FWIW, I did not want to start an online argument or make any of this discussion less than cordial and professional.
The question was raised (I've got to figure out that quote button) regarding the dropping of the primary regulator in favor of an octopus. I've never experienced a primary regulator failure. However, if it did fail to deliver gas, for whatever undefined reason, I have a secondary on a necklace.
Your point is well taken that a failure upstream from the primary may affect the secondary. For that reason, I carry a 40 cu.ft. hang bottle. If any component of my back gas system fails, I can switch to the hang bottle and ascend safely.
The other reason that I might switch to my secondary is that I donate my primary. That's not likely when I don't have a buddy. However, I'm usually not the only person in the water even when I'm solo.
For the record, I do not advocate solo diving over the buddy system, particularly when it is done without proper training and backup systems. I simply agree with the prior statement that no buddy can be better than a bad buddy. In addition, there are times, such as the seal dive I described earlier, when being solo presents greater opportunities while still allowing what I believe to be an acceptable safety margin.
The question was raised (I've got to figure out that quote button) regarding the dropping of the primary regulator in favor of an octopus. I've never experienced a primary regulator failure. However, if it did fail to deliver gas, for whatever undefined reason, I have a secondary on a necklace.
Your point is well taken that a failure upstream from the primary may affect the secondary. For that reason, I carry a 40 cu.ft. hang bottle. If any component of my back gas system fails, I can switch to the hang bottle and ascend safely.
The other reason that I might switch to my secondary is that I donate my primary. That's not likely when I don't have a buddy. However, I'm usually not the only person in the water even when I'm solo.
For the record, I do not advocate solo diving over the buddy system, particularly when it is done without proper training and backup systems. I simply agree with the prior statement that no buddy can be better than a bad buddy. In addition, there are times, such as the seal dive I described earlier, when being solo presents greater opportunities while still allowing what I believe to be an acceptable safety margin.