Emergency Pocket...Left or Right?

[Rhino]

WOW a question that might get many different more answers then what have been said.

Um if you have 2 stages then both pockets are just as covered. I think it should be more of witch is your dominate hand Left or Right? What works for me might not for you. I een for got what about 3 stages or 4. It might take time in OW to keep playing around and work on it.

When I start a dive with 2 stages, they're both on top of my sidemount tanks, which would not affect my choice of which pocket to favor in case of emergency or urgency. With 3 stages, the third stage is on my left, adding to the reasons of right-hand dominance and lighthead on the left hand for my choice of the right side pocket.

[Michael.guerrero]

Um if you have 2 stages then both pockets are just as covered.

Stages on the left

[Mr Grey]

Diving sidemount, I use a chest bag. The bag can be easily removed and also the location makes it easy to access anything I need.

[victorzamora]

So this is not meant to start any kind of religious debate or anything, I'm just curious on the rationale for why people pick. Mine is as follows:

The left pocket is the utility pocket because my stages/deco bottles are on the left, so getting into it is more time consuming. In an emergency, I need my emergency stuff readily accessible, so that goes in my right pocket because my right side is clear of any obstructions.

What about you?

What "emergency stuff" are you talking about?? I think this matters because what you and I call "emergency stuff" might be drastically different.

U mean a sachel? (Don't know the spelling)

Yeah, Indiana Jones wore one!

[Danseur]

With trained muscle memory it won't matter.

[TraceMalin]

Stuff I think I'm going to use - left. Stuff not planning to use - right. Habit.

[LiteHedded]

i typically put important stuff (safety spool, backup mask) in the right cus it's easier to get out.
everything else gets stuffed wherever there is room left over

[Michael.guerrero]

What "emergency stuff" are you talking about?? I think this matters because what you and I call "emergency stuff" might be drastically different.

I don't understand why that matters.

[nakatomi]

Everything I could need in an emergency is within reach. Backup/Stage regulators, backup light (on mask), two safety spools (on butt D-ring).
Anything non urgent like a backup mask, more backup lights, wetnotes, is in some pocket that takes a minute or so to open, access and close.

[victorzamora]

I don't understand why that matters.

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.