Spare Air

[Thalassamania]

I'm truly sorry if I upset you in any way. That was neither my desire nor my intent, quite the opposite; I was concerned that you were using a piece of gear that if you had not thought the consequences through carefully might cause you grief.

 

[trucker girl]

Those who carry it, how often do you test it? If you've had one more than a year, did you take it to a shop for a viz?

I'm taking mine in on Tuesday- it hasn't been used for 2 years...

 

[trucker girl]

I'm truly sorry if I upset you in any way. That was neither my desire nor my intent, quite the opposite; I was concerned that you were using a piece of gear that if you had not thought the consequences through carefully might cause you grief.

Thanks. I appreciate the concern- I also understand the concern.

I plan to dive "without it" meaning I don't plan to rely on it. I plan on diving as though it's not there at all. It's there only in case some bizarre experience happens that I can't foresee- and if that happens- it's only because I or someone else screwed up major- which I ALSO don't plan on. I'm NOT slinging a pony bottle. I plan to ascend from every dive with plenty of air (as mentioned in another post- I check my gauges often... maybe even too often if that is even possible ).

Thanks for the concern. I'm more concerned, though, with making it through the flight to Hawaii without lipstick .

 

[redacted]

On a 120 foot wreck (technically a recreational dive) where there is a chance that the team's gas plan can go sideways due to currents combined with bad viz, I would take a 40 cu ft deco bottle with EAN36 which can double as a pony bottle if the need arises. I can still use the bottle on my ascent and get some benefit of accelerated off gassing.

Why would you plan on a PPO2 of 1.67 with EAN36 rather than going with EAN32 and a PPO2 of 1.48? Even a short exposure time seems like an unnecessary risk.

 

[SparticleBrane]

From the SpareAir testimonials portion of their website:

"My dive buddy showed me his gauge, it read '0'!! I attempted to get my octopus to him but because of the strong current it was extremely difficult. At this moment I remembered my Spare Air. I pulled it out easily and handed it to him and he was breathing easier immediately. He bought a Spare Air the next day."

Irving Feder, Miami Beach, FL

So you couldn't hand him an octopus, but you COULD pass him a SpareAir?

"I am writing to you to confirm that your Spare Air saves lives. When my son, an athletic 16 year old, came out of the ship, his pressure gauge showed 300 lbs and we began to ascend. He quickly in the excitement ran out of air and I handed him my Spare Air bottle. Our PADI training and your Spare Air bottle saved Hector's life that day. Thanks for a great product."

Hector Mayol

....I won't even comment on that one.

“This is to inform you that your SPARE AIR has saved another one. At 12 ft. I probably could have surfaced without any breathing air but the possession of an emergency backup kept me from panic. The bottom line is that I got my investment back in a few precarious minutes. So many thanks to you and your company."

Ernie Miller, Baton Rouge, LA

...I'm confused. 12ft?

“The driving factor that led me to buy a Spare Air was an equipment failure that happened to me. While diving in 80 ft. of water the high-pressure hose to my instrument console ruptured. I began to ascend as rapidly as possible and just before breaking the surface I ran out of air. Ten more feet or a couple of more seconds and I would have been in some serious trouble. Never Again Without Spare Air!!”

Frank Cone

Too bad your instructor didn't teach you how to deal with malfunctioning equipment...

 

[TheRedHead]

Why would you plan on a PPO2 of 1.67 with EAN36 rather than going with EAN32 and a PPO2 of 1.48? Even a short exposure time seems like an unnecessary risk.

Because the planned the use for the gas is a deco gas with a MOD of 110. We use 1.6 p02 for deco gasses. You get more benefit from the accelerated decompression with EAN36. How long does it take you to ascend 10 feet? Maybe 20 seconds. If the deepest point of the wreck is 120 feet, there are plenty of places on the structure shallower than 120.

 

[ArthurGerla]

If you are bringing a Spare Air, why aren't you bringing your regulators?

Oh, but I do take my regs. Just not a second set on the off chance there may be a pony available in the godforsaken places I end up diving. I find the excess baggage surcharge prohibitively high. I dive on a budget.

I can't think of a better way to ruin your vacation than a chamber ride.

You assume there will be a chamber nearby. Ahhh, if only ... :14:

 

[ItsBruce]

Since I was the original supporter of SA on this thread, let me reiterate: If you have adequately practiced with it, an SA makes a normal CESA into a CESA with a a couple of breaths. And, for those who don't lug a pony everywhere they go, that's a good enough reason to have one.

 

[Thalassamania]

I just went to the site and read all of the "testimonials." What a scream. It was the longest laundry list of ill-trained, incompetant screwups saving themselves with a spare-air (or wishing they had been able to). Thanks, after last night I needed a good guffaw.

You missed my favorite:

"I am writing this letter to thank you for making a product that helped me save a life. We were at approximately 120 feet when my one friend signaled he was low on air. I noticed my other diving buddy signaling he was having problems with his air supply. We noticed he had a partial opening of his DIN valve. I now was faced with two problems; the first was a diver with less than 300 psi in his cylinder, and another diver with an intermittent supply of air. I made a very easy decision, I gave the first diver my octopus, the second diver my primary regulator and I took out my SPARE AIR. We immediately began our ascent at a normal rate of 60 ft. per minute and we were able to make the surface with no problem. I will always dive with my SPARE AIR due to this situation and along with the confidence that I can make a safe ascent from normal sport diving depths."

Donald E. Nelson, PADI Instructor, Logansport, IN​

What a hero! And can you believe it? A SAC rate of 0.5 during that kind of stress.

 

[Thalassamania]

That might well be, but I prefer to depend on my buddy, my skills and inspecting my gear prior to diving.