Spare Air

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Don't have to, I know it can be slower than with no air at all.
So run out of gas twice? Not exactly good emergency planning.
 
If you were going to carry extra gasoline on a road trip, would you just bring a quart or would you like to have a few gallons? If you went shopping and wanted to bring along some extra money would you just bring an extra 2 dollars or would you like to have more like 10 or 20 dollars? The same is true for bringing along extra air if you are going to at all. If you are going to clip on a Spare Air, you might as well clip on a small pony (19 CF) and bring a quantity worth having.
I hear that over and over. But on the actual dive boat in Mexico nobody brings the extra 5 gallons or $20. The actual choice seems to be between a Spare Air, or nothing. Given that set of options, I like my Spare Air. I have had people carrying no extra air tell me they don't believe my Spare Air in necessary. So far they have been right. I'll be really happy if I end my diving career with the conclusion that I never needed one. I could carry another reg set and a 19cf tank every trip but it would affect my packing quite a bit.
 
So run out of gas twice? Not exactly good emergency planning.
Do you always carry a pony on trips to Mexico?
 
Do you always carry a pony on trips to Mexico?

I did used to carry pony bottle. I have also rented. I'll agree it was a hassle, but worth it. Now I dive sidemount, so no longer an issue. I just vet the boat op first.
 
I did used to carry pony bottle. I have also rented. I'll agree it was a hassle, but worth it. Now I dive sidemount, so no longer an issue. I just vet the boat op first.
I believe the only time I have been on a dive boat in Mexico since 1996 that anyone other than us had an extra breath of air it was a side mount diver. Obviously a great solution, but somewhat cumbersome for the average person.
 
I believe the only time I have been on a dive boat in Mexico since 1996 that anyone other than us had an extra breath of air it was a side mount diver. Obviously a great solution, but somewhat cumbersome for the average person.

It all depends on how you dive. If you have a solid buddy skills and a reliable buddy, then no problem. If you become momentarily oblivious at times to the world because of your camera (like me) and don't have a reliable buddy for travel (like me), then it is a great solution.

Like anything, it depends on a number of factors. Stealing from rjack's signature, lots of people let Jesus take the wheel when it comes to safety. Fortunately, equipment is reliable, so they get away with it more often than not. When not, it often gets swept under the rug.
 
It all depends on how you dive. If you have a solid buddy skills and a reliable buddy, then no problem. If you become momentarily oblivious at times to the world because of your camera (like me) and don't have a reliable buddy for travel (like me), then it is a great solution.

Like anything, it depends on a number of factors. Stealing from rjack's signature, lots of people let Jesus take the wheel when it comes to safety. Fortunately, equipment is reliable, so they get away with it more often than not. When not, it often gets swept under the rug.
I almost always dive with my wife. Sometimes we hold hands. In green water we are never very far apart. But sometimes in blue water we find ourselves far enough apart that in an emergency I'd go up rather than chase her down. You can disparage that, but my experience since 1985 is that buddies being somewhat separated in clear water is more common than uncommon.

I've told this before, on a wreck at around 120 feet, hanging on the higher part, slightly narced, watching a group try to shoot a fish through a hole in the deck well below us. A lady went head down to look in a hole and then I watched her calmly swim to the DM and take his spare reg and they started up. When she went vertical her air just shut off. As we went slowly up I considered how far it would be with NO air, and decided a few breaths would be an advantage.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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