Leave Michael Jacksons's Chimp alone! (cried to the tune of Leave Brittany Alone!)there are times I need to blow bubbles
The above photo was Bubbles the chimp and Michael Jackson before Michael became caucasian.
Leave Michael Jacksons's Chimp alone! (cried to the tune of Leave Brittany Alone!)there are times I need to blow bubbles
The above photo was Bubbles the chimp and Michael Jackson before Michael became caucasian.
Multiple cylinder configurations are setup to provide redundancy, they have nothing to do with the tech crap or deco or whatever else the internet hero's want to class them as. While redundancy is typically a good thing for divers, manifolded systems do introduce new failure points into the equation which must be analyzed to determine if the benefits outweigh the risks for the dives you want to do. There is a bit of a learning curve going from a single to multiple configuration, but it is a relatively short and easy curve and most divers to claim to feel more balanced in doubles as opposed to their singles rig (which I am convinced says more about the inefficiency of their singles rig as they have it configured for their personal use.)
With the cylinder selection available to us today, triple configurations just do not make much sense due to the extra failure points they bring with them; I would much rather dive twinned up lp 45's as opposed to triple 30's. One way to avoid the failure point issues is to dive the setup as independents as opposed to a manifolded system. This setup is typically preferred by solo divers as a failure can never affect more than half the available gas supply without the need for a second set of hands. With manifolded systems you must become proficient with valve shut procedures so that you can arrest any gas loss from a failure; there has been a lot of debate over the efficacy of manifolded doubles these days.
If you do try a multiple setup, I urge you to find a good mentor who can help you establish your trim properly and show you how to best manage your gas supply, to include valve drills should you opt for a manifolded setup. I loved my doubles, but since I mostly dive caves and solo (plus have numerous back, hip, and knee maladies to contend with these days) all I dive any more is side mount (I do still make the occassional single rig dive, but these are rare for me) which is basically independent doubles worn at my sides rather than on my back.
I would echo every thing Bama said. If an open circuit set-up is what you yearn for. Look at HP steel tanks. You may be able to get away with a single tank, depending on your anticipated needs. If doubles are in the future, proceed with care. Try not to get drawn into the hype, and continue to look at the smaller, lower profile cylinders. Triples should not be an option with the myriad of higher volume tanks on the market.
Totally agree with the triple configurations...you're old enough to remember the triple 2 barrel carburetor set ups of the 60s I'm sure (you ought to, you're older than I am) They became obsolete due to the larger 4 barrel carburetors that became available and the fact that it was damn near impossible to tune all three correctly as well as the more points of failure of the "six pack".
I suggest an HP80 or HP100 with a luxfer 30 stage bottle as a back up.
Okay, my two cents! Bama is right on! We cave divers are like that, caves seem to bring out the best in divers! I would look at a LOW PRESSURE 98 or 105 single tank! LP is better for Video for one simple reason, you can fill it on a boat or with your portable compressor! If you over fill it you will get a lot more air! They trim well with the right BCD and you just take off an equal amount of wight from your belt. If you fill your HP tank to 90% on say an 80 then you have 72, if you over fill your LP by 10% you have 88Cft. So if you over fill your 105 by 10%, witch most boats can do, then you have 116cft!
One more thing you said you were going to do video on Nitrox with doubles. You have to define your mission better. Deep for a long time? So what do you want to do? Video Freedivers? Define your mission first then choose the tools and training!
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papa I fully agree you gave me that advice the middle of last year and I got a lp95. It might be a hog but it holds TONS and TONS of air especially filled to 2800-3k
May all your dreams be wet ones! Visit us at Twotankedproductions.com
Reed's Rod dive Tool Please help save the worlds Coral reefs! http://safemooringfoundation.org/