Need cave divers opinions

[danvolker]

I owned one of those US divers yellow fiberglass fairing covered tripple 30 systems like Thal mentioned, back in the late 70's...It looked cool with the fairing, but it was heavy, it actually had more drag than an 80 or hp100, it was harder to secure in a dive boat, and there really was zero advantage to the small tank tripple set up, other than making you Look like the Jaques Cousteu divers of the 70's.

Also...after you have had one of these for a while, instead of one hydro test, you have three tanks to hydro, so more cost, and again, there is no benefit in return.
If they were an exotic carbon composite that you could fill to 5000 psi, and they weighed almost nothing, and if you had a real isolation manifold, you might have a "solution" someone with huge money would consider ( the composite material would be very pricey) .
Still, they would not be as practical as using a single exotic composite tank of larger volume/dimensions, to achive 80 or 100 cu ft of air --the single would be lower drag, and the lighter weight would be desirable. 2 of those together would be the dobles set up for redundancy and more volume....

 

[BabyDuck]

this *does* have a use! look at the entertainment value we've gotten!

 

[rjack321]

this *does* have a use! look at the entertainment value we've gotten!

No kidding!

So Rich, serious question....

If I were using some backmounted tiny triples of about 90cf like you suggest. I'll assume a double isolation manifold and multiple regs. I'm using them as "bailout" as you desire.

What exactly am I bailing out FROM and how did that existing equipment and training fail? I.e. what problem are you trying to solve?

 

[Kevin Carlisle]

No kidding!

So Rich, serious question....

If I were using some backmounted tiny triples of about 90cf like you suggest. I'll assume a double isolation manifold and multiple regs. I'm using them as "bailout" as you desire.

What exactly am I bailing out FROM and how did that existing equipment and training fail? I.e. what problem are you trying to solve?

I have a question for him also.

1. If we put this on our back how are we suppose to dive a sidemount only cave?

 

[FWADIVER]

I have a question for him also.

1. If we put this on our back how are we suppose to dive a sidemount only cave?

Revise to if you put anything on your back, how are you supposed to dive a sidemount only cave?

 

[Rich Keller]

Seems like the one thing y'all 99% lack is a spirit of adventure. Perhaps Rich is right and you've just been institutionalized and brainwashed by the biases and idiosyncratic predilections of "instructors," "formal training" "mentorship" and "experience." Whereas you see three tank neck o-rings and robotically think "three potential failure points," I implore you to reach for just a little bit of vision, and seek the less-pessimistic flipside, which is three potentials for non-failure, and thus three potentials for a really great cave dive, which is a whole two more than you'd have if using a single AL80. I think this is what the OP is seeking, and I for one welcome the opportunity to learn more about what he is planning.

If you are serious, have cave diving experience and do not mind me bouncing a few ideas off you from time to time send me a PM. I am getting nowhere with the other 99%.