The great independents versus isolation manifold debate

[DA Aquamaster]

I'll bow to your experience using a pair of extra long cam bands to secure doubles. If it has worked for you for years it's hard, and more than a little pointless, to argue otherwise.

I think the vision I originally had after reading your post was of legions of divers trying to use the run of the mill BC with a single cam strap to support a pair of doubles. I'm not sure that configuration would last much past the giant stride entry.

Given that they are available, if I had it to do over again, I would still go with a set of travel bands (and I still prefer a backplate of some type for stability.)

With the support in the middle, a set of travel bands will still do an adequate job of securing the tanks even if one band or cam buckle breaks or becomes loose. In my opinion, it's kind of like a redundant mounting for your redundant air supply.

 

[Tanto]

"I think the vision I originally had after reading your post was of legions of divers trying to use the run of the mill BC with a single cam strap to support a pair of doubles. I'm not sure that configuration would last much past the giant stride entry."

No, I wouldn't do that either. The long bands work well if only if you pair two of them and if they are used at a distance of 8/10 inches minimum (not all BC's allow this), depending on the size of the tanks. Also, you need to tighten them adequately.
This configuration is not as solid as steel bands bolted to a steel plate (which is what I recently adopted for my cave setup), but is very lightweight and versatile; for example, depending on what is available, you can dive with three tanks strapped together (I know I know nowadays it's more fashionable to keep the third on your left side!).
Again, although I never used them, the travel bands you linked in your post seem to be even better.

 

[pt40fathoms]

You know, I must be living in a bubble when it comes to dive equipment. I really should start reading some dive magazines and surfing the net for the latest and greatest gear. Heck even for some of the older tried and true stuff. I had no idea that their were tank bands that were meant to hold independant tanks without the use of steel bands.

I suppose thats what happens when you spend all of your free time in the water and not surfing the net or reading dive mags.

Thanks a bunch for the infomation, I suppose I'll have to make an on-line purchase, seeing as non of the LDS's around here carry the Aqua Explorers line.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I bought mine from the Going Under Dive Center via mail as I also don't have an LDS that carried anything similar. On the rare occasions when I buy mail order, I still prefer to buy from a real live shop with real live divers who really use the stuff. They gave good advice as via E-mail and ording from them on line is actually not as cumbersome as they imply.

http://www.goingunder.net/

 

[Grumman581]

I dive independent AL80s... I use the Highland steel bands to connect them together, but each tank has its own 1st and 2nd stage and there is no manifold... I do not find the gas management that difficult, but I did have one incident on a 180 ft dive in Coz where I was looking at one pressure gauge and breathing from the other tank... I was a little narced at the time and it took a few breaths for me to realize that the air wasn't decreasing like it should have been doing... I dive solo, so I like the redundancy... If I was in a cave and I had a 1st stage failure and for whatever reason, I could not get out all the way on the air in the other tank, I have checked with the manufacturer of my regs and they say that it is possible to change your 1st stages underwater, but you should get them serviced afterwards... So, if the sh*t really hits the fan, I'll swap out the regs after I've drained one tank and get the last bit of gas out of the other tank...

 

[athomson]

OK, I hope this doesn't start a huge big arguement but I need some advice.

I do the majority of my diving in the 30m + range with a range of different setups depending on lots of factors. SOmetimes, I would dive a sinlge 12l bottle, sometimes a pony as well with deco gas (or just air). However, I often find myself diving twin independant 12l bottles. Unfortunately this is with a standard BCD. I have decided that the time has come for me to make the swtich to wings and am going to buy a Dive Rite system.

Now, I know I could continue diving on twin independant cylinders and just use gas management during the dive to breathe the cylinders down evenly as I do at present. however, I am thinking that buying another bottle and twining my own with a manifold might be a better idea.

FYI I do approx. 100 dives a year in the north Atlantic. I am a BSAC dive leader and instructor. I will be doing a technical nitrox course soon and will then be heading for trimix (or that is the plan)

Does anyone have any advice on the cylinder configuration for me?

Thanks:mean:

 

[Don Burke]

athomson once bubbled... OK, I hope this doesn't start a huge big arguement but I need some advice.

I do the majority of my diving in the 30m + range with a range of different setups depending on lots of factors. SOmetimes, I would dive a sinlge 12l bottle, sometimes a pony as well with deco gas (or just air). However, I often find myself diving twin independant 12l bottles. Unfortunately this is with a standard BCD. I have decided that the time has come for me to make the swtich to wings and am going to buy a Dive Rite system.

Now, I know I could continue diving on twin independant cylinders and just use gas management during the dive to breathe the cylinders down evenly as I do at present. however, I am thinking that buying another bottle and twining my own with a manifold might be a better idea.

FYI I do approx. 100 dives a year in the north Atlantic. I am a BSAC dive leader and instructor. I will be doing a technical nitrox course soon and will then be heading for trimix (or that is the plan)

Does anyone have any advice on the cylinder configuration for me?

Thanks:mean:

A manifold gives you more options for recovery from problems and cuts you loose from having to manage two tanks with two pressure guages.

http://www.divers-supply.com/viewItem.asp?ItemID=OCD624&UnitCde=1&Search=N

 

[O-ring]

There are benefits to using an iso manifold that you don't get with independents, namely that you can access the gas in both tanks in the case of a first stage failure on either post.

I think we beat this into a pulp a year or so ago so a search on "manifold independents" or something similar might turn up the real discussion.

 

[Scuba_Vixen]

That truly has near unanimous agreement .... Manifolded doubles with isolator have too many "pros" and zip for "cons" to bother with independants.

There may be some few divers with specific types of diving scenarios where independants may work well, but that's the exception, not the rule.

There'll be task loading enough as you get into more advanced diving, no need to magnify it with tracking gas in 2 tanks and changing regs to use it evenly etc.


Darlene

 

[Karl_in_Calif]

Are the regulators trolling again?