Best safe second?

[reefrat]

For typical OC recreational diving, which is what most people mostly do, I use a primary on a standard hose and a secondary on a 40" hose under my right arm and on a necklace. The minimum redundant gas source I also carry is a Spare Air. If my primary fails I have my secondary right there, if someone grabs my primary my secondary is right there! In the unlikely event that my first stage fails I have 6 to 20 breaths (depending on depth and profile) from a Spare Air to get me to my buddy or do a controlled direct ascent to the surface from maybe 70 ft.
People rubbish spare airs because they don't really understand the principle and complain about "only lasting a few minutes", they are NOT for swimming around:
No gas available from anything- grab the spare air and take a breath, look around, do I go up or head for my buddy- then go!

I also use a 40 cu/ft bailout a lot and it's great but a different animal from the Spare Air.

 

[walkonmars]

I have not recently used the "spare air" inflator and backup second set-up. I used them when I first got certified in the early 90's because that is what the university program gear room supplied to all the students. I am assuming these units are much better than they used to be. The old ones I used were prone to leaks and free-flow problems all the time during beach dives. Students and the instructors would resort to unplugging the hose until they got to calm water. Through the years, I ran and two second stages from the single first stage in various configurations (long/short hose, swivels, necklaces and octo keepers). Next I ran and extra bailout bottle of various sizes slung in front or back. Fast forward to today, I am finally happy with my gear is set up using a standard tank with one second. Then I run the 30cu ft Al bailout bottle firmly mounted to the primary tank on the right side (right side up). The bailout second is on a short hose with a necklace. The primary is on a long hose under my right arm. This adds more weight and less streamline but is not significantly so if the bottles are clamped together. The extra hoses are a minimal (in my opinion) amount of drag if you are not swimming more than 10-20mph. Last time I was out I swam much much slower than that. Drag through water is a bigger factor the faster you go. The tank and your BC (plate and wing in my case) are much more drag than an extra hose and second around the neck. The extra pony is much more streamline than a pony slung front or back. I dive solo most of the time so there is a tremendous advantage to having an extra bottle with me. If you ever get into big trouble, such as not turn on your air or have a first stage failure, you have a whole other system to use to get to safety. My set-up is not for everyone but after 20 years I am finally at a happy point with my gear configuration. If another diver has an OOA situation, I give them my long hose primary and I take my bailout necklaced second stage. An extra bottle, first and second is an extra 20 pounds because the bottle, extra reg and clamps are a lot of extra metal. I only feel it out of the water. If you dive with a buddy all the time and never leave each other, then an extra second on a long hose may be best.

 

[ams511]

Do you have any evidence to support that claim?

This is Scubaboard, people don't need any evidence to support their claims. Bias and hearsay is enough.

 

[buddhasummer]

This is Scubaboard, people don't need any evidence to support their claims. Bias and hearsay is enough.

Just a keyboard, nimble fingers and time to kill...

 

[scubafanatic]

Cheers for the clarification, apologies to scubafanatic for my misunderstanding.

no problem, Genius is often misunderstood.

 

[buddhasummer]

no problem, Genius is often misunderstood.

Cheers.

Yeah, I get that a lot too...

 

[walkonmars]

I have not recently used the "spare air" inflator and backup second set-up. I used them when I first got certified in the early 90's because that is what the university program gear room supplied to all the students. I am assuming these units are much better than they used to be.

Sorry, I meant to say it was the ScubaPro Air 2 mounted in place of the BC inflator(not the Spare Air). Although, I also used the Spare Air and strapped it to my leg. In my opinion it was not enough air so I started slinging or mounting larger pony bottles instead.

 

[scubafanatic]

Cheers.

Yeah, I get that a lot too...

It's a cross we must bear I suppose.....

 

[chris kippax]

I have breathed from Scuba pro Air 2's and an aqualung Airsource 3's in OOG drills. Horrible, wet breathers and hard to clear of all water, the last thing I would want in a high stress situation. The puck style octo's are similar in performance, So bad that we dubbed them the "Deathtopus"

 

[The Chairman]

which setup do you guy feel is the best safe second

matching 2nd stage to your primary

The first response was the best response. I don't want to be on an inferior regulator when the crap is hitting the fan, and I don't want my buddy to be on one either. They breathe on what I breathe on.