What are the reason(s).......

[Mo2vation]

I'm training for Tech one in the Spring. Its my intention to dive doubles as much as I can between now and the class. I just started this week - got three dives on them so far and want to pile on 40 or 50 more before the class.

I'm digging them so far. We have some very generous people in SoCal that have loaned me tanks of several sizes to try.

Its been great.

---
Ken

 

[Luis H]

Very interesting insights to vintage doubles....thanks for sharing this!!

One thing that I forgot to point out.
If you ever try a set of doubles with just a harness you will find out that they are actually more comfortable that any backpack, back plate or a single tank (ignoring the total weight out of the water). The tanks weight can’t get any closer to your own center of gravity and they rest on the back muscles on both sides of your spine. Nothing presses against your backbone, making them very comfortable. Of course, in the water they are nice and balanced and the weight is insignificant.

The only disadvantage of a harness is that limits your options for a BC. Then in the Caribbean (with minimal neoprene) I didn’t really need a BC. I used a horse collar mostly for surface flotation.

Up here in Maine were I need a BC for all the neoprene that I am wearing; I have been thinking of ways of just using a BC bladder with the double tank harness.

 

[do it easy]

I dive my doubles 95% of the time, whether the dive needs them or not. Usually, the only times I wear a single tank is when I DM for a class or travel someplace warm. I feel more comfortable in doubles and I don't like my single tank set up, although I might sing a different story if I got a STA and smaller wing. Still, there is much to be said for having redundancy when the water temps are 43f in the middle of summer.

Also, the gas management between dives is more efficient- I don't have to change my tanks out and any "leftover" gas can be used on the next dive. When I dive the quarry, I like to do one long dive instead of several shorter ones, so it helps to have the extra gas.

Lastly, all my single tanks are set up as deco bottles, so it really is the path of least resistance to just dive the doubles.

 

[Dive-aholic]

I started diving doubles for cave diving - redundancy. I dive them for cave and wreck dives now. I also dive them locally at the lake to keep in practice. Diving doubles also makes it very nice diving a single tank - it feels like I'm not even wearing anything when I strap a single tank on!

I do like the stability of the doubles, but I can't see strapping them on for every single dive. And I like live-aboards.

 

[texdiveguy]

I only dive steel 85 doubles or a steel 130 single,,,,gas management.