"Spare Air" - Experience in its use

[NorthWoodsDiver]

Last week I had enough of buddy's wandering off and bought a "Spare Air" spare tank which now gives me some comfort of a second air source, ( to 30 metres). Unfortunately I have not had a chance to fully test this out.

I would be curious to know what others have found in testing it, but PLEASE - I really don't want arguments for and against use of pony tanks! I've already balanced this up and made my decision.

Take it to 30m and see how many breaths you get...

 

[Walter]

I really don't want arguments for and against use of pony tanks!

Then why bother posting this thread? Seems to me you either want info on Spare Air or you don't. With statements like that, it looks like you don't.

 

[halocline]

And although this board almost unanimously slams them, if I were out of air, I’d rather have a Spare Air than nothing. Like almost any other device, it’s just a tool – to be used or mis-used.

This is the lie that sells those things. The problem is if they did not exist you might be forced into choosing an alternate air source that actually provides some safety. Instead you end up buying something which gives you a false sense of security. I'm convinced it's more dangerous to dive with one than with no redundant air. If you have no redundant air, and you're concerned about that, you will almost certainly alter your dive behavior so that you make sure you either have direct access to the surface and/or a reliable buddy.

People who carry small bail-out bottles without really understanding exactly what problem they're trying to solve, and what other options exist for solving that problem, are asking for trouble IMO.

In answer to the OP, no I have no experience with spare air. I have used a 13cft slung pony, and would consider that to be minimum size for me in OW conditions. I don't own one, and I almost never dive with one. Overall I prefer to take gas management, gear maintenance, and buddy choice/behavior seriously enough to not be too concerned about running out of air.

 

[redacted]

Making it the only piece of scuba gear which allows you to run out of air TWICE on the same dive!

But the second time you run out, you should be a good bit closer to the surface. If that satisfies your needs and you see some other benefit to a spare air over an adequately sized bail out bottle, go for it.

I have a couple that I don't use for scuba any more. They do not breath very will but that is manageable as long as you are used to it. They also are not the most reliable gadgets. I had mine dump all their gas following a giant stride entry a number of times.

Good luck.

 

[mikerault]

1. How many divers routinely dive to 30m or 100 feet?
2. It is designed for the single diver to do a controlled ascent to the surface
3. It comes in 3 and 6 CF sizes, which one are we discussing?
4. From 60 feet or less it should, do as advertised
5. It's not for wrecks or caves

 

[damage]

Not trying to open a can of worms here; but you guys don't recommend a spare air? I always dive with a buddy; but we are recently trying to become "safer divers" and I was considering buy a spare air, but if it has not enough air to allow me to make an ascend and a safe stop I don't see how it can be useful

 

[tlt]

I've got 2 spare airs, and have had since 97. These are great for shallow areas, ie: not more than 40' if you plan to dive deeper, use a pony or a buddy. They are handy and not bulky, but do not have capacity for anything deeper.

 

[Splash-X]

The purpose of Spare air is not to "meander" to the surface, hang out at 15ft for 3 minutes and then surface.

The intended purpose of a Spair Air is to get a series of breaths to suraface in the event an OOA emergency occures.

Sparing the argument for and against Spaire Air or Spare Air vs Pony, there is a tool for every job. Not every tool can do the same job another tool can. Spare Air is not a Pony, it is a self rescue device designed to get you to the surface. While the purpose of the Spair air is nearly identical as a Pony the use of the two differs.

If you mainly dive shallow or just want a spair air as a last resort then it may work for you. If you want something that will give you enough air to slowly work your way to the surface , do your saftey stop and then surface a pony may be better suited for you.

 

[300bar]

We had a LOT of threads about the spareair.
Most of us don't like them(for imo good reason)


BUT has anyone actualy USED one.
We allway's calculate (good thing) but used.

 

[FishOutUvH2O]

Not to long ago I asked a pretty seasoned diver who carried a small Spare-Air if he could really make it to the surface from the 100fsw depths we were diving with it. I should've known by the "are you insane look," that I wasn't going to get the answer I was thinking. His answer was simple. He didn't carry it to make it back to the surface. He carried it to get back to his buddy, or the next nearest diver with air. He believed that if he was going to have an incident that caused an OOA situation for him, that Murphy's Law dictated it would be that one time that he had gotten just a little to far away from his buddy. He was also the one that reccomended I see how far I could hold my breath and swim, to see just how far I could be away from my buddy and still make it back to her to get air. Turns out, it wasn't as far as I thought. I didn't run out and buy a Spare Air, but I do stay closer to my buddy now.

So, I guess if you have a plan for a device, that's within the device's capabilities, maybe it is worthwhile.