Backup regulators on dive trips?

[blue sky]

On every dive outing, as part of or save a dive kit, we carry 1st & 2nd stage regs, gauges and compass. The first stage includes low pressure BCD quick disconnects for standard and air2 connections.

On average, it probably gets used once or twice a year.

 

[lexvil]

Local drive to diving I have a spare complete set up just like the primary , complete with transmitter so I can just switch the whole rig.

travel I’ll bring two of everything, I have had to loan a complete reg on a Maldives trip to one person and a back up computer to another.

 

[Hoyden]

When we travel, I carry a full spare set (1st, 2 2nds, spg, various hoses) plus an assortment of parts. I have never made a trip where someone in our group didn't need at least a part. I may have used a piece of it once or twice, but my ability and willingness to help others has frequently covered my bar bills.

 

[Nemrod]

Local diving for me is five hours away. Being originally from the Gulf Coast, that is 12 hours. Bonaire, Caymens, Cozumel, a long airplane ride. You betcha I got a light weight full set up of regulators ready to go. Key to making it practical, especially for the airplane rides is braided hoses, a thin line 1.5 inch spg and a lightweight first and second stages. Examples would be the AL Core (Titan LX) or Micron and other similar regs. Missing dives due to equipment failure (or body failure, lol) is not acceptable and expensive. By expensive, I would bet that on a vacation trip to Bonaire if you add the total cost of the trip up, yes, the total cost, and then divide by the number of dives, those dives are costly. Miss a couple and you have bought a regulator set in loss. Be squared up and ready to go!

James

 

[scubadada]

As usual, the results of this poll are proving to be very interesting. One of the reasons I posted the thread and poll is that after 24 years and 2069 dives, I had my 1st regulator "failure", just last spring. I developed a modest gas leak from the ambient chamber of my Scubapro MK25 1st stage. Rather than continue to dive it, and see what happened, I took advantage of a loaner regulator set from the boat I was diving on out of Jupiter, FL. I had my regulator serviced and was back in action. I dived another of my regulator sets from home for the short time it was unavailable.

I have been diving a primary AI computer, backup computer, and backup SPG for 11 years. I have used a backup computer and/or SPG on 12 dives, the backup computer for 2 and the backup SPG for all 12. I carry a pretty good save a dive kit including tools, O-rings, batteries, air spools... I have replaced my own spool twice when I developed leaks from my SPG. I have replaced other diver's spools, O-rings, batteries, and loaned out tools on many occasions.

I have several other regulator sets, but have never thought to take a spare out on a local boat or during travel. I'm still thinking about it, and reading every post in this thread, thanks

 

[Soloist]

Local diving for me is five hours away. Being originally from the Gulf Coast, that is 12 hours. Bonaire, Caymens, Cozumel, a long airplane ride. You betcha I got a light weight full set up of regulators ready to go. Key to making it practical, especially for the airplane rides is braided hoses, a thin line 1.5 inch spg and a lightweight first and second stages. Examples would be the AL Core (Titan LX) or Micron and other similar regs. Missing dives due to equipment failure (or body failure, lol) is not acceptable and expensive. By expensive, I would bet that on a vacation trip to Bonaire if you add the total cost of the trip up, yes, the total cost, and then divide by the number of dives, those dives are costly. Miss a couple and you have bought a regulator set in loss. Be squared up and ready to go!

James

Agreed. When flying to a dive destination all the dive gear, tools, backup components and parts are packed first. The most critical gear is placed in our carryon (regs, computers, Freedom Plates, wings, cameras, masks, wetsuits, boots or booties). If the checked duffel bags exceed 50 pounds then clothing is removed…NOT dive gear. Our priority is diving. I would rather deal with the “inconvenience” of dragging (typically unused) gear around than miss a dive.

After a dive op owner told me about finding a piece of ham in a malfunctioning rental reg I refuse to rent anything other than a damn tank! Fortunately we purchased regs immediately after OW training. As mentioned earlier, diving with a pony provides multifaceted redundancy.

 

[Belzelbub]

I normally bring several regulators on the boat. Up to three. Granted, two belong to my kids, but only use two at a time. I also bring spare o-rings and some tools.

I’ve never had to use my kid’s regulator for either of us, but have swapped out for a buddy before. His reg was not breathing right. He noticed at the surface. I swapped with one of the spares so he could do the dive.

 

[parzdiver]

I am mostly diving at locations with dive shops with plenty of rental gear available. I am not worried about a failure ruining my trip. When I was diving the local quarry, I would have spare regs, but that was simply because they were easy to throw in the car. Last week I was on a liveaboard (Cat Ppalu) and I checked with them before the trip and they said they had multiple reg sets on boat in case someone had a failure.

Besides local diving, the only time I would pack spares is if I was going to be in a remote region with limited access to rental gear.

 

[CycleCat]

I'm hardly an experienced diver (18 logged since I got my cert almost exactly a year ago) but now that I have 3 complete regs available for my wife and I, I bring 3 regs when we dive so either of us can use the spare. We have not flown to dive yet since we can drive to the Sea of Cortez but even when we do fly to the Caribbean eventually I could justify carrying the extra reg just in case.

 

[happy-diver]

Bringing spares is like preempting doom

You cannot use them underwater so why

And to those that used all, my spares up

Good For You


Never had anyone accept my offer of o2

Good for Youse


If your brain says your stuff will fail it will