Effective communication underwater is essential in maintaining safety and fulfilling your role as a buddy, dive guide, or instructor. The hand signals we all learn early on in training are excellent but obviously limited. Some divers opt for full-faced masks so that talking is possible and with the right equipment to the surface as well. Short of that and much more cost-effective is the use of underwater slates. Slates enable articulation between divers to reach a much higher level. Otherwise, they allow notes and record-keeping useful for research, navigation, and instruction that greatly enhance the experience.
Below a number of the best underwater slates are described that have a variety of features to consider that may best suit your needs as a diver.
Which is the Best Scuba Diving Slate?
- Promate 3 Layer Underwater Writing Slate
- IST WR5 Underwater Notebook
- AquaSketch Minno Wrist Slate
- Trident Instructor Size Underwater Writing Dive Slate
- Innovative Scuba Concepts Quest Underwater Slate
- Xit 404 Underwater Writing Slate – Aqua Pencil Kit
- Innovative Scuba Concepts Scuba Diving Slate, Super Pencil
- Palantic Scuba Dive Writing Slate with Compass and Pencil
- IST Compass Mounted Wrist Slate with Retractor
- Promate Scuba Dive Underwater Writing Slate
Promate 3 Layer Underwater Writing Slate 
- Ergonomic wrist attachment
- 3 multi-level slates and 5 writing surfaces
- Secure fastening with a Velcro wrist strap
- Pencil with a leash and holster
- Extra pencil and O-rings included
- 4” x 4”
- Low priced
- View More By Promate
Underwater notebook with 25 waterproof reusable pages (refill available)- Durable woven ballistic nylon cover with 2250D PU coating
- The inner and outer back cover has clear window pockets for storage of dive tables, checklists, etc.
- Elastic pencil holder inside front cover, graphite pencil and leash are included
- D-ring for attachment
- Wraparound bungee cord secures closure
- 8” x 10” open, 8” x 5” closed
- View More By IST
Underwater notebook with 25 waterproof reusable pages (refill available)
- Scrolling slate with 2¼” x 3½” writing area
- Worn on the wrist or attached to the BCD with a retractable lanyard
- Holds up to 8 feet of paper-like phosphorescent vellum wrapped over two spindles
- Glows in the dark after shining your light on it
- Comes with 5 feet of blank vellum, Velcro wrist strap, and graphite pencil
- View More By AquaSketch
Trident Instructor Size Underwater Writing Dive Slate 
- Waterproof slate in four sizes (8” x 10”, 6” x 8”, 4” x 6”, 2” x 4”)
- Replaceable graphite pencil attached to the slate with a surgical tubing leash
- The pencil fits into clips molded in the surface
- Low priced
- View More By Trident
Innovative Scuba Concepts Quest Underwater Slate 
- Sturdy patented magnetic design allows you to write, then erase by pushing a thumb button, then write again
- Includes slate, stylus, split ring, swivel clip, and holster
- Screen designed for maximum contrast for easy visibility at depth
- 6” x 8.5”
- View More By Innovative Scuba Concepts
Xit 404 Underwater Writing Slate – Aqua Pencil Kit 
- Kit contains slate, pencil, lead pack, underwater eraser, and tether
- Includes a basket to place the tip in and a snap-on holder for the pen
- Pen available in green, yellow, pink, blue, orange, and red
- 4” x 6”
- View More By Xit 404
Innovative Scuba Concepts Scuba Diving Slate, Super Pencil 
- Comes in multi-page or single-page models
- Includes super pencil, single or multi-page slate, clip, and pencil with lanyard
- Fits in BCD pocket
- 5” x 6.25”
- View More By Innovative Scuba Concepts
Palantic Scuba Dive Writing Slate with Compass and Pencil 
- Quality glow-in-the-dark, detachable 1” x 2-3/8” compass
- 6” x 7-3/8” slate
- 2” replaceable pencil with a leash
- Easy to use removable clip
- View More By Palantic
IST Compass Mounted Wrist Slate with Retractor 
- Long, thin slate with a compass mounted
- Pencil with a leash
- Quality compass with ratchet and lubber line across the top
- Retractor clips to BCD
- 2.8” x 8”
- View More By IST
Promate Scuba Dive Underwater Writing Slate 
- Pencil with a safety leash and holder
- Clip to attach the slate
- Glow in the dark and compass models optional
- 5” x 6”
- Low priced
- View More By Promate
Types of Scuba Diving Slate
A scuba diving slate at its simplest is a sheet or board, usually made of plastic that you can write or draw on and the markings will remain until erased or removed. A variation is wet notes, which is a notebook of waterproof paper with the same function.
Basic – The simplest models consist of a rectangular usually plastic material that can be attached to your equipment, most often the BCD, or stored in its pocket. The writing implement, often a graphite pencil, is attached to it with some sort of line. The slate can have a clip attachment, retractable line, and/or a compass.
Wrist – Some designs enable the slate or multiple slates to be strapped to the wrist using Velcro. This makes it easily available for use and provides a stable platform to write against.
Waterproof Notebooks use thinner waterproof paper where it is possible to keep many pages of detailed notes, drawings, observations, etc. These are usually bulkier than a slate but designed to be small enough to easily clip to your equipment or place in a BCD pocket.
Budget – The most basic slates are quite reasonably priced, some under $10. When you start to add features like clips, retractable line, specialized pencils, magnetization, compasses, etc., the cost starts to mount. You’ll have to decide just what you need the slate for and what kind of note-taking or communication you have in mind.
Cleaning – The type of slate you have will determine the best method for cleaning. Some are designed to be cleaned by rubbing, others with a normal or specialized eraser. Underwater it may not be easy to clear the writing but on the surface, most of the plastic surfaces will clean easily. Often alcohol will quickly do the job. Magnetic designs, of course, get around this completely with the built-in clearing mechanism.
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