Gear Requirements for the Solo Diver?

[CuzzA]

So, I'll confess. In my young diving career I've done 2 legit solo dives at 20 fsw at a site I'm familiar with and a few semi-solo spearfishing trips. My personal requirements for solo diving is to always have vessel support and I would prefer to only fish with others, but for the most part, even with other divers in the water fishing, these are solo dives.

So my question for the board is what your gear requirements are for solo diving?

I'll give a little run down of what I'm using and the things I'm considering. I'm looking to hear about reasoning, gear choices I should consider. Also, for the sake of this conversation let's assume we are talking about recreational depths, more likely in the range of 60-100 fsw, no deco, ocean boat diving and planning ahead, but being prepared for the unexpected.

So my rig consists of the following and I'll add some reasoning behind why I carry it.

• 32 Lbs. lift BC, regs and computer
• 1 LP 112 typically filled to 130 cft. (A good amount of gas for a single tank. I own 2, looking to buy 2 more)
• 1 19 cft. back mounted inverted pony typically filled to 21 cft. ("Rock bottom calculation" gets me to the surface from 100')
• 1 pocket on right side waist harness
• 2 SMB's (1 in pocket; 42", 1 on my butt D Ring; 96") (42" is my go to at depth, the other is primarily for signaling rescue)
• 1 Reel with 100' of line (in pocket attached to 42" SMB)
• 1 Knife (on chest strap) (Easily accessed with both hands)
• 1 EMT sheers (in pocket)
• 1 Pocket snorkel (in pocket) (for long surface swim, or OOA while lost as sea waiting rescue)
• 1 light (in holster on right side waist harness) (looking under ledges and signaling at night if lost)
• 1 PLB (in holster on left side waist harness) (lost at sea)
• 1 gun w/ PPD's if fishing (PPD's on custom wrist strap) (Protection from animals)
• 1 stringer if fishing (on left waist D ring)
• 1 mirror (on right wrist with PPD wrist strap) (Check for tank leaks/entanglement since I don't have a buddy and signaling rescue)
• 1 whistle (on inflator hose) (signaling)
• 1 mesh bag (in pocket) (lobster or treasure )

So, you may be wondering why I'm asking? Well since I started diving I have found that I'm in a constant battle between too much gear, redundancy and being minimalist. Amazingly, my rig is really streamlined (aside from the pony) and as you can see most of my gear is stowed in a pocket or holstered on my waist. But I'm definitely maxed out unless I add another pocket. And one piece of equipment I keep thinking about is a back up mask, this would require another pocket. Of course I could then use that pocket for my light and PLB. On my primary mask I have a simple teather to my octo necklace to prevent losing it, but any structural failure would certainly create a challenge for any diver. Am I overthinking the backup mask? Have I overlooked something? Should I reconsider some gear choices?

What are your thoughts? Feel free to share what gear you "typically" dive with, as I think it will not only help me, but also for anyone else who may come across this thread. Constructive criticism is welcomed. I really don't feel like I'm carrying too much gear, given the activity and the nature of solo diving, but it's hard to know without evaluating with other minds.

 

[Pullnglide]

Doesn't sound like too much gear to me! I do highly recommend a backup mask though whether it's solo or buddy diving, it's a good thing to have imo.

 

[Searcaigh]

I side sling my pony (30 cu ft), carry a spare mask, two cutting devices and a spare light to the one I have on my housing, always have a spare SMB plus a couple of 30M reels.

 

[Diver0001]

So, I'll confess. In my young diving career I've done 2 legit solo dives at 20 fsw at a site I'm familiar with and a few semi-solo spearfishing trips. My personal requirements for solo diving is to always have vessel support and I would prefer to only fish with others, but for the most part, even with other divers in the water fishing, these are solo dives.

So my question for the board is what your gear requirements are for solo diving?

I'll give a little run down of what I'm using and the things I'm considering. I'm looking to hear about reasoning, gear choices I should consider. Also, for the sake of this conversation let's assume we are talking about recreational depths, more likely in the range of 60-100 fsw, no deco, ocean boat diving and planning ahead, but being prepared for the unexpected.

So my rig consists of the following and I'll add some reasoning behind why I carry it.

• 32 Lbs. lift BC, regs and computer
• 1 LP 112 typically filled to 130 cft. (A good amount of gas for a single tank. I own 2, looking to buy 2 more)
• 1 19 cft. back mounted inverted pony typically filled to 21 cft. ("Rock bottom calculation" gets me to the surface from 100')
• 1 pocket on right side waist harness
• 2 SMB's (1 in pocket; 42", 1 on my butt D Ring; 96") (42" is my go to at depth, the other is primarily for signaling rescue)
• 1 Reel with 100' of line (in pocket attached to 42" SMB)
• 1 Knife (on chest strap) (Easily accessed with both hands)
• 1 EMT sheers (in pocket)
• 1 Pocket snorkel (in pocket) (for long surface swim, or OOA while lost as sea waiting rescue)
• 1 light (in holster on right side waist harness) (looking under ledges and signaling at night if lost)
• 1 PLB (in holster on left side waist harness) (lost at sea)
• 1 gun w/ PPD's if fishing (PPD's on custom wrist strap) (Protection from animals)
• 1 stringer if fishing (on left waist D ring)
• 1 mirror (on right wrist with PPD wrist strap) (Check for tank leaks/entanglement since I don't have a buddy and signaling rescue)
• 1 whistle (on inflator hose) (signaling)
• 1 mesh bag (in pocket) (lobster or treasure )

So, you may be wondering why I'm asking? Well since I started diving I have found that I'm in a constant battle between too much gear, redundancy and being minimalist. Amazingly, my rig is really streamlined (aside from the pony) and as you can see most of my gear is stowed in a pocket or holstered on my waist. But I'm definitely maxed out unless I add another pocket. And one piece of equipment I keep thinking about is a back up mask, this would require another pocket. Of course I could then use that pocket for my light and PLB. On my primary mask I have a simple teather to my octo necklace to prevent losing it, but any structural failure would certainly create a challenge for any diver. Am I overthinking the backup mask? Have I overlooked something? Should I reconsider some gear choices?

What are your thoughts? Feel free to share what gear you "typically" dive with, as I think it will not only help me, but also for anyone else who may come across this thread. Constructive criticism is welcomed. I really don't feel like I'm carrying too much gear, given the activity and the nature of solo diving, but it's hard to know without evaluating with other minds.

Frankly, I think you should solo dive in gear with which you're familiar at a site with which are you are familiar. A stage/pony/twins is obviously mandatory. On a buddy dive your buddy has your backup stuff on his back..... when you're solo you absolutely need redundancy and you NEED to be able to handle that redundancy. That last bit isn't arbitrary. Having twins with zero skill will kill you. If you have redundancy then either you know how to use it or it's a danger to you. Don't forget that.

R..

 

[CuzzA]

Doesn't sound like too much gear to me! I do highly recommend a backup mask though whether it's solo or buddy diving, it's a good thing to have imo.

I didn't think it was too much either, but then your read about guys being minimalist and the philosophy that less is more. But I suppose the caveat with some of my reading is they aren't solo diving. I'm leaning toward the back up mask. Thanks for chiming in.

I side sling my pony (30 cu ft), carry a spare mask, two cutting devices and a spare light to the one I have on my housing, always have a spare SMB plus a couple of 30M reels.

I considered slinging my pony, but it would be in my way if I'm fishing. If I'm not fishing I will definitely sling it. Don't you do a lot of photography? Isn't the slung pony in your way?

Frankly, I think you should solo dive in gear with which you're familiar at a site with which are you are familiar. A stage/pony/twins is obviously mandatory. On a buddy dive your buddy has your backup stuff on his back..... when you're solo you absolutely need redundancy and you NEED to be able to handle that redundancy. That last bit isn't arbitrary. Having twins with zero skill will kill you. If you have redundancy then either you know how to use it or it's a danger to you. Don't forget that.

R..

I understand. Redundant air is a must, know how to use it. It's some of the other redundant tools I'm curious about carrying. My two biggest concerns while solo diving are obviously redundant air and lost at sea, as you can probably tell from all the signaling gear I carry. As far as sites, over here on the Gulf coast of Florida the bottom is pretty much the same, ledges and patch reefs. So while coordinates are different, the dives are pretty much the same. Sea conditions and current would be the biggest concerns.

 

[Nasser]

Looks good to me.

In general take down only what you need. If the requirements of the dive change then you can reconfigure. Have a core setup and then add or subtract accordingly to the needs of the dive and your dive plan.

 

[Diver0001]

on the Gulf coast of Florida the bottom is pretty much the same, ledges and patch reefs. So while coordinates are different, the dives are pretty much the same. Sea conditions and current would be the biggest concerns.

Understood. You should obviously have a Nautilus life line. Other than that, just dive as you normally would and make sure you have a sufficient source of redundant air.

R..

 

[halocline]

I would go for training, not gear, in order to increase your safety for solo diving. Of course some of that training involves the use of specialized gear, but that should not be the main emphasis of the training.

You might start learning about hogarthian principles with regards to gear selection. Not so much for the specific choices (things are different when team diving in a cave) but more for the thought process involved with gear selection and problem solving. Anytime you can solve a problem without extra gear, that's a plus.

 

[tbone1004]

your gear is appropriate for solo. If you own your own tanks, I would personally go to an H-valve instead of a pony because a first stage failure is more likely than actually running out of gas and will lighten the rig considerably, but a 19cf pony isn't really worth arguing about.

Echoing off of halocline above, the hogarthian and minimalist rigs are always assuming you are diving with a buddy. It is one of the fundamental principals of GUE/UTD/DIR etc etc, team diving is paramount. When you are solo diving, everything changes because now you have to carry the redundancy instead of your buddy.

Instead of a pocket on the bc, I would go with neoprene pocket shorts, or the dive rite thigh pockets. I personally don't carry an extra mask, but that is my choice and I am more comfortable without a mask on than with it on. Only thing I can't really do is read, which is solved by creating a small air bubble in your eye socket with your hand, or in the case of a lens failure, you can still get enough air in the mask pocket to read computer or tables. Odds of a lens failure are pretty slim, and if your strap is tethered, it is up to you whether or not you need one. Doesn't hurt to have though.

Only thing I'd really question is the wing size which will depend on how deep you're going and how thick your wetsuit is. You have 20lbs lost to gas, so 12lbs may or may not be enough to compensate for your suit, but you also have to total up the weight of everything else you're carrying. I'd argue you're probably pretty close to maxing out the wing, so that would be the only thing I'd verify.

 

[CuzzA]

So a little background, I'm no stranger to the ocean, it's down the street from my house and has been all my life. I shallow freedive, fish, have owned a boat since '99, etc., so I'm very comfortable in and around the ocean, but obviously scuba is new to me and comes with added risks. I feel very comfortable under water. I'm trying to dive as much as possible. This year my goal is to do at least a couple dives once a week. I've experienced very few issues while scuba diving, mainly just line entanglements from my gun, which I intend on moving on to freeshafting soon.

So that said, I know there are a couple agencies that offer solo training, but I'm curious what skills are taught? Is it worth the money? I only ask because after doing AOW I felt like it really didn't provide much value. Of course I don't have regrets, because I know some operators require it, but to me it was just OW 2.0.

So setting gear aside, what skills would be taught in a solo course that could be valuable to me or skills that I don't already know?