What is your gear configuration for solo dives less that 50’

[inquis]

But you gear list goes against literally everything I was taught in Solo diver

That's true, but there is often more than one way to skin a cat. Redundant buoyancy? In some cases, there's no wing to fail! (Perhaps you consider that an egregious choice already.) In other cases, just a larger breath solves that problem. In this case, the OP is in a 7mm wetsuit above 50 ft, which is a buoyancy loss of less than 4.6 lbs due to wetsuit compression when properly weighted. They've stated agility is a priority and are using a small cylinder, so less than 5 lbs weight of air, yielding a combined total of under 10 lbs of negative buoyancy. This is easily swimmable and largely compensated (entirely by some people) by breath alone.

Without question the SDI solo recommendations are solid choices. I also think it's worthwhile examining the motivations behind them, as there may be other valid choices -- some of which have been expressed here by folks who seem to have the expertise to execute. (Don't forget this discussion is in the Advanced Diving section.)

 

[Darnold9999]

My kit is the same solo or buddy and somewhat depends on where I am diving. Even with a buddy I need to be able to self rescue.

Locally I am in a dry suit, reg on a long hose, reg on bungee, 16 lbs split so 10 lbs is on a belt, steel backplate, wing and a steel HP 100 tank. Shears in left pocket, knife on my harness on the right and a DSMB. No spare mask. Deep I might take a 13 pony but as I rarely dive beyond 80 feet I rarely take it.

The pony is an issue I go back and forth on. There is a lot of kelp where I dive and entanglement is always at top of mind when diving in kelp. Carrying a pony slung or mounted adds to the risk of entanglement for a minimal benefit so after much thought I don’t often sling it.

The one time I managed to get entangled in a kelp forest solo (fishing line not the actual kelp) the pony would have been an additional thing to manage while getting myself free.

I don’t remove the bungied secondary for solo diving as it is too much trouble to add and remove it and if the primary free flows it is handy to have Cold free flow is a significant issue here.

My solo training did not mandate redundant everything. It emphasized thinking through what the risks were for the specific dive you were doing, your skill level in reference to that dive, determining what gear you wanted to take to mitigate those risks and deciding what risks you were willing to take. Everyone’s calculations are different.

 

[Celt]

Do you have seals that steal fins?

They can be persistent too.

 

[Ana]

My solo training did not mandate redundant everything. It emphasized thinking through what the risks were for the specific dive you were doing, your skill level in reference to that dive, determining what gear you wanted to take to mitigate those risks and deciding what risks you were willing to take. Everyone’s calculations are different.

Adults should give themselves the freedom to think things through and take the responsibility to decide what is needed. Children must follow the rules as they are told until matured enough to decide for themselves.

 

[agilis]

On my usual solo inlet dives in less than 30 fsw I use a 50 cf tank with a minimalist BCD made for bail out bottles, two good but unobtrusive cutting devices, and an spg. A hand net if I'm collecting Gulf Stream tropicals. Mask, fins, socks, 1 or 2mm suit, compass, and a Mk 19 reg completes the picture.

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

Divi

Adults should give themselves the freedom to think things through and take the responsibility to decide what is needed. Children must follow the rules as they are told until matured enough to decide for themselves.

Absolutely… like most things in life, diving instruction is geared toward the Lowest Common Denominator. There are people in this world with no common sense that would immediately get into trouble if there weren’t rules for them to follow. Most of us aren’t like that, but these people do exist. The dive industry is trying to hold everyone to the same rules created for the LCD-types.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Post #47 by @DeepSeaExplorer was great.
Yes, a few years ago solo diving was a complete no no. As soon as they see how many people do it and openly talk about it now suddenly it’s OK, as he said because there’s money to be made.
So, if these experts who write the courses didn’t solo dive prior to it becoming cool then who taught them and where did they come up with their standards? Were they closet solo divers the whole time then? because they sure seem to be a big authority now. They’re telling people how to solo dive who have been solo diving for years with a multitude of different configurations based on their own personal experience level, comfort level, etc.
So Mr. Three Year Instructor now teaches solo courses and he’s going to tell people who have been at it for 50 years how to do it, ok.
Some of you are completely brainwashed.

I just remembered how I arrived at using one second stage for solo diving. Must be my CRS syndrome kicking in.
I used to solo dive with a DAAM that was “proper” meaning it wasn’t all molested with a phoenix conversion or spliter off the hookah port, it was pure. I used to dive it on a 72 that was set up with straps captured under stainless bands top and bottom. There was no plate and no BC of any kind. I had a J valve with a rod, and I also had a tank that had an HP port valve and I used that one with an SPG. Nobody in the modern world that I knew would understand or be able to share air from a double hose, which was an artform in itself, so I was pretty much solo all the time. And besides, double hose diving to me was my alone zen time and I really didn’t want someone else around to ruin my peace. I got comfortable with the concept of only having one breathable device, the breathing loop. I practiced and practiced flooding it, blowing hard to get all the water out the exhaust, swimming head down, face up, right side up, etc. this was all in the ocean, I didn’t have access to a pool. I learned how the reg worked and the ultimate positions. I got good enough to use it offshore hunting Lingcod solo in 50’- 60’ deep out of South Fisk Mill Cove, a very challenging dive spot, and never gave it a second thought.
So to me using a more modern MK2/ with a 108 and no other 2nd stage is a cake walk compared to using a double hose “purist” style. And I even have a wing!

 

[Nemrod]

My designated solo regulator is a single regulator second stage on a single first stage, no octopus. If I think I need real, robust redundancy then I use an aux/pony bottle or independent doubles. Contrary to common belief, a second, second stage on a single first stage is not redundancy but a complication and an increased failure potential.

I may or may not use a wing or BC dependent upon my need for an exposure suit. A couple years ago, solo, I swam out here, 1.4 miles, and did a dive and then returned back without any BC and a single stage DH Voit regulator. It took me over four hours to complete the dive:



Since a bull shark accompanied me on the swim in, I did not feel lonely at all. Nice fella, friendly too. Almost back on shore. Yes, I had a surface float with flag and a GPS on the surface float. And a few other bits of rescue gear. If I were to undertake such a swim today I would carry a cell phone and a PLB.



A few years prior, a similar dive just down the beach, a dive op stopped by and asked me what boat I was lost from. The look on the faces when I explained to them I did not have a boat and I knew which way shore was. It was priceless.

Regarding the use of an octopus or secondary fitted to a single first stage, single tank rig, Chapter 6, page 86 of the SDI Solo Diving Manual states that the octopus is not needed, represents a failure point and is extra drag from equipment not needed. Of course, in this context, the manual is discussing a pony/stage/buddy bottle as again per the manual, the best solution for the single tank solo diver (page 80). An additional second stage on a single first does not give me heartburn, it just is not true redundancy and if I need redundancy other than the surface, I want a buddy bottle appropriate to the dive or again, independent doubles.

James

 

[Bob DBF]

Yes, a few years ago solo diving was a complete no no.

A no no that anybody with any dive count or professional cert was doing occasionally, if not regularly. If discussed, any dive professional had to council against it, unless it was a private conversation.

At Van Damme, a well trafficked dive spot to those who don't know, I have only been told that I shouldn't solo dive by non divers, and that includes dive classes being held beside where I was suiting up.

After a dive class at Tahoe, everyone but me was packing up to go, I was staying at a buddy's condo that night so I was suiting back up to catch a dive or two before finding dinner somewhere. One of the OW students in a different class goes to inform the instructor of my impending transgression after his warning did not slow me at all. When informed of my plan to solo, the instructor tells him, "When you have been diving as long as he has, you can do any dive you want, too".

Were they closet solo divers the whole time then?

Closets are too small for divers. Although I wouldn't go on about solo diving at the LDS, it's kind of hard to suit up and walk in the water alone secretly. I've been solo diving since '62, never hid it and nobody cared.

 

[Ghost95]

You want to have a fun solo dive?

Show up at your local training site on a Saturday morning with a double hose, no bc, no spg, and no buddy. Then wait until the classes are just getting in the water and walk past them and disappear. Show up occasionally and swim around and observe the class.

When you're done, sit on the beach, enjoy a cold one, and wait for the questions and the lectures. Fun.


Ps. Sorry for the incorrect autocorrect of sit... I fixed it. I'm a sailor and have adjusted my autocorrect accordingly, oops.