Spare mask

[captain]

I carry two of everything when I solo, inclulding a spare mask.

Recently I decided to start wearing a back-up compass, too.

My primary compass failed on my first dive with a back-up compass.

Two masks
Two sets of 1st and 2nd stages
Two tanks
Two bottom timers
Two compasses
Two cutting devices
Two floation devices (BC & dry suit)
Two depth gauges
Two lights
Two halves of a brain (most of the time)

WOW, the submersible dive shop.

 

[captain]

Agree with:

Two masks (this was the O/P's original question, of course)
Two bottom timers / depth gauges
Two floation devices (BC & dry suit)
Two halves of a brain


Disagree with:

Two sets of 1st and 2nd stages (staying withing CESA depth of the surface is fine for me)
Two tanks (staying withing CESA depth of the surface is fine for me)
Two compasses (can always egress anytime and surface swim back)
Two cutting devices (never dropped mine yet)

The two cutting devices, sometimes three, is my only redundancy.

 

[redacted]

I often carry 3 lights. But I really like night dives and I don't like to waste batteries. I've never had to use more than 2 and never had to end a dive early due to a light failure.

 

[603doug]

I looked at the list then did my own inventory and I out of knee jerk response I carry all but the extra compass. I do not care if I am diving a bath tub I carry it all. Pony bottle might be 13 instead of a 30 if I am shallow. All fits together nice and tight.

 

[ClayJar]

I looked at the list then did my own inventory and I out of knee jerk response I carry all but the extra compass.

I used to have but one compass, but then I added a Vyper2, which has an electronic compass, so that takes care of the list, then, eh? :biggrin:

(Of course, I often have at least three of several items on the list, but hey, who's counting. )

 

[TomP]

The times I carry a spare are when diving dry solo or with doubles. That's because it's always in the pocket on the harness for my doubles. Since going tech I always dive with the same configuration whenever possible. Even with students as a DM when I have my doubles on all the gear I carry on a wreck dive goes with me. Reel, smb, 2 cutting devices, spare mask, etc. If diving single tank then I usually don't when solo as far as a mask goes. Everything else is there though.

I'm in the consistency camp too. I've internally debated the spare mask since i wear the strap under my hood but it's still a fixture in my kit.

...

Disagree with:
...
Two cutting devices (never dropped mine yet)

Most thing don't happen until they happen

I carry 3 cutting devices. Knife on my left arm, line cutter on my right arm and cable cutting shears in my right thigh pocket.

 

[jim T.]

I've been ok without a spare mask on dives to 60' but considering the entanglement possibilites of a gill net as we've been discussing in the entanglement thread, I think I'll start packing one as a net could be contacted in any shallow depth and I'd want to be able to see that mono in as close a detail as possible if trying to extract myself or better yet as I approach and avoid it in PNW viz.
I'm comfortable without a mask but will now have a spare one with me.

 

[budgy]

I dont carry a spare mask. Being led underwater without a mask was part of my basic training, first in the pool and later in open water. I'm told pearl divers had a technique of blowing a bubble of air and holding it over their eyes for a moment with your cupped hands so they could see, but I've never had any joy with it.

I'm not much of a follower of the redundant equipment brigade. Redundancy can get so obsessive to the point where your carrying more dangalies than a Christmas tree. Some solo divers carry an octopus. I've seen lots of gear becomes self defeating. I reckon its better to keep your equipment simple and figure out and train yourself how to manage without certain parts of it. A solo diver needs to put on and take it off their rig without assistance, sometimes they might also need to do this underwater.

 

[Nemrod]

To the OP generally speaking the answer is no. There may be a few places I might carry a spare mask but aside from cave diving I cannot think of one, maybe extensive solo deco. I am into simplicity--Minimalism. I don't carry two or three of anything. I dive simple robust sytems that have built in reliability proven methods and techniques and factually aside from having my mask kicked or knocked I have never actually lost one while diving. I would tether it before I carried a spare if I was concerned about loss. I don't have pockets, cargo pockets, closet hampers or underwater wheelbarrows to carry all the spare backup gear that some carry so I instead depend upon experience and simplicty and reliable systems and planning--Minimalism is the new trend and the Minimalsit Diver is me, it is not just a word I throw around. Minimalsim.

Solo diving does not mean you have to carry an invisble buddy with you or on your person.

N

 

[Timeliner]

What I hear you saying Nemrod is......
"Put all your eggs in one basket and watch that basket !! "

I'd say even if you carry spare gear that is a good way to think about your primarys