KISS Theory - Is Less Really More?

[Mike Boswell]

Very few of us dive with an absolute minimalist rig. If you've got an octopus, then you're packing some extra gear.

The real minimalist divers were the ones of the early vintage era. No octopus, no BC, no SPG and a tank strapped directly to your back. I was reading in "Basic Scuba", (1960 edition), the other day and one of the things it listed were the conditions for when you need to have a depth gauge with you. Now that's minimalism!

Well, I was upscale, then. I had a depth gage and a watch (in the 1970's). And I made a backplate out of an old stop sign. Stuff today is WAY nicer. But you can't carry everything you might need. So, where do you draw the line?

My diving over the last two years has seen a steady accretion of gear, and there is much, much more safety/redundant stuff I could buy.

When are you "Using gear to solve a skills problem"?

At what point does gear complexity become its own problem?

 

[TSandM]

Well, the DIR mantra is not to use gear to solve a skills problem. You don't have to be DIR, but it's a reasonable perspective to examine.

A single tank diver really doesn't need to carry redundant gas, if he has a skilled, aware buddy, and both divers are respecting gas reserves and have done good planning.

Similarly, he doesn't need to carry a backup bottom timer, because if his goes south, the dive is ended and the ascent is managed with his buddy's gauge.

One backup mask may serve the team, as may one SMB -- although I'll confess we each carry one, because in the event of buddy separation, it's a safety matter.

We generally plan for one major failure, but not more. We don't expect that if you get separated, you will run out of gas, for example. But that depends on good planning and the composure to follow protocol when the first issue occurs.

If you do LHOP (Little House on the Prairie -- everything that can go wrong, will go wrong) planning, you will need much more in the way of equipment.

 

[Moonglow]

The choice of gear is dive profile specific; if you need it, take two - if you don't need it, don't take it. I do not consider my buddy redundant for anything; therefore, I always take an additional pony of air (21% O) on every dive.

 

[Cave Diver]

I carry the gear that I feel is necessary to return safely from a dive that incurs a reasonable degree of failure.

What does reasonable degree mean? Depends on the dive and the comfort level of the diver. The more complex the dive or the more risks involved, the more equipment it requires.

 

[Gatorshark]

Curious... I have always thought about carrying an xtra mask after a bad experience on a night dive when I had to purge the mask continuously for about an hour.

How does one carry a spare mask in an accessable but out of the way place?

 

[mikemill]

Curious... I have always thought about carrying an xtra mask after a bad experience on a night dive when I had to purge the mask continuously for about an hour.

How does one carry a spare mask in an accessable but out of the way place?

In a pocket on the leg.

 

[halocline]

How does one carry a spare mask in an accessable but out of the way place?

A frameless mask can fit in a pocket, but swim goggles will do in a pinch. You put 'em on, then direct air bubbles into them to displace some water. I've seen awap do it. You can't descend, but you can ascend.

I don't bother with a spare mask on OW dives; I could easily surface without a mask, and if the strap breaks, I can just hold my mask in place. Probably the biggest risk of mask failure is getting it knocked off. This has happened to me while DMing, but I was able to grab it before it went flying.

I think the SMB for each diver is a really good idea anytime you're in the open ocean, regardless of buddy skills.

I do carry an extra timing device, a watch. It's hardly an inconvenience, and with it I can easily finish, not abort, an OW dive that I've planned. I would just use my buddy for depth info and do an extended safety stop depending on the profile.

Redundant gas in the form of a pony for OW dives is a well-hashed topic on SB. No comment.......

 

[Blackwood]

Very few of us dive with an absolute minimalist rig. If you've got an octopus, then you're packing some extra gear.

Hell, if you have a mask, fins, or regulator you're packing some extra gear. All you need to breathe underwater is a tank and a valve.

 

[Scuba Dive Asia]

I agree that looking (and feeling) like a Xmas tree isn't really synonym of a great dive. However an octopus, a computer, a safety tube, a whistle and a fully charged u/w light are definitely things I have taken on every dives and it came around as handy more than once. So yes, keep it simple but keep it safe too!

 

[scubafanatic]

We divers are acutely conscious of safety, and we routinely hear about incidents and accidents. We talk a lot about safety and every visit to the dive shop is a tour of every imaginable safety device and gadget. Many divers carry redundant gear and miscellaneous safety items galore.

But ... does all that stuff really make us safer?

I prefer to dive in a standardized way, meaning for recreational-type diving (whether it be pool/lake/open ocean) I dive the same gear configuration (same BC/wing/computers/fins) pretty much the only thing I vary is thermal protection. That way, I don't forget to take along a critical gear item, and all gear is arranged/stowed in the same place at all times, allowing more familiarity with stowage/deployment.