How much redundancy is too much?

[RJP]

Rule of thumb for any gear -"Whatever it is, if I could die because one failed, I dive with two."

 

[mobster75]

I believe you are confusing the 'regulator' with first stages and second stages. Most rec divers have a single first stage with two second stages to breathe from. This was what the OP was referring to. I wouldn't really call that redundant though.

Some divers, (tec mostly) use two first stages and two second stages coupled with a tank system to allow isolating one gas supply from the other in case of a failure. This is done with a pony, independent doubles or manifolded doubles. This does bring redundancy.

Well I wouldn't call 1 1st stage reg and 2 2nd stage regs redundant at all... My primary is for me and my octo is for my buddy (unless I have my own 2nd stage problem, either case the dive is over). So when I think redundant, I think fully redundant: your 1st or 2nd stage could fail and you still have something to lean on w/o grabbing your buddies primary or octo (depending on your prox. and instinct). So redundant would be carrying a pony so you have a REDUNDANT 1st stage and 2nd stage.

Sorry if I wasn't clearer in my initial post...

 

[fisherdvm]

2 spare air and 2 snorkels.

 

[Cacia]

I love this thread!....I've been tempted to post the same question.

Obviously, it depends on the dive risk factor and, I have decided, your personality type.

For example, I am more prudent when I don't have "back-up plans". Not everyone functions best that way. But, if I had a pony, for example, it would tempt me into a grey zone. So...I don't like redundant anything, I function best under absolutes and irreducible minimums, it provides clarity for me at depth. I have impulse control weaknesses, and like someone who "can't drink", I just cannot have extra gas that is to be used in "X" situation, but not "Y".

Contingency plans don't serve me at depth because it is too seductive to regard them as available and the potential "emergency" becomes a relative, cloudy issue. I like calculating exactly what I believe I can do, and operating under that assumption, add a constant safety margin. Plus, I don't like being weighted down, I like being agile and once you start loading up with stuff, I find a diminished return for the non-emergency routine dives. (difficult entries and exits, fatigue, the mundane killers)

lol, if I got to the airport "too early", I would forget to watch the clock and miss my flight looking around at the newsstand. Keep it simple, focus, and know that if I don't, I'm screwed. That is my method.

 

[reefduffer]

Well I wouldn't call 1 1st stage reg and 2 2nd stage regs redundant at all... My primary is for me and my octo is for my buddy (unless I have my own 2nd stage problem, either case the dive is over). So when I think redundant, I think fully redundant: your 1st or 2nd stage could fail and you still have something to lean on w/o grabbing your buddies primary or octo (depending on your prox. and instinct). So redundant would be carrying a pony so you have a REDUNDANT 1st stage and 2nd stage.

Sorry if I wasn't clearer in my initial post...

Ummm....
Consider it this way. You must have at least two of everything you need to
get to the surface safely, unless you accept the odds that its failure
probably means death. (And we accept that risk to some degree
intrinsically. If I have a heart attack at 80 feet I have no backup.)
How lucky do you feel about your life support gear?

That means, among other things but to the point here, two first stages,
and two tanks. That's why they call it the Buddy System, the most cost
effective (cost = not just $$$, but including it) way to get the required
redundancy is to consider your buddy and his equipment is part of your
life support , and you and yours part of his.

Your octo or equivalent makes the buddy system work, because reg
sharing was found to be unreliable under stress without way more
training than practical.

Solo divers achieve redundancy very differently.
Confined-water divers have a larger set of equipment required to get
them to the surface safely.

But the objective is the same for them and for OW divers:

You must have at least two of everything you need to get to the surface safely.

 

[texdiveguy]

I carry a spare tire............

 

[cloudboy55]

There is always quite a bit of discussion of how much spare or back up equipment one should carry. For instance I would say most every diver caries a spare regulator, but thats more or less for an out of air situation.

Some people have mentioned carrying a spare computer, spare 1st or 2nd stage, a spare mask.....Etc.

My question is, where do you draw the line? How much is too much?

I personally carry a spare mask, and a spare computer. Why? Well the mask I won in a raffle, and the computer was an eBay auction that was super cheap.

I guess if we wanted to be 100% safe, wouldn't we carry it all along underwater as well? And why we are at it, wouldn't it also be wise to tow a spare boat behind the one we ride on?

What type of dive is it? How deep are you going? Is this a no-decompression dive? Will you be diving alone, or with a buddy? All of these things affect how much redundancy you need in terms of gas and equipment.

 

[SparticleBrane]

Two is one and one is none.

 

[captain]

Most times my basic warm water shallow rig is one of each tank, regulator, mask, depth gauge, watch and knife. Depending on the depth and exposure protection required I may add a BC, SPG and computer. Those are the basics,one of each. Never have carried an octo or pony or spare air.

 

[nolatom]

Rule of thumb for any gear -"Whatever it is, if I could die because one failed, I dive with two."

I quite agree. For me, 2 regs, but my buddy is my emergency air supply, and I'm his/hers. One computer, one watch. Make a note of the time you splashed and if your computer conks, use the "100 rule" or the "120 rule", which will work as a backup at least for the first dive (provided I know the site and the depths), and you can switch to tables afterwards. One SPG, if that conks (never has so far), dive's over

I carry a light for daytime, and 2 at night. Last dive of the day, or a night dive, I carry a strobe. And I usually carry a sausage and always a whistle and mirror.

Entanglement can snuff you, so I carry a knife and shears, and a collapsible snorkel in a pocket.