What spares to carry?

[TMHeimer]

Same here. If you have a car, bringing some spares cost you nothing. Carrying it on a plane or dive boat is a bit more work, but still reasonable. Carrying on your dive is the most cumbersome. So we really have 3 different questions.

Exactly. My car has everything. On a charter my first aid kit doesn't go as I check that they have that and O2 (but the other stuff goes). On a plane (only did this once), the spare kit gets really trimmed down thanks to those airline bastards' luggage rules--don't want that 3rd spare o ring to cost an extra $50. My "plane" clarinet repair kit is like, a rubber band and I think something else.

 

[lemke]

"I find maintaining fewer pieces of gear properly is more reliable than having a bunch of poorly maintained or neglected spares hoping that one of them works. Less is more." -Grumpy Old Guy

That is SAGE advice!

 

[cephasiii]

I dive sidemount so I have redundant air. Keep a spare mask on me at all times and redundant buoyancy (Drysuit, dsmb/liftbag), 2-3 cutting devices. That's pretty much it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[raftingtigger]

In all seriousness I carry an extra set of critical gear to the dive site (drysuit, undies, regulator, wing, mask, fins) along with my extensive tool kit. On the dive I carry a spare mask, computer, and light). If I am going on a boat I will usually carry the tool box and spare regulator if there is room. I'm jokingly referred to at a "mobile dive shop", but have saved several dives for my buddies (and consequently for myself).

The photo above is my way of storing the fin we found at the start of our dive.

The reason for the back up gear is that I live > 3hours away from the dive site, and my dive opportunities are precious to me. I do not want to spoil a weekend by having a gear failure before starting the dive. Things that can even occur with well maintained gear. I have a overly large supply of gear and a spacious van - so it is easy to pack extra.

 

[Nemrod]

Id like to know what equipment (not training) you currently carry as a back up (either with a buddy or without).

Generally I only bring along myself and basic but solid, reliable, well maintained gear. I do not carry spare masks, snorkels, redundant air supplies or multiple regulator sets and "back up gear" for simple, basic dives. As the dives become more complex/challenging and depth increases I am then increasingly likely to carry a slung pony or go to independent steel 72s (not manifolded).

The surface is my redundancy, fitness and training take care of the rest. I am not doing overhead, soft or hard, in my solo profiles. I am a for real minimalist and I have taken it to the logical conclusion, long ago, of eliminating the need to drag an extra diver around with me much less enough extra equipment to outfit one.

N