High Vis

[robindotadams]

As an inexperienced OWSI, one comment passed by an instructor I was working with recently commented on my 'all black' appearance u/w. As most OW's are done in Wraysbury for me (where the word Viz is a dirty word), I need to get myself more visible. I've already invested in a pair of yellow fins. Any other cheap suggestions? High Viz tape? Coloured armbands? u/w strobe?

[Lou]

Get a bright hood - you will stand out to your students, but also on the surface in the sea. Two advantages for the price of one!

[MATTBIN]

Get a HID
oh sorry you said cheap,
nick a HID, dont get caught.

Matt

[Nick Kay]

A number of "thoughts"

1. You'll use hand signals ALOT, therefore make sure your gloves are high viz - try adding some SOLAS type tape to them

2. Daft as it might sound, add a bit of SOLAS tape to your mask - just above the eyes - makes the students go for eye contact!

3. Consider any items to be used in a practical, for example:
- I've swapped one of my reels to contain bright yellow line - cheap builders stuff from B&Q
- go for s/s rather than brass clips, carabiners, etc

4. If you don't like the idea of sticking bits of SOLAS tape to most of your regular dive gear (cos its a b****r to get off), use masking tape or innertube underneath the SOLAS stuff

Hope this helps

[MATTBIN]

I find it helps if your tanks are brightly coloured too, white rather than any other colour or combo of colours. High vis wrappings to the occy? You can get that plastic wrap round stuff from LDS.

[csiman]

many of the instructors and dive guides abroad use different coloured fins. You'll get plenty of funny looks over here though,but hell who gives a damn as long as your students know its you

[Scuby]

A few things...

Fins always good to have a bright colour, since if you are ever swimming along and your buddy stops the fins are the last thing they'll see.

Strobes - ABSOLUTELY NOT! Should be left OFF except in an emergency (one emergency may be that you lost you buddy for example) but please don't dive with one on all the time - incredibly annoying to be having a nice peaceful dive and then some muppet comes along looking like a christmas tree. Very distracting, and anyone who needs something so obtrusive to maintain contact during a dive needs to look at their buddy skills.

The thing with gloves someone mentioned about putting solas tape on them - an alternative is dry gloves. As well as the obvious "dryness" benefit, they're usually bright blue and makes seeing signals so so much easier underwater, especially in viz that is a bit "dodgy".

David

[Dr Stevil]

I've got some reflective bands on my tanks, like the reflective stripes of Police jackets, stands out a treat even without torches shining off it so buddies can always see which one is me.

I made it (Blue Peter sty-lee) from my old reflective 'Sam Brown' I was advised to wear when I took my bike test (many, many moons ago)

[edward]

I dived with a guy at Babbacombe the other week who had a Hi-vis jacket on over his wetsuit. it had long arms, and so quite a bit of the reflective tape and 'yellowness' was very visible. You couldn't miss him.

[turbanator]

Originally Posted by Lou

Get a bright hood - you will stand out to your students, but also on the surface in the sea. Two advantages for the price of one!

These can be 'outer' hoods. like the thing that you use when doing hi-lights (allegedly), so you don't need to ditch your favourite hood.

Originally Posted by edward

I dived with a guy at Babbacombe the other week who had a Hi-vis jacket on over his wetsuit. it had long arms, and so quite a bit of the reflective tape and 'yellowness' was very visible. You couldn't miss him.

When I first got a drysuit, a lot of the older divers used to recomment overalls to protect the suit.
I did try this and hat white overalls, but found that it was an added restriction.

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