Scuba Toys finger reel review

[Zeagle Eagle]

I bought a small finger spool from Scuba Toys last week for use on my SMB. Great purchase! The spool fits in a BC pocket easily and is easily accessible when I need it.

It comes with about a 100' of rope/twine on the reel. I cut off about 25' of it to make it easier to fit the double ended swivel through one of the holes.

I practiced using it quite a bit, deploying and retrieving my SMB. It works as advertised and seems to be practically indestructible.

I watched a couple of You Tube SMB videos to get an idea of the best way to work it and I highly recommend watching them before you practice with it. I picked up a couple of invaluable tips from them like not sticking your finger through the middle hole and spooling the twine off of the bottom of the reel not the top. There was a good tip on how to wrap the line around the swivel to make it secure.

When I was reeling my line back in I wished there was a crank handle on it to make it easier; but after using it a few times it became second nature to re spool the line. I think a crank handle would just make it too big to fit a BC pocket easily and really is not necessary

The yellow line appears to be quite strong and durable. It is highly visible and I had no problem seeing it in the 10-20 foot visibility in Lake Travis, TX.

I plan on getting a second one for my fiance's SMB.

All in all I give it a 5 out of 5 stars.

[FishFood]

It comes with about a 100' of rope/twine on the reel. I cut off about 25' of it to make it easier to fit the double ended swivel through one of the holes.

I don't get it, maybe it's a lake/reginal thing, but what good is 75ft worth of line to be used in conjunction with an SMB? Please educate me on the subject!


Also, make sure you add this review to the product in the store front

[CompuDude]

Originally Posted by FishFood

I don't get it, maybe it's a lake/reginal thing, but what good is 75ft worth of line to be used in conjunction with an SMB? Please educate me on the subject!


Also, make sure you add this review to the product in the store front

How deep are you shooting your bags from? In my area, you're generally either shooting a bag for 20' deco hangs or 70' deco hangs (50%), or simply marking your position before surfacing, probably from 20-30'. Real deco requiring stops below 70', perhaps you'd need more, but still, most bags are shot from 70' or less (usually less) for recreational divers.

[FishFood]

Thanks Compu - Last time I asked that I got no real reply. Was begining to wonder if the answer was that obvious and I was just an idiot. Not that the 2nd is out of the question....

Main thing they are used for (or potentially used for) around here is after getting blown off a wreck in tough current, or simply not being able to find your way back to the anchor line - In which case 75ft would be worthless/dangerous.

[Foo2]

Zeagle Eagle, if you haven't already...you should add this review to the product on the website. I know it could be helpful for many.

[PTAaron]

Good review, thanks!
I was planning to pick that one up until I ran across a deal from Piranha.

[Zeagle Eagle]

Originally Posted by FishFood

I don't get it, maybe it's a lake/reginal thing, but what good is 75ft worth of line to be used in conjunction with an SMB? Please educate me on the subject!


Also, make sure you add this review to the product in the store front

I dunno'. I never really gave it much thought. I suppose you could use the SMB as a marker buoy, maybe tying it off to an object in the water. I have used it in the past to mark an entrance point. I was shore diving and the entrance was a cut/channel through the coral with a telephone cable in it. I used to tie the SMB to the cable and hang a couple of chem sticks at 50' so that I could find the exit point at night.

I also used to use an Ocean Kayak to get to my dive spots and hang the SMB from the trailer line with a weight and a flag or chem stick on the bottom around 50'. It made it easier to find the Kayak.

And of course, every time I needed some twine I would cut a piece off my SMB. Over the course of a few years the line got shorter and shorter.

[Zeagle Eagle]

Originally Posted by Foo2

Zeagle Eagle, if you haven't already...you should add this review to the product on the website. I know it could be helpful for many.

Done

[khacken]

One issue I had with the reel was that the edges were not finished like the dive rite reels. So one needs to be extra careful when holding the reel so as to not touch the edges. I cut my thumbs up pretty bad. However, someone with a dremmel tool or some elbow grease could quickly smooth the edges.

[DevilDiver]

Originally Posted by khacken

One issue I had with the reel was that the edges were not finished like the dive rite reels. So one needs to be extra careful when holding the reel so as to not touch the edges. I cut my thumbs up pretty bad. However, someone with a dremmel tool or some elbow grease could quickly smooth the edges.

I have no issues with mine, nice and smooth.