Solo gear configuration

[Tigerman]

What I carry depend on the site I dive and how familiar I am with it as well as how deep and long the dive is planned.
Normally I stay within "OW limits" and dive sites that has a minimal risk of entanglement when I dive solo.
Making sure someone know where Im diving and when Ill be back is one of my top priorities. This wont save my sorry ass if im under water when I should be back, but it does help for on-shore problems of various kinds.
My dive plan is also something that is not to be changed after entering the water when I dive solo.

 

[texdiveguy]

I dive the same basic gear for both my buddy/team dives as those I do solo. The same **** can happen to you regardless of whether you are by yourself or with a buddy.

 

[Dive-aholic]

I also dive the same rig whether solo or with a buddy. My major consideration is having 2 independent air sources. When I was diving manifolded doubles, I would carry a buddy bottle with me. Now I dive sidemount and have no need for a buddy bottle.

Almost all of my diving these days is cave diving, and when with my buddy we're usually checking out smaller passages and diving solo during those dives anyway. So almost all of my diving is also solo.

 

[magicwanz]

I always tow a surface maker diving solo in the ocean be it a dive flag, SMB, or torpedo float (my personal favorite).

I could not comment on overhead environments.

-Chris

 

[Doc Harry]

What are your considerations with regard to:

-essential equipment

-accessibility

-redundancy

-streamlining

Thanks in advance.

Two of everything: two masks, two 1st stages, two 2nd stages, two tanks, redundant buoyancy, two cutting tools, two depth gauges, two watches, two compasses, two lights, etc.

Hogarthian or "DIR" configuration. Nothing is really that different between team and solo diving as far as configuration is concerned, there are just few extra tools. I just add a second compass, second Suunto D3, second mask, etc.

What I try not to do is change my configuration. In other words, I add a second compass to the compass that is already on my left wrist, and I always look for the compass on the left. I DO NOT add the second compass to my right wrist, then I'd have a compass on both the right and left wrists. That's okay for solo diving, but then when I'm team diving I might start looking for a compass on the wrong wrist.

I get confused easily.

 

[bletso]

Doc,

Sorry, but it sounds more like Xmass tree diving.

Dale

 

[Dive-aholic]

Far from it. You won't notice most of the gear on me. Thigh pockets take spare mask and one back up light. First back up light is secured to a shoulder strap, clip on butt end and bungie around head. Z-knife on computer band, knife on waist band. And for me because I dive sidemount, my 1st stages are tucked under my arms with one 2nd stage in my mouth and the other either under my chin or clipped off to a shoulder d-ring. Very streamlined, in fact, enough so that I can wriggle into extremely tight places without getting caught up in anything.

 

[captain]

Very streamlined, in fact, enough so that I can wriggle into extremely tight places without getting caught up in anything.

Just what all solo divers should do, wiggle into extremely tight spaces. And I'm a fool because I don't use redundancy.

 

[yakandjak]

And I'm a fool because I don't use redundancy.

You said it, not me Captain.

But since you brought it up, why don't you employ redundancy? I read your argument that your reg has a zero failure rate (which I find hard to believe) and that you believe in redundancy enough to carry a second cutting tool. Why nothing else?

 

[dave4868]

What are your considerations with regard to:

-essential equipment

-accessibility

-redundancy

-streamlining

Fascinating to see such different points of view!

My view on redundancy is somewhere in the middle probably.

I bring a pony bottle and a second cutting tool.

I'd be the first to agree that these two items have very little chance of ever being a crucial lifesaver in my relatively low-risk OW solo dives.

Even in the event of a major problem, there are many other solutions available to a resourceful diver. No argument there.

Then I'm reminded of the times they have come in handy during routine dives to extend a dive, take a longer safety stop, cut a wire cable with the back-up shears....

And then there's the more risky solo dive where I feel they provide an essential safety margin. A high exertion scallop dive is one example. A low vis river dive with entanglement hazards might be another.

So, my redundancy is really just a nice unused option most of the time, but I just like to keep the configuration the same for all my dives, solo or buddy, risky or not.

Simple things for simple people (like me).

Dave C