Carrying Redundant Cutting Tools
Every diver should carry at least one cutting tool — it’s one of the few pieces of gear that can immediately resolve a real emergency. Fishing line, nets, kelp, and ropes aren’t just theoretical hazards. They’re common in real-world diving, especially near wrecks, mooring lines, or coastal sites with heavy boat traffic.
Is Two Better Than One? Depends on the Dive.
Carrying two cutting tools isn’t about looking “tech” — it’s a risk-based decision. The idea is simple: if you can’t reach your only tool because one hand is trapped or restricted, you’ll want a backup. But whether that’s necessary depends on your dive environment, exposure risk, and personal comfort.
Some divers carry one reliable tool and call it good. Others carry two — one per side — for redundancy in environments with entanglement potential. It doesn’t make you smarter. It just reflects your level of preparation.
What to Carry (and Why)
- Line cutters (like a Trilobite): Compact, safe, and very effective on monofilament and fine line.
- Trauma shears: Great for thicker line, webbing, or plastic debris.
- Small knives: Still useful, but less effective on fine line than a dedicated cutter. Placement and corrosion resistance matter more than blade size.
Avoid the Big Knife and Leg Strap
Large dive knives strapped to your leg are mostly obsolete. They snag easily, are hard to reach in a real emergency, and offer no advantage over smaller tools. Smart divers mount their tools where they can reach them without looking.
Mounting and Access Tips
- Your primary tool should be accessible with either hand or at least reliably with one.
- Trilobite-style line cutters are ideal for mounting on your harness or waistband.
- Keep shears as a backup in a pouch or soft sheath, especially if entering known entanglement environments.
- Practice deploying both tools with gloves on and without visual confirmation.
Example Setup
One practical configuration and thus the one I use:
- Trilobite cutter on the left hip — always carried.
- Trauma shears on the right hip — added only when entanglement is a real possibility.