Bellows pocket vs. Thigh pocket

[Venio]

I'm considering buying a pocket, however, I'm still debating on which type is more convenient to use, bellows or thigh. What is GUE view on the pockets as well?

[ccarter]

I have that thigh pocket and I only used it for about 15 dives until it got to where it annoyed the @#%! out of me with the velcro closure.. coming loose or needing tightening and whatnot underwater.

I finally just bought some x-shorts last week and they got here yesterday.. I can tell it's one of the better investments dive wise I have made. Haven't done any dives with them yet.. but I'm really impressed.. exactly what I was looking for. I wanted thigh pockets just because they're easier to get into and dig around.. look inside.. I don't like pockets up real high.. annoys me and they feel cumbersome..

[Venio]

Where did you get the x-shorts from?

[ccarter]

Dive Xtras (the Mfg.) sells them through eBay..

Linky

[Venio]

Please post a review once you get some experience with them. It will be interesting to know how they are doing in the water.

[ccarter]

Here's a thread I started last week asking about them, some others gave their opinion on them.

[CompuDude]

Originally Posted by Venio

I'm considering buying a pocket, however, I'm still debating on which type is more convenient to use, bellows or thigh. What is GUE view on the pockets as well?

Get a pair of good pockets and glue them on, or X-Shorts. You'll be a LOT happier than with the Dive-Rite thigh pocket. Mine currently lives in the bottom of my spare gear bag. Darn things have an incredibly annoying habit of rotating forward on your thigh throughout the dive.

The DiveRite waist pockets (your "bellows" link) are very nice... I have one, and if I hadn't ended up picking up X-Shorts instead, I probably would have added another and glued them onto a suit. I like using mine a lot (when diving wet... my drysuit has pockets built on).

Another option worth considering is the XS Scuba pockets. Pretty much the same, and a little cheaper.

GUE doesn't have an official stance that I'm aware of, but the instructors I have spoken to have indicated that gluing (actually, sewing, but that's generally a factory thing for drysuits) the pockets on is definitely preferred, followed by X-shorts. The simpler and more secure solution usually wins out, so those options are better than messing around with straps (especially straps on both sides of your leg).

[ccarter]

Originally Posted by CompuDude

Get a pair of good pockets and glue them on, or X-Shorts. You'll be a LOT happier than with the Dive-Rite thigh pocket. Mine currently lives in the bottom of my spare gear bag. Darn things have an incredibly annoying habit of rotating forward on your thigh throughout the dive.

Yeah.. mines just stuffed down in the bottom of a crate I store my stuff in. I think I'm gonna start carrying it with me for organizing small bits & pieces on land.. definitely not taking it in the water again.. most annoying thing I've ever used.

[kobalap]

Originally Posted by CompuDude

Get a pair of good pockets and glue them on, or X-Shorts. You'll be a LOT happier than with the Dive-Rite thigh pocket. Mine currently lives in the bottom of my spare gear bag. Darn things have an incredibly annoying habit of rotating forward on your thigh throughout the dive.

The DiveRite waist pockets (your "bellows" link) are very nice... I have one, and if I hadn't ended up picking up X-Shorts instead, I probably would have added another and glued them onto a suit. I like using mine a lot (when diving wet... my drysuit has pockets built on).

Another option worth considering is the XS Scuba pockets. Pretty much the same, and a little cheaper.

GUE doesn't have an official stance that I'm aware of, but the instructors I have spoken to have indicated that gluing (actually, sewing, but that's generally a factory thing for drysuits) the pockets on is definitely preferred, followed by X-shorts. The simpler and more secure solution usually wins out, so those options are better than messing around with straps (especially straps on both sides of your leg).

I don't think GUE has published any explicit descriptions on pockets other than to say that they should be on the side of your thigh. In other words, pockets in the front of your thighs are no good either.

Personally, I like the pockets that are glued/stitched to my exposure protection. X-shorts are an okay solution but my experience with them weren't great. They tended to slide down on me and also they fell apart pretty quickly.

[CompuDude]

Originally Posted by kobalap

I don't think GUE has published any explicit descriptions on pockets other than to say that they should be on the side of your thigh. In other words, pockets in the front of your thighs are no good either.

Personally, I like the pockets that are glued/stitched to my exposure protection. X-shorts are an okay solution but my experience with them weren't great. They tended to slide down on me and also they fell apart pretty quickly.

Isn't that what I said? (re GUE)

The old X-shorts definitely had some quality issues, but all reports on the new ones are pretty positive.

That said, my (original) X-shorts seem to be holding up fine.

Stitched pockets are definitely the ultimate solution. I'll spring to put the pockets on my drysuit every time, but wetsuits have too short of a lifespan (and too many different ones needed for various temps) for me to want to pay to have them stitched and sealed on every one.