Solo Kit setup: the required, redundant, optional, and hell-no items

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Redundant air? Yes.
Redundant instruments? No.
But what about what NOT to take solo that you always take with a buddy? Octo reg could probably go, especially with a pony. ‘Buddy managment’ stuff like slate and quacker certainly. Anywhere else a solo diver can lighten the load?
Solo is really a personal endeavor. I, personally, dive with only minimal kit--whichever of my solo rigs (described above) I'm diving at the time.

rx7diver
 
Might be interesting to flip the problem around.
Rather than beginning with: what equipment? Instead: what problems?

From that standpoint, there are only a few risks that differ from buddy diving (if they even do)
Gas loss, entanglement, strandings, and planning/decisions?

When you unexpectedly find you can't breathe while on a dive, you need an immediate fix. Anyone who's had that problem in real life knows. It is not the same as any drill or skill in any course. Forget about that "breath hold swim" or "controlled emergency ascent" that you think you can do. Especially if you're sinking, in a current, carrying a camera, or having any other problem simultaneously. Have you seen how much of a joke the PADI CESA drill is? SCUBA isn't freediving.

A tec-style side-clipped Al40 with its own reg is so easy to manage and include!

People whose plan is "I'll just swim for it" usually don't make it to the surface alive or unharmed.

But this doesn't only apply to solo divers!
 
Have to take as much as you can fit, as long as you feel, safe

I wear the stainless steel bowl my mother uses to cut my hair

Screenshot (1119).png


it's really easy, just rivet a chin strap to it, doesn't weigh much

Screenshot (1121).png


even if the eels I dive with are only three feet long, just in case

Just so I don't end up like that guy up there, maybe two bowls





But if I take two my mother won't be able to cut my fathers hair
 
[QUOTE="bubblemonkey2, post: 10193299, member:


People whose plan is "I'll just swim for it" usually don't make it to the surface alive or unharmed.

But this doesn't only apply to solo divers!
[/QUOTE]
Do you really mean this? Is there some data to support this statement?
 
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Redundant air? Yes.
Redundant instruments? No.
But what about what NOT to take solo that you always take with a buddy? Octo reg could probably go, especially with a pony. ‘Buddy managment’ stuff like slate and quacker certainly. Anywhere else a solo diver can lighten the load?
I dive with the same equipment whether solo or with a buddy. Muscle memory stays the same, and no “wish I had brought that with me” either.
 
Yes,
[QUOTE="bubblemonkey2, post: 10193299, member:


People whose plan is "I'll just swim for it" usually don't make it to the surface alive or unharmed.

But this doesn't only apply to solo divers!
Do you really mean this? Is there some data to support this statement?
[/QUOTE]
Yes, every time somebody drowns on ascent or suffers a gas embolism while bolting to the surface following an incident at depth (sadly not uncommon)
 
Yeah even saw a few today in the supermarket as I was filling my trolley with groceries looking for a wife

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and saw a few on the drive home too
 
Needed for me:
A Decent Back Mounted fabric Wing system such as a Dive Rite or a Zeagle for lightweight travelling.
4 x Long Cam bands.
2 x AP Plasti-Pylons. More on this later.
2 x Decent Reg sets mounted for twinset diving - I use Poseidon Jetstreams.
2 x masks,
2 x DSMB's
Compass
Old CD for use as a Heliograph.
Whistle
2 x decent computers.
Fins, 2 x cutting aparatus.


The AP Plasti Pylons and 4 x cam bands are so that I can rig a twindy (Twin Indy) from any old pair of matched common cylinders. So the old addage of the Dive shops stating "We Don't rent ponies so shove off" is immediately nullified by this. You can rig a completely indy setup with this kit and once they have seen you do this will often leave you well alone. it's also better balanced than going back to pony use.

So for me it is twinset or bust as a UK solo diver.

PGB
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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