Regulator load out lunacy

[rx7diver]

You have all those proper regs and still dive an aaaaaa….arrrrrrr…..aiiii….that weird thingy on the end of your inflator hose.

Like @OMyMyOHellYes, I sometimes dive my AIR 2. Love it. (Been diving one since I purchased my first one, a 2nd gen, new in 1987; my "new" AIR 2 is a 3rd gen, which I purchased new c. 1993.) And, again like @OMyMyOHellYes, I always pack a simple power inflator and its inflate hose when I plan to dive my AIR 2, just in case--especially since I have never self-serviced an AIR 2. (I don't know how to, and, besides, I don't have a service kit for mine.) I've never had to resort to this back-up, though.

rx7diver

 

[rhwestfall]

Our last family dive trip had a "different than expected" turn of events. Assembling stuff at the mooring, the wife's primary hose began leaking, and the daughter's LPI hose decided to fail. Cannibalized the spare set, and some diving we did...

 

[-JD-]

I used to do an annual three day trip to a basically remote area. You has to bring all your tanks for the dive as the nearest known air was like two hours away. Anyhow, I always brought at least 1 extra reg set with me. Low and behold, a guy's second craps on him dive day 1 of the weekend. They fiddle with it, and are unsuccessful.... I go in my bag, pull out a full reg set for him. Well, almost.... he is yoke, including the tanks he bought. Quick swap, and he has a nice G250v in place of his POS second. Dive the weekend, and as he hands it back tome, I mention I like single batch bourbons. He just chuckles. Dude, I meant it. Never heard from him again.... Not impressed...

I still bring extra gear.... I just might not advertise it...

Dude deserves a PPB class with some Jimmy Hoffa shoes.

 

[Duglum]

For big/long/expensive liveaboards or other situations where getting spare gear is not an option i usually bring a spare first and second stage, spare hoses and a spare SPG.

I always bring spare o-rings, grease, a spare inflator, a spare inflator/bcd hose, some schrader valves and some basic tools (o-ring pick, hex keys, adjustable wrench, inflator tool, schrader valve tool, tank handwheel tool and second stage orifice adjustment tool).

I had to use the spare first stage once, but tbh the main one was only bubbling very very slightly (left over metal shaving from manufacturing on an o-ring, it was new). And that also was in a location where getting tools to service it or just renting one would not have been a problem.

Also never needed the o-rings for myself since i check everything before a trip, but i was able to help out others with spare o-rings many times. Getting a beer for the price of an o-ring is a good deal.

 

[Nemrod]

OK - i'm admittedly a gear nut and have way too much crap. If you asked me how many regs or reg sets I have on hand, I couldn't tell you, other than too many... But when I go out on a week-long or longer trip, I am usually insanely redundant with my equipment load out.

I guess I got the mindset early on that if I was lucky enough to be on a liveaboard and something crapped on me what I had brung I brought to minimize interruption. My primary is an MK17 or H50-D hooked to a G260 and an Air2 on the BC. In my reg bag with those, I carry a complete backup - probably another MK17 with an APEKS XL4 second. Also a flat second stage puck style octo (Mares) as a spare and a spare power inflator should the Air2 blow up. I am also carrying a complete pony setup with H50-D and an XL4 but that's on the pony and I figure the other spare could backfill if any part of the pony equip poop. So basically three complete reg sets. I could take a refurb kit for the regs and cut back, but I'd rather not do a rebuild in-county or on the boat.

That's my load out and it goes even if I'm going somewhere that I could get rental support if any piece of gear goes tits up. It's overkill and I figure that's my OCD/Anal retentive side coming out, but I don't tend to rely on luck of availability or the kindness of strangers.

Is there anyone else out there crazy enough to carry all of that if going somewhere like Buddy Dive on Bonaire or CCV or AKR on RTB? That for single tank work in nice warm waters. I will likely investigate sidemount doubles soon before I jump into a Deco 50 program. That will add to the haul. Or maybe not, since I won't necessarily need a pony. Unless I need an additional deco bottle.

I usually bring multiple sets, tools and often service kits. For the Red Sea I brought fresh G250s on a Mark 2 Evo with G260s on a Mark 17 Evo as back up (yep, you read that right) and a spare G250 second stage, a full hose set and G250/G260 service kits.

On this Cozumel trip I brought a G250 on a Mark 11 with a DGX BCI and my G260s on Mark 17 Evo as back up (yep, again, second slot) and two G250s for spare and a full hose set. No service kits, but tools for adjustment and minor maintenance. Coming back in a few weeks and the Mark 11 with G250 and DGX BCI will be first tier backed up by a Mark 2 Evo and the G250s. And I will have a Kraken stowaway I imagine if I can find some room to stuff it into. And a spare hose set and a couple of G250s ready to roll if needed.

On Florida road trips I usually bring two Mark 20s converted to Mark 25 spec and four G250s with the Mark 17 Evo and G260s riding shotgun.

I always have service kits, spare K inflator and hoses. Just never know who might need them rarely ever (never) me because I usually show up at a dive to dive, not work on junk that should have been ready to rock and roll. But I know that it is popular to show up for a dive with non-functional junk . Somethings I will loan out, a few things not unless I know the person well. So, if I think I might be on a cattle boat for entertainment value I might bring along my AL Core or Titan as an intended loaner. I did have an issue in the Red Sea trip. The DM grabbed up my then DIN equipped Mark 2 Evo by the first stage and in doing so broke the torque to the body and it began to leak. The trucks were loading so I ran back to my room and exchanged the Mark 17 Evo and G260s and then fretted over them getting scratched as I had just gotten carbon face plates for them . Fixed the Mark 2E later that day and swapped back.

 

[Nemrod]

Like @OMyMyOHellYes, I sometimes dive my AIR 2. Love it. (Been diving one since I purchased my first one, a 2nd gen, new in 1987; my "new" AIR 2 is a 3rd gen, which I purchased new c. 1993.) And, again like @OMyMyOHellYes, I always pack a simple power inflator and its inflate hose when I plan to dive my AIR 2, just in case--especially since I have never self-serviced an AIR 2. (I don't know how to, and, besides, I don't have a service kit for mine.) I've never had to resort to this back-up, though.

rx7diver

You should look at the DGX BCI. It is a nice piece of kit, inexpensive and well designed. And it unscrews from the BC corrugated hose so that it stays in your regulator bag where it belongs. The service kits are inexpensive and easy to get and service is simple enough. In this case, it is better than the Air 2. And it breaths better than most of those pancake seconds. Now that my wife has decided not to dive anymore the BCI is on my rig most times. It is so nice having only one second stage and one 40/60 inches hose to deal with.

My current load out.

Edit to add and maybe not on topic or maybe it is but I cannot decide if I prefer a 60 inches hose wrapped or a 40 inches hose under my arm for my G250 primary. I think I am settling in on the 40 inches hose under my arm with a fixed 70 degree swivel but ----.

 

[rx7diver]

You should look at the DGX BCI. ...

Thing is, my AIR 2 was paid for a long time ago. If it ever decides to quit working such that it can't be easily and inexpensively repaired, I really doubt I will replace it with anything other than a simple power inflator.

... Edit to add and maybe not on topic or maybe it is but I cannot decide if I prefer a 60 inches hose wrapped or a 40 inches hose under my arm for my G250 primary. I think I am settling in on the 40 inches hose under my arm with a fixed 70 degree swivel but ----.

For my single-cylinder, primarily solo, recreational diving using single-hose regs, I returned a while ago to using a standard-length (32"?) reg hose on my primary 2nd stage. Exits the right side of my primary 1st stage, and bows out over my right shoulder a la the old-school approach. I give up a bit of streamlining, true, but I gain a bit of ease when recovering my primary 2nd stage.

rx7diver

P.S.: Sorry to read that your main dive buddy is throwing in the towel. Hopefully, she will reconsider after taking a short break.