One of the most important scuba diving tools you should familiarize yourself with and invest in if you are a keen diver are dive reels. They have a multitude of functions, from helping you with the support you have on the surface, guiding you back to starting points and so much more.
The big mistake divers make is trying to use the same reel for different applications, which not only leads to frustrations and complications but dangerous situations.
10 Best Dive Reels for Scuba Diving
To help you navigate the potentially confusing and choppy waters of the dive reels section of the market we’ve listed 10 of the best dive reels for scuba diving.
Underneath this list, you will also be able to find information on the different types of reels available so you can make an informed decision on the type of reel you choose.
1. Scuba Max 150-Foot Dive Reel with Thumb Stopper
From a company called Scuba Max, this reel features 150-feet of line and a finger/thumb stopper that helps you control the line. The reel is made from highly durable nylon and the unit of plastic composite with stainless-steel clips.
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2. Trident Diving Equipment Finger Reel with Brass Clip
Next up we have this 100-feet length of a neon line. It has been designed to work with bare hands and cold-water gloves and the spool features a robust ABS construction designed to resist corrosion. The clip at the end of the line is a standard-sized big double-ended stainless-steel one. Lightweight, reliable and compact.
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3. Scuba Max Finger Spool with Brass Clip Line Holder Reel
Another great option from Scuba Max, this also has an anti-corrosion and robust ABS build and features a double-ended brass clip at the end of the line. It can be used as a dive float flag, as a safety dive marker and is a must when you are wreck or cave diving.
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4. Dive Rite Finger Spool with Double-Ended Snap Bolt
From Dive rite, the next finger spool reel in our list offers the option between either a 50-inch or 125-inch spool and features a DuPont fiber-braided line that reduces the chances of fraying, while offering superior strength. In fact, it offers an impressive 220lbs in breakage strength,
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5. DiveSmart Scuba Diving Reel with Thumb Stopper and High-Vis White Line
A strong, but lightweight option next from DiveSmart, this reel features a 16-strand braid line available in different sizes. The one on the link is for 150-feet. The reel itself is made from acrylic that provides adequate protection against corrosion and there’s a thumb stopper for controlling the release of the line and your ascents to the surface.
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6. Scuba Choice Scuba Diving Multi-Purpose Dive Reel, 150-feet
This next reel is touted as being multipurpose, has a diameter of 4-inches and features a line with a length of 150-feet. It has a plastic handle which makes it easy to pull in and a 2-inch steel clip.
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7. Innovative Scuba Concepts Finger Spool with Hand Winder and Brass Clip
From Innovative Scuba Concepts, comes this lightweight, but tough and corrosion-resistant reel made from high-quality ABS. This model comes with 65-feet of line and features a brass clip at the end. Although 100 and 150-feet lines are also available. This is ideal for a dive float flag or as a safety marker and has an effective hand winder for pulling the line back in.
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8. Dive Rite Slide Lock Primary Reel, 250-feet, Orange Line
Yet another great product from Dive Rite, this sidewinder-style reel has a special lock and unlock feature and has an easy to operate one-finger spring-loaded switch. Made from anodized aluminum it’s lightweight but robust and comes with 150-feet of line.
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9. Scuba Choice Stainless-Steel Heavy-Duty Multipurpose Dive Reel, 290-feet
Again, another great product from Scuba Choice. This multipurpose diving line reel features 290-feet of a line made from durable polymer and features a special switch mechanism to allow you to stop, free and skip when controlling the flow of the line. It comes with two clips too.
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10. Storm Accessories Technical Diving Cave and Wreck Reel
Featuring 150-feet of white braided line and a highly visible yellow reel, this option from Storm Accessories features a ratcheting lock to reduce the possibility of entanglement and a tough ABS handle. The bolt snap included is made from marine-grade brass for reliability and durability.
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Different Types of Scuba Dive Reels
To help you fully understand each type of reel better, let’s look at some of the different types of scuba dive reels available.
Jump and Finger Spool Reels
Finger spool dive reels are best suited for use in the deployment of DSMBs at shallow depths and as jump spools. Jump spools are used to connect divers from a line that’s already laid to another within a system of caves. They help to keep you in constant contact with lines that will lead you back out when you are finished.
These spools need to have a lot of dexterity and you should be careful when you are wearing thick gloves and working with them. You also need to spend a lot of time practicing using them to master this skill set.
Cave Dive Reels
Cave diving reels are the biggest capacity reels and used in cave diving. Although they often have a maximum capacity of 1000m of reel, they function better when handling 100 to 200m. They should have a light color and you’ll find many divers opt for white and they’re normally made from a negatively buoyant braid of either 24 or 36 gauge.
When using this type of reel, you need to make sure the start of your line is fixed securely to the point of entry and exit. It’s a good idea to get into the habit of looping your line around notable features in the cave to ensure it’s taut and use line markers, so you always know the right direction to go to get out.
Wreck Diving Reels
Wreck diving reels normally consist of lines of 50 to 100 meters long and it’s often a good idea to use different colored reels to indicate specific divers or routes. These types of reels need to be very robust and are usually made from metal or toughened resin.
The most important thing you need to remember with wreck diving reels is not to get them tangled. Loop around parts of the wreck and use belays, but don’t tie knows and stay away from sharp points and edges that could cut the line.
Marker Buoy Diving Reels
The most common use for diving reels by the average recreational diver is to deploy a DSMB. If you are using one for this purpose you need to make sure you can release easily and there’s as little sagging as possible.
