Emergency Pocket...Left or Right?

[Greenwood_60]

Same as Oliver and Victor. I got rid of leg pockets when I went sidemount. Everything is mounted somewhere accessible. I don't carry a backup mask.

[LiteHedded]

Do you call your backup mask "emergency stuff"? I don't. I don't really keep ANY "emergency stuff" in pockets as I need immediate access to it. Stuff I don't NEED goes in pockets. One backup light (for signalling buddy) is always in short reach (clipped to harness) and my safety reel/spool are within short reach (clipped to butt). Nothing that I consider urgent gets tucked away. Non-essentials like backup mask, wetnotes, etc gets tucked away.

Holy crap, I just read Oliver's post and agree fully!

As to WHERE I keep my non-essential stuff: I keep the stuff I need more often in my right pocket because I find it easier to access. That is: extra backup lights, wet notes, and a lanyard-clip (for looping around and clipping off random stuff). My left pocket gets just my backup mask. If I'm diving with a screwdriver (or whatever) then I'd stuff it in my right pocket to protect my mask. I like keeping pockets no more full than what I've described due to diving sidemount.

the further you get from the door, the more important that backup mask becomes

[tbone1004]

flame away but I dive with the Dive Rite thigh pockets, allows you to turn the pocket when you need it and also pick it up if it is too low. I don't always dive with them though. Don't carry a backup mask. I can see just fine without one. You put one hand up to one eye and exhale a bit to create an air pocket. This allows you to see your computer, nothing else really requires vision, so I just don't carry it.

I use a wrist slate for easier dives, wetnotes go in the pocket, extra double ender, extra light/glotoob, extra spool, don't need two for that stuff, so put them all in one pocket on the left.

[PfcAJ]

flame away but I dive with the Dive Rite thigh pockets, allows you to turn the pocket when you need it and also pick it up if it is too low. I don't always dive with them though. Don't carry a backup mask. I can see just fine without one. You put one hand up to one eye and exhale a bit to create an air pocket. This allows you to see your computer, nothing else really requires vision, so I just don't carry it.

I use a wrist slate for easier dives, wetnotes go in the pocket, extra double ender, extra light/glotoob, extra spool, don't need two for that stuff, so put them all in one pocket on the left.

Scootering any distance without it is a neat trick.

Generally speaking, I think at least 1 mask per team is a smart move. Even swimming, not having a mask either slows you down or makes you dependent on another diver. Neither of those things are ideal.

[victorzamora]

Scootering any distance without it is a neat trick.

Generally speaking, I think at least 1 mask per team is a smart move. Even swimming, not having a mask either slows you down or makes you dependent on another diver. Neither of those things are ideal.

I typically carry one with me on bigger dives. On small dives I just don't always bother. Either way, I wouldn't call a spare mask an "emergency" item.

[PfcAJ]

Emergency means different things to different folks.

Things you plan to use and things you don't plan to use is better terminology, imo.

[Greenwood_60]

Scootering any distance without it is a neat trick.

Generally speaking, I think at least 1 mask per team is a smart move. Even swimming, not having a mask either slows you down or makes you dependent on another diver. Neither of those things are ideal.

I agree, but it depends on the dive. Most of my dives it would simply be uncomfortable. What are the chances of a catastrophic mask failure? (seriously asking, I'm not sure I've heard of one)

[tbone1004]

true, and I'll give you that, but I also rarely do dives that would justify carrying one, if I was scootering I'd bring one more as a "lost mask backup" instead of a broken mask backup. For real deep wrecks I also carry one, but not on normal dives. Hog Razorback is a nice little one for pocket storage btw. Super cheap too

[PfcAJ]

I agree, but it depends on the dive. Most of my dives it would simply be uncomfortable. What are the chances of a catastrophic mask failure? (seriously asking, I'm not sure I've heard of one)

Probably rather slim, but I have personally seen the lens pop out of a high end mask before and more than a handful of strap/buckle failures.