Question Traveling with a Backup Reg Set

[Scared Silly]

While you are thinking of spares one of the most common failures in dive equipment is the BC inflator. Either the rebuild kit and the tool or a spare unit makes sense.

On a trip not so long ago we assembled our BCDs and my spouse says the corrugated hose connection is leaking. Yup so is mine. After the last trip I disassembled the hose so the bladder could dry out. So not to lose the gaskets I set them aside. Guess what I forgot? Fortunately, the live-a-board had spares.

As for the OP, we rarely travel with spares but when we do it is usually in the form of deco regs.

 

[ScubaBunga]

I never used to travel with spares - for the first 15 years of diving I just didn't have the money to have any spares - of really anything. Now I have spares for most things and will be packing them on my next trip. So far (knocking on wood), I've never needed ANY spares - although my BCD started leaking a few years ago and had to be replaced after we got home - after 25 years of use. I now expect my time is up and something will fail - so it's all coming with.

 

[Nemrod]

I have needed spares, 99% for other people who do not have spares!

But, the truck drivers hauling us around Dahab would pick the rigged cylinders up sometimes by the regulator firsrt stage. They managed to break the torque on the DIN assembly on my Mark 2 Evo. The next morning rigging up there was a pop and a hiss and I noticed right away the problem. I would have either missed that days dives--or--go grab my new back up Mark 17 Evo with G260s and go dive and then retorque the DIN assembly for the Mark 2 Evo (with G250s) that evening. Once in a while, maybe once, spares have saved me but usually others. Because people have their regs serviced just before a trip, do not carry spares and are unprepared and hope for dumb luck. Two is one, one is none.

 

[Antothoro]

But, the truck drivers hauling us around Dahab would pick the rigged cylinders up sometimes by the regulator firsrt stage.

yeah, I've seen people do that to... oh it makes me cringe. The "handle" of the turn knob is just right there.

 

[Antothoro]

Thanks for everyone's contributions and comments.

Going forward, I'll have a small box\bag with extra 1st, 2nd, etc all disassembled.

 

[Green Frog]

I had my reg and bcd inflator (AIR2) rebuilt right before heading out to Nassau in June and tried it all out in a pool at home. I carried a backup second stage and some MINOR repair parts and tools. I used their wrench to install Stuart Cove’s computer console because mine was left @ home