendations?

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LowDrag
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I am looking at reels and SMB's...recommendations?

Post by LowDrag »

Hey everyone...we are looking at getting reels and SMB's and we are not sure which way to go. I know we don't need one the big, 1400' handle types but I was looking at the Halcyon Defender Pro 200 with the smaller handle on it. This looks like a good sturdy reel that is easy to use and not overly spendy. Any thoughts? Here is a pic and a video of the reel I am considering.

Thanks everyone...


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LCF
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Re: I am looking at reels and SMB's...recommendations?

Post by LCF »

What do you plan to use a reel for? Just shooting a bag? Most of us just use spools for that. If you're planning on doing search patterns or overhead work, that reel is pretty small.
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thefeve
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Re: I am looking at reels and SMB's...recommendations?

Post by thefeve »

I don't have much experience at all with reels or SMBs, but I recently picked up the Hog SMB (3') and I'm not a huge fan of the inflation valve on it. I have a hard time depressing it and getting it to inflate. Totally works, but if i was to get a new one, I'd probably try a different brand out.

Not much input, but that's all i have to offer! good luck:D
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Re: I am looking at reels and SMB's...recommendations?

Post by LowDrag »

LCF wrote:What do you plan to use a reel for? Just shooting a bag? Most of us just use spools for that. If you're planning on doing search patterns or overhead work, that reel is pretty small.
Hey Lynne,

I am planning on using it for a safety sausage/surface marker setup. I am going to, in the future also need some type of a setup to be able to run a lift bag as well. That will be a little while down the road yet though.


thefeve wrote:I don't have much experience at all with reels or SMBs, but I recently picked up the Hog SMB (3') and I'm not a huge fan of the inflation valve on it. I have a hard time depressing it and getting it to inflate. Totally works, but if i was to get a new one, I'd probably try a different brand out.

Not much input, but that's all i have to offer! good luck:D
That's still good info thanks.
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Re: I am looking at reels and SMB's...recommendations?

Post by Grateful Diver »

If you can wait till I get back from Indonesia next month, save yourself some money. I'll dive with you and let you try out come different reels and spools and see what works best for you.

As for SMB's, I still haven't found one I like better than the Halcyon bag ...

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chokolad
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Re: I am looking at reels and SMB's...recommendations?

Post by chokolad »

LowDrag wrote:
Hey Lynne,

I am planning on using it for a safety sausage/surface marker setup. I am going to, in the future also need some type of a setup to be able to run a lift bag as well. That will be a little while down the road yet though.
You need a spool then. As for the sausage/SMB - I've been told that Halcyon ones are the best and the only blue H product which is worth paying premium for.
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kdupreez
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Re: I am looking at reels and SMB's...recommendations?

Post by kdupreez »

I recommend you start with a simple Delrin based finger spool that has 100ft of cave line on it and a 3.3ft Halcyon SMB.

the specific reason why I recommend this brand for SMB is the oral inflation valve. I have yet to find another brand that has an inflation valve that can match the no-lock power and oral inflation valve they provide.

I have many many bags and SMB's and this simple finger spool and simple SMB setup is used 99% of all my diving.

In my opinion, Lift bags are for lifting.. Surface Marker Buoy is for "Marking the surface" and these are 2 distinct different use cases for 2 distinct different pieces of gear and their associated reel/spool configurations.
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Re: I am looking at reels and SMB's...recommendations?

Post by LowDrag »

Grateful Diver wrote:If you can wait till I get back from Indonesia next month, save yourself some money. I'll dive with you and let you try out come different reels and spools and see what works best for you.

As for SMB's, I still haven't found one I like better than the Halcyon bag ...

... Bob
That sounds great Bob...thanks.
chokolad wrote:You need a spool then. As for the sausage/SMB - I've been told that Halcyon ones are the best and the only blue H product which is worth paying premium for.
Thanks that is good information, now all I need to know is where to find it so I can research it.
kdupreez wrote:I recommend you start with a simple Delrin based finger spool that has 100ft of cave line on it and a 3.3ft Halcyon SMB.

the specific reason why I recommend this brand for SMB is the oral inflation valve. I have yet to find another brand that has an inflation valve that can match the no-lock power and oral inflation valve they provide.

I have many many bags and SMB's and this simple finger spool and simple SMB setup is used 99% of all my diving.

In my opinion, Lift bags are for lifting.. Surface Marker Buoy is for "Marking the surface" and these are 2 distinct different use cases for 2 distinct different pieces of gear and their associated reel/spool configurations.
Hey Koos, why only 3.3'? Seems kind of short?
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Re: I am looking at reels and SMB's...recommendations?

Post by chokolad »

LowDrag wrote:
chokolad wrote:You need a spool then. As for the sausage/SMB - I've been told that Halcyon ones are the best and the only blue H product which is worth paying premium for.
Thanks that is good information, now all I need to know is where to find it so I can research it.
What do you mean by that? A lot of people have Halcyon SMBs - e.g. Koos, Grateful Diver (I suspect), etc. You can buy them in Tacoma Scuba, which is a Halcyon dealer.
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Re: I am looking at reels and SMB's...recommendations?

Post by chokolad »

LowDrag wrote:
chokolad wrote:You need a spool then. As for the sausage/SMB - I've been told that Halcyon ones are the best and the only blue H product which is worth paying premium for.
Thanks that is good information, now all I need to know is where to find it so I can research it.
What do you mean by that? A lot of people have Halcyon SMBs - e.g. Koos, Grateful Diver (I suspect), etc. You can buy them in Tacoma Scuba, which is a Halcyon dealer.
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Re: I am looking at reels and SMB's...recommendations?

Post by Jeff Pack »

I have the Halycon 3.3 and honestly I'm not very impressed with it for the premium.

A good delrin finger spool, 100ft on line and you are set.
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Joshua Smith
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Re: I am looking at reels and SMB's...recommendations?

Post by Joshua Smith »

Spools are fine. But I don't like them. Prefer reels for a variety of reasons. Anyway, I dislike the side handle config of Halcyon and Light Monkey. My favorite is the good old Long Island Wreck Reel:

http://www.reefscuba.com/litension.htm
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Re: I am looking at reels and SMB's...recommendations?

Post by LowDrag »

chokolad wrote:What do you mean by that? A lot of people have Halcyon SMBs - e.g. Koos, Grateful Diver (I suspect), etc. You can buy them in Tacoma Scuba, which is a Halcyon dealer.
What do YOU mean by that??? I like to take the information I get here and add it to what I find other places and then make a decision. Are YOU okay with that??? As you can see below, there are other divers that don't necessarily like the Halcyon and I would like to take into account what they have to say. Does that mean I am going to poo poo what you guys have said about the Halcyon? No, not in the least but I at least want to make an informed decision if that is okay with you...

By the way...thanks for letting know that Tacoma Scuba is a Halcyon dealer. Down here in Portland where I am at there is not a Halcyon dealer that I know of.

Jeff Pack wrote:I have the Halycon 3.3 and honestly I'm not very impressed with it for the premium.
Thanks Jeff...
Joshua Smith wrote:Spools are fine. But I don't like them. Prefer reels for a variety of reasons. Anyway, I dislike the side handle config of Halcyon and Light Monkey. My favorite is the good old Long Island Wreck Reel:

http://www.reefscuba.com/litension.htm
Thanks Joshua...
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Re: I am looking at reels and SMB's...recommendations?

Post by Tom Nic »

Joshua Smith wrote:Spools are fine. But I don't like them.
Really happy that I am not the only one that doesn't like spools.

I will readily admit to being a bit of a klutz, but every time I've shot a bag with a spool it has been an almost major cluster... :tomnic:

I know it can be done, and I'm sure if one of ya'all experts took me under your wing for a few dives I'd have it nailed, but I'm thinking that a reel would be a heck of a lot easier.
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Re: I am looking at reels and SMB's...recommendations?

Post by ljjames »

LowDrag wrote: By the way...thanks for letting know that Tacoma Scuba is a Halcyon dealer. Down here in Portland where I am at there is not a Halcyon dealer that I know of.
Tacoma Scuba is awesome!

A bit further south if that is what you are looking for gets you:

Capital Divers
1621 Harrison Ave NW
Olympia WA 98502
360-866-3684
http://www.capitaldivers.com

Seven Seas Scuba
3200 SE 164th Ave Suite 216
Vancouver WA 98683
(360)260-9969
http://www.sevenseasscuba.com

Also both great shops...

With regards to spools vs. reels and bag shooting, I've used all of the above at one time or another and recommend a spool for ~70' and shallower and a reel (Halcyon style) from deeper. I switched over to all 'cold water' spools for the most part because i like having a little more real estate for winding it in (you clip the double ender off to the 'lip' and it becomes a handle for reeling in) and also have a defender pro which also works very nicely and is kind of a happy medium between the sizes and quite versatile. It is nicer than a simple spool for when you just need a bit of line (100-200') for marking an area or finding your way back to an anchor or whatnot, because you it stays in your hand better when wearing thick gloves and it unspools nicely when swimming, but is small enough to fit in your pocket and not be a dangly.

For those of you who hate on spools cause they are 'hard to deploy' i'd be happy to hop out on a dive with you and help show you a couple tricks that might make life easier.

Personally I've had enough epic spaghetti bag shoots with the medium and small "reel" style reels (diverite or whomever) that I'd probably choose to do a free ascent over deploying until i was very close to the surface and a line jam or spindle jump wouldn't be a big issue. Of course that could be because I need a primer in reel bag shoots <grin>...

I also recommend the smaller bag for inland waters (such as puget sound) and don't bring out my 3m bag unless i'm off shore or diving in a shipping lane. The small bag has always been sufficient, and in actuality the only time i've ever deployed it "for real" was in MAUI at the end of a drift to let all the crazy boaters driving overhead know something was there (and our charter boat know where we were) and in that case the smaller bag also did JUST FINE. If I do feel the need to take it, the larger bag is big and cumbersome in pockets so most of the time I pack it under the pad on my backplate.

I would just say, get the reel or spool and bag that matches the diving you are going to be doing. Bigger isn't always better :)
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Re: I am looking at reels and SMB's...recommendations?

Post by LowDrag »

ljjames wrote:
LowDrag wrote: By the way...thanks for letting know that Tacoma Scuba is a Halcyon dealer. Down here in Portland where I am at there is not a Halcyon dealer that I know of.
Tacoma Scuba is awesome!

A bit further south if that is what you are looking for gets you:

Capital Divers
1621 Harrison Ave NW
Olympia WA 98502
360-866-3684
http://www.capitaldivers.com

Seven Seas Scuba
3200 SE 164th Ave Suite 216
Vancouver WA 98683
(360)260-9969
http://www.sevenseasscuba.com

Also both great shops...
Thanks Laura, I did not realize that Seven Seas Scuba has Halcyon gear. I will have to check that out.
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Re: I am looking at reels and SMB's...recommendations?

Post by ljjames »

Joshua Smith wrote:Spools are fine. But I don't like them. Prefer reels for a variety of reasons. Anyway, I dislike the side handle config of Halcyon and Light Monkey. My favorite is the good old Long Island Wreck Reel:

http://www.reefscuba.com/litension.htm
Josh, i think i may still have one of these laying around collecting dust and spiders... If i can find it, its yours... (i mean if'n you want another one that is)
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Re: I am looking at reels and SMB's...recommendations?

Post by chokolad »

LowDrag wrote:
chokolad wrote:What do you mean by that? A lot of people have Halcyon SMBs - e.g. Koos, Grateful Diver (I suspect), etc. You can buy them in Tacoma Scuba, which is a Halcyon dealer.
What do YOU mean by that??? I like to take the information I get here and add it to what I find other places and then make a decision. Are YOU okay with that??? As you can see below, there are other divers that don't necessarily like the Halcyon and I would like to take into account what they have to say. Does that mean I am going to poo poo what you guys have said about the Halcyon? No, not in the least but I at least want to make an informed decision if that is okay with you...

By the way...thanks for letting know that Tacoma Scuba is a Halcyon dealer. Down here in Portland where I am at there is not a Halcyon dealer that I know of.
No need to get excited. I missed the fact that you live in Portland. For some reason I was sure you live somewhere in Tacoma, so I assumed you can meet folks and take a look at their stuff.
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Re: I am looking at reels and SMB's...recommendations?

Post by LowDrag »

chokolad wrote:No need to get excited. I missed the fact that you live in Portland. For some reason I was sure you live somewhere in Tacoma, so I assumed you can meet folks and take a look at their stuff.
Excited? No not excited. A little pissy? Maybe, after all you did come across like a jerk. Had you looked at my avatar it says right underneath it that I am from Portland.

Anyway, I am not disregarding Koos, Bob or any other diver here. All I am saying is that I don't want to rush in but check out different setups to see what works best for my wife and I.
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Re: I am looking at reels and SMB's...recommendations?

Post by spatman »

Take it easy, dude. It's the Internet.

+1 on the Halcyon smb.
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Re: I am looking at reels and SMB's...recommendations?

Post by LCF »

I own very little Halcyon gear, but I'll join the chorus about their bags. The big metal flange on the oral inflator makes getting air into the thing SO much easier when your lips are numb. (I think we have five different makes of SMBs in the house . . . that one is the one I USE.)

Deep Sea Supply makes one that a lot of people like, because it has a tapered shape and no pull valve. That makes it really easy to inflate (takes less air) and roll up. I don't like it because I have trouble getting air into it when my face is really cold, and I don't like the exhaust valve at all (harder to manage with dry gloves and cold hands).

The difference between a reel and a spool is a spool can't jam. And it's easier to put a spool in your pocket. I have one of the little Dive Rite jump reels and I like it for some applications in cave diving, but I wouldn't bother with it for bag shooting. For recreational dives, you just aren't going to be shooting the bag from all that deep, in the vast majority of cases.
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Re: I am looking at reels and SMB's...recommendations?

Post by LowDrag »

Okay, so it sounds like a spool is the way to go. I have watched YouTube videos on how to shoot a bag with a spool and it does not look too tough. I know from what I have read here and on SB that it will take some practice to get it down.

What are some of your experiences with using a safety sausage and a spool? By the way, I take it there is a difference between a safety sausage and an SMB? I thought they were the same thing just different terminology.
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Re: I am looking at reels and SMB's...recommendations?

Post by Joshua Smith »

ljjames wrote:
Joshua Smith wrote:Spools are fine. But I don't like them. Prefer reels for a variety of reasons. Anyway, I dislike the side handle config of Halcyon and Light Monkey. My favorite is the good old Long Island Wreck Reel:

http://www.reefscuba.com/litension.htm
Josh, i think i may still have one of these laying around collecting dust and spiders... If i can find it, its yours... (i mean if'n you want another one that is)
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT!? Are you saying I'm so stupid and clumsy that I'll probably BREAk or LOSE mine? :mrgreen:
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Re: I am looking at reels and SMB's...recommendations?

Post by Mortuus »

Joshua Smith wrote:
ljjames wrote:
Joshua Smith wrote:Spools are fine. But I don't like them. Prefer reels for a variety of reasons. Anyway, I dislike the side handle config of Halcyon and Light Monkey. My favorite is the good old Long Island Wreck Reel:

http://www.reefscuba.com/litension.htm
Josh, i think i may still have one of these laying around collecting dust and spiders... If i can find it, its yours... (i mean if'n you want another one that is)
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT!? Are you saying I'm so stupid and clumsy that I'll probably BREAk or LOSE mine? :mrgreen:
:rofl: :popcorn:
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Re: I am looking at reels and SMB's...recommendations?

Post by Mateo1147 »

http://www.scuba.com/scuba-gear-117/032 ... QgodyHQA0g
This is the SMB I carry on every dive with a 100' finger spool. It has both oral inflation and a bottom fill option for use with your second stage and it won't deflate on the surface. With my large hands and dry gloves I find a finger spool a major PITA to wind up while I ascend and would love to switch to some form of reel instead. Try both types when you get the chance and then spend your money. Even though the product link I posted is from an online store I bought mine from a local shop. Hint hint. :smt064
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