Spare air....

[BUZO71]

Who uses it?????

[lamont]

worthless at any depth you'd actually need it.

for pony bottles you should use at least an al19.

[spatman]

{spatman always enjoys a good Spare Air discussion]

[Pez7378]

Hmmmm Extra butter!

[Penopolypants]

Yay popcorn!!!

[lamont]

i think i saw them used on a mythbusters episode once (6-12" of water).

[Joshua Smith]

Yeah- I try not to dis on recreational gear much- at least on the internet- but those things are damn near worthless. Get a real pony bottle instead, seriously.

[Maverick]

Its kind of like a wet match not good for much

[60south]

We used to fill Spare Air bottles for helicopter pilots. I suppose if you crashed in the water (their fear) and had the presence of mind to use the thing, it might help. But the reason we were filling them was that they had leaked out all their air. Perhaps the chronic maintenance problems were unique to that location, but it seemed to me that relying on them during an emergency might be a bad thing.

[Burntchef]

if you get up to seattle much you could try my 40 and i think josh has a 30 also im sure he would let you try out for a dive. once properly rigged you never notice its there.

[Tom Nic]

Hmmmm Extra butter!

I hear that if you get a small manifold and double them up they are twice as worthless!

And by the way, I LOVE slinging my pony - or "stage", which sounds so much cooler! :rr:

[billandwende]

OK I have one and have never used it. What depth ya want me to play with it at? I'll post findings after use. If anyone cares.

[Maverick]

see you many breathes you get at 100fsw

[Joshua Smith]

OK I have one and have never used it. What depth ya want me to play with it at? I'll post findings after use. If anyone cares.

Sounder tested one out with Tom Nic (I think) a while back. I believe the consensus was that the old joke ran true:

"Spare Air.....so you can run out of air twice!"

Like I said before, I try really hard not to criticize "recreational" gear, and I think everyone should dive any way they want- but spare airs are just not a good thing- and no substitute for redundant gas supplies, a good buddy, and halfway decent gas planning, IMO. I'll dive with people that have strange, unfamilliar gear, no problem....but spare airs just aren't a good idea for anyone, as far as I'm concerned. I bet they give less experienced divers a false sense of security, encouraging them to dive more carelessly, as a matter of fact. If anyone feels differently, I'll listen to what you have to say, but....."Spare Air" just seems like a punchline to a bad joke, somehow.

[Pez7378]

OK I have one and have never used it. What depth ya want me to play with it at? I'll post findings after use. If anyone cares.

Don't use it. It's worth more later as one of those novelty scuba inventions. For the price of a Spair Air, you could buy a good pony/stage setup. And Yes we care!

see you many breathes you get at 100fsw

That's why Maverick is only kidding. Sheesh, we would't tell anyone to put a gun to their head would we?

[60south]

OK I have one and have never used it. What depth ya want me to play with it at? I'll post findings after use. If anyone cares.

I'm kind of curious. Understandably, your breathing rate and volume may be different than others, but we can guesstimate a bit.

If you're willing, just do it on the surface (at home?), breathing at a normal rate, and tell us how many breaths you get. We can do the math from there.

glenn

[Pez7378]

This should be good for a laugh but seriously, this is NOT very responsible advertising. The whole website is based on scare tactics directed at new, inexperienced, uninformed, uneducated and untrained divers. Read the stories and everyone of them will start out with something to the effect of, I didn't check my gear, I didn't have it serviced, I found it at a garage sale etc. I'm kind of irritated now, I'm gonna go get some coffee.

http://www.spareair.com/

There are over 21 ways
you could run out of air!
How many can you list?


1) Forgetting to watch the time and staying down too long.

2) Using air quicker than planned due to overshooting depth, getting caught in a current, getting lost, nitrogen narcosis, diving in cold water, getting caught in kelp or fishing line.

3) Sudden regulator malfunction due to corrosion or too much time between overhaul.

4) O-ring failure on any of the First stage regulator ports.

5) Regulator stuck in "free-flow" due to foreign particles or sand.

6) Regulator "freezing up" in cold water leaving you suddenly without air.

7) Stuck Pressure Gauge reflecting incorrect pressure in your tank.

8) Air cut off due to tank valve not turned on all the way.

9) Rupture of SCUBA tank o-ring due to misalignment or wear.

10) Second stage regulator diaphragm develops a tear or slips out of place.

11) O-ring failure on BC air inflator or valve stuck in the open position.

12) Burst disc failure on SCUBA Tank valve due to corrosion or age.

13) Clogged filter on first stage regulator due to sediment or rust from tank.

14) Leak develops at any one of the High or Low pressure hose fittings.

15) Mouthpiece on second stage suddenly coming off regulator.

16) O-ring failure on pressure gauge.

17) Rupture of either High or Low Pressure hoses.

18) O-ring failure on Octopus regulator.

19) Rental tank not filled completely.

20) Damaged First stage regulator due to falling object / impact.

21) High or Low pressure hose cut or severed on sharp rock / impediment.

(Source: Dive accident logs, published articles in dive magazines, and letters from SPARE AIR customers.)

[spatman]

22) forgetting your tank before leaping off the boat

23) not getting an OW cert before diving, and believing your frat brother when he says "dude, it's easy"

24) smoking too much weed before diving

[Pez7378]

25) Choking on a hot dog during a surface interval

[Joshua Smith]

26. accidentally rigging up a fire extinguisher instead of a fresh tank during the surface interval

[Burntchef]

27. you picked the wrong week to quit huffing spray paint

[Pez7378]

Seems to me that 14) 17) and 21) are virtually the same. Not sure I buy into the "leak DEVELOPS" theory. It's there or it's not.

At any rate, almost every one of these issues can be resolved by proper equipment maintenance, equipment checks at the beginning of the dive, a well thought out dive plan, good buddy skills, and a Gas plan.

[spatman]

At any rate, almost every one of these issues can be resolved by proper equipment maintenance, equipment checks at the beginning of the dive, a well thought out dive plan, good buddy skills, and a Gas plan.

...and not smoking weed or huffing paint before you dive.

[Joshua Smith]

At any rate, almost every one of these issues can be resolved by proper equipment maintenance, equipment checks at the beginning of the dive, a well thought out dive plan, good buddy skills, and a Gas plan.

...and not smoking weed or huffing paint before you dive.

Meth and Crack are still OK, though, right? And what about Horse, Goobers, Screamers, Ketamine, Ibogaine, Clorox and Green Angel?

[lamont]

At any rate, almost every one of these issues can be resolved by proper equipment maintenance, equipment checks at the beginning of the dive, a well thought out dive plan, good buddy skills, and a Gas plan.

...and not smoking weed or huffing paint before you dive.

Meth and Crack are still OK, though, right? And what about Horse, Goobers, Screamers, Ketamine, Ibogaine, Clorox and Green Angel?

i find that a little 5-methoxy-dimethyltryptamine nicely combines with the effects of narcosis at depth.