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That's been well covered in this thread. Just go back, read, let us know if you have any questions...I'm just coming into this thread now, so please excuse me if this has already been asked. Would a Spare Air be a good thing to carry, just in case you run out of air inadvertently? Why or why not?
You want one written just for you? I don't get it? It's been well covered here. Have you read the discussion? I see no need in repeating any of it, but please do ask if you have questions after reading.Could I have a more detailed explanation? I would like to hear both sides.
Don,
I think what LG diver is saying is that redundant gas is not necessarily a pony bottle/spare air. Redundant gas can be sitting on your buddy's back.
My issue with pony bottles is that while it is arguably a good source of redundant gas, it is hardly a good substitute for a good buddy and good buddy diving skills. I use my buddies not only to make sure that I have gas in case I have an OOG emergency, I also use them to help me proactively avoid other issues.
Examples include..
- help in navigation
- help in avoiding and freeing myself from entanglements
- spotting gear issues like gas leaks
- spotting me if I lose visibility (i.e. I lose my mask and have to switch to my back up mask)
- help in shooting a bag if we are making a unplanned ascent due to some issue I am experiencing
- and so on and so on
Of course, my buddy relies on me to reciprocate.
While it is true that a pony bottle is one way to provide redundant gas, it is far from a good substitute to good buddy diving.
However, poorly thought out plans, such as using a pony bottle for an accelerated deco bottle and a bailout bottle at the same time, probably make the user less safe than just leaving the thing at home would.
And that is a perfectly logical and valid approach to diving. IF you have a good buddy on hand. Otherwise, you get to stay dry. That, for some, would severely limit the diving that they would get to do. For others, they just prefer to dive by themselves, for whatever reason. And in those cases, a pony bottle is a very viable option to manage risk.
However, poorly thought out plans, such as using a pony bottle for an accelerated deco bottle and a bailout bottle at the same time, probably make the user less safe than just leaving the thing at home would.
I'm just coming into this thread now, so please excuse me if this has already been asked. Would a Spare Air be a good thing to carry, just in case you run out of air inadvertently? Why or why not?