A surface marker buoy, or SMB, is an important safety accessory for every dive. It’s basically a buoy with a line that indicates your location to your dive boat or other boats that may be in the area. Choosing the best SMB for scuba diving will give you confidence to ascend without fear of dive boats passing overhead or become separated from your boat skipper.
SMBs can also be used as a visual reference when ascending, which can be especially important during safety stops in a strong current when you may drift further away from the boat.
In some destinations, like Colombia’s Malpelo Island, using an SMB is compulsory, while in others it’s still said to be a crucial accessory for divers so they don’t get separated or lost, or have boats pass over you during your ascent to the surface.
One of our big goals here at The Adventure Junkies is to make your life easier when it comes to choosing scuba diving gear. In this article, we’ll walk you through what to consider when choosing a SMB and show you our selection of the best models of the year.
The Ultimate Guide To Finding The Best SMB For Scuba Diving
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Carter Personal Float |
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OMS Safety Set III |
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OMS Safety Set I |
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SCUBA DIVING SURFACE MARKER BUOYS 101
7 Things to Consider To Find The Best SMB For Scuba Diving
1. Sea Conditions
Knowing what sea conditions you plan to dive in will help determine what size SMB you should be looking for. In calm conditions, smaller SMBs are perfectly adequate however in choppy or rough seas, you’ll need a bigger and longer tube in order to be clearly seen from a distance.
2. Reflective Strip
All SMBs are brightly colored usually in orange or yellow to attract attention. Some have a reflective strip on them to increase visibility. If you’re doing lots of night dives then it’s best to choose an SMB which has at least one reflective strip either at the top or down the sides of the tube.
3. Air Dump Valve
Mastering the inflation of an SMB takes care and practice. Over-inflation can send the buoy promptly up to the surface. This brings two risks – forcing the diver to ascend too quickly if they are holding onto the buoy, or it could rupture. An air dump valve will release air if it is over-inflated, reducing this risk of accelerated ascent and any possible rupture.
4. Dimensions
Another thing to consider is the size of your SMB, not only the length when inflated but also when packed away. You need to be able to carry it with you on your dive, such as tucked into a pocket of your BCD or attached somewhere that won’t get in the way during your dive. Either way, you need to have it on you for the duration of your dive. If you are a newer diver, you won’t want anything too bulky or heavy which might affect your buoyancy or get in the way of you being streamlined.
5. Line/Reel Attachment
Some SMBs have a line and reel attached so you can deploy it at depth and follow it to the surface. You don’t want to send up a safety tube in a strong current, for the dive boat to arrive at the scene and find that you have drifted miles away! Some SMBs come with a spool or reel attached while others you may have to purchase separately.
6. Budget
The most basic safety marker buoys cost a little more than a couple of coffees while the top-of-the-line SMBs can be well over $100. Consider your budget along with your dive experience. The top options may be more suited for a Divemaster or Dive Instructor and those who are comfortable inflating SMBs at depth as they may be heavier and bulkier to carry. The good thing is there’s a range of options to suit all levels of diving and all budgets – so there’s no excuse not to have this safety accessory in your dive kit.
7. Top Attachment
This is another important feature if you do lots of night diving. A d-attachment is a hook at the top of the SMB which allows you attached a dive light or strobe to the top of the tube. If your SMB doesn’t have any reflective strips on it then you will need to have this feature in order to attach a light to it to signal your dive boat skipper in the dark.
Photo by http://istockphoto.com/es/en/portfolio/MikaelEriksson
SCUBA DIVING SMB REVIEWS
Top 10 SMBs for Scuba Diving Of 2016
ZEAGLE DELUXE SIGNAL TUBE
Check out the latest price on:
Amazon | LeisurePro
BEST FOR: Daytime diving, all levels
SIZE: 7″ X 60″
LINE/REEL: Can choose 65′ or 115′. Comes with thumb reel.
SIGNAGE: Neon yellow one side, neon orange the other
PROS: Compact and easy to deploy, air dump valve
CONS: No reflective strip. Requires separate ties for non-Zeagle BCDs
CARTER PERSONAL FLOAT
Check out the latest price on:
Amazon | LeisurePro
BEST FOR: Night diving
SIZE: 72″ X 4″, 120″ X 4″ or 90″ X 5″
LINE/REEL: None attached
SIGNAGE: Yellow with red and white dive flag tip and reflective strips, light attachment
PROS: Heavy duty, excellent material quality, air dump valve
CONS: Bulkier and heavier
OMS SAFETY SET III
Check out the latest price on:
Amazon | LeisurePro
BEST FOR: Rough seas
SIZE: 6’
LINE/REEL: Comes with plastic finger spool and 100’ line
SIGNAGE: Red and yellow
PROS: Comes with own storage bag. Height, closed bottom and power/oral inflator makes it better suited for rough seas
CONS: No reflective strip
OMS SAFETY SET I
Check out the latest price on:
Amazon | LeisurePro
BEST FOR: Travelers, calm, tropical waters, new divers
SIZE: 3’3
LINE/REEL: 50’ plastic finger spool
SIGNAGE: Red and yellow
PROS: Easy to use for new divers, lightweight and compact for traveling or diving in calm waters
CONS: Too small to be seen in waves or rough waters
DIVE ALERT DELUXE SURFACE MARKER
Check out the latest price on:
Amazon | LeisurePro
BEST FOR: Advanced divers, night diving
SIZE: 65” x 8”
LINE/REEL: None attached
SIGNAGE: Bright yellow and orange with reflective strips at the top, handle at top to attach light
PROS: Easy to use, solid construction, over-pressure valve
CONS: Large and a bit bulky, reel and line need to be purchased separately
BLUE REEF DIVER BELOW DELUXE SMB
Check out the latest price on:
Amazon | LeisurePro
BEST FOR: Advanced and recreational divers
SIZE: 4’
LINE/REEL: None attached
SIGNAGE: Comes in yellow and orange, both with Diver Below signage, light attachment
PROS: Dump valve, easy to deploy, over-pressure and manual dump valve
CONS: Slightly bulky, reel and line need to be purchased separately
XS SURFACE MARKER BUOY
Check out the latest price on:
Amazon | LeisurePro
BEST FOR: All divers including technical, cold water and recreational
SIZE: 7’ + 22” circumference when inflates
LINE/REEL: None attached
SIGNAGE: Yellow or orange, vertical reflective strip at top, light attachment
PROS: Tall, includes reflective strip, over-pressure and manual dump valve
CONS: The size makes it bulky to carry while diving
BLUE REEF SMB
Check out the latest price on:
Amazon | LeisurePro
BEST FOR: Advanced divers
SIZE: 6’
LINE/REEL: None attached
SIGNAGE: Bright orange or yellow with Diver Below signage
PROS: Good size to be seen when in rough seas
CONS: Only inflates orally, not with 2nd stage, reel and line need to be purchased separately
XS SCUBA SAFETY TUBE
Check out the latest price on:
Amazon | LeisurePro
BEST FOR: New divers
SIZE: 6’ x 9” circumference
LINE/REEL: None attached
SIGNAGE: Bright orange
PROS: Tall, easy to be seen, lightweight
CONS: No reflective strip, not as durable as other SMBs, oral inflation only
AQUA SAFETY SAUSAGE MARINE RESCUE TUBE
Check out the latest price on:
Amazon | LeisurePro
BEST FOR: New divers, calm, tropical waters
SIZE: 6’5
LINE/REEL: None attached
SIGNAGE: Bright orange
PROS: Tall, easy to inflate with 2nd stage, lightweight, ideal to signal location at the surface. Extremely affordable.
CONS: No reflective strip, not ideal in rough seas, thin material.
Now We’d Love To Hear From You! What’s The Best SMB For Scuba Diving You Have Used?
Disclosure: The Adventure Junkies is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost for you. We also use other programs like REI, LeisurePro and others to keep our site independent. You can read more about how do we review here.
The post The 10 Best SMB For Scuba Diving appeared first on The Adventure Junkies.
from The Adventure Junkies https://www.theadventurejunkies.com/best-smb-for-scuba-diving/
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