Backup regulators on dive trips?

Do you take a backup regulator on dive trips?

  • First stage only

    Votes: 3 2.9%
  • Second stage only

    Votes: 2 1.9%
  • First and second stage

    Votes: 41 39.8%
  • More than that, designate in post

    Votes: 18 17.5%
  • No backup regulator

    Votes: 39 37.9%

  • Total voters
    103

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Bringing spares is like preempting doom

You cannot use them underwater so why
Sure you can, if you frequently use spares on pony bottles . . .
 
I bring a complete backup set of whatever I am using for the planned dives. It is easier and faster to grab a different regulator than fix something on a boat or before getting in the water.
 
Depends what kind of trip.

If a day out on a boat, no spares at all.

If a longer trip, weekend or longer, then take spares box and more gas..
 
When flying to dive (almost exclusively LoB, I take a complete spare reg set thus I'm completely covered with hoses regs and a 1st stage where I can either rob for spares or quickly change the whole reg set if time dependant. This covers both myself and my wife. Because we dive DIN theres a weight saving over crappy A Clamp :wink: We also take a spare wing bladder with its inflator

I also take some HP spools and O- rings. I've only ever needed the O-rings

Our regs are serviced by someone reputable and trusted - never had a service issue over 10 years on all our regs, and we're quite tuned in as to how our regs breath so recognise potential need for service rather than a fixed time/dive schedule. I'd never service my regs just before a trip anyway

The only issue we ever had was a fin strap (spring) failing which meant borrowing fins off the boat (which were pretty crap)

If driving to dive.. there's very little I don't carry as spares unless its a 1 or 2 day teaching session from a shop - in which case I'd use their rental kit as I can make it work and its not dive critical
 
When I dive locally, I usually go with four of more regulators, a couple of single hose units and a couple of double hose units. Typically I will dive two or three of them in the course of a day.
When I travel [via air] I will usually take one DH, one SH and an extra SH first stage.
 
For me, the upkeep on sixth reg vs. the odds of failure do not justify the added expense. If we had one fail on a trip we would swap the computer onto a rental for the duration.
 
I bought a backup reg, but before long my son got it. Bought another one, now my wife is using it. (I am not complaining - as it is a blessing to have an entire family diving). I guess it is time to buy yet another one…
In general, I prefer to have my own spare when I travel overseas. I have never had to use a spare, but I have never used travel insurance or God forbid DAN insurance either but pay for it yearly…
 
For me, the upkeep on sixth reg vs. the odds of failure do not justify the added expense. If we had one fail on a trip we would swap the computer onto a rental for the duration.

Yet another reason to service your own gear. We work on all of our equipment, in house, and have saved a small fortune over the years . . .
 
Yet another reason to service your own gear. We work on all of our equipment, in house, and have saved a small fortune over the years . . .
Yeah, the whole family is using HOG regs for just that purpose, just got to get to a class.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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