# How many of you are minimalists?



## bigspoon17 (May 31, 2011)

I like (the idea of) not having a whole lot of dangling crap I am a setup. I'm just now starting to buy all my gear, piece by piece. I have a Zeagle Stiletto bcd, and just recently bought an Aqua Lung Titan LX reg with Aqua Lung octo and pressure gauge. I'm toying with the idea of replacing the octo with the Zeagle octo/power inflator combo to cut out the extra dangly hose, but part of me says to keep the traditional octo since that would be most familiar in a high stress situation. What do you use? 

Also, how many use air integrated ($$$) computers to replace the traditional pressure gauge?


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## bigspoon17 (May 31, 2011)

That "I am a setup" was supposed to be "in my setup".


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## aquatic argobull (Mar 2, 2009)

Seems like all the old vet divers are the guys who have the most stuff hanging off of them. Especially spearfishing, those guys who carry a speargun, polespear, lobster bag, stringer, flashlight etc...all while filming with a head mounted gopro.


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## bigspoon17 (May 31, 2011)

And I didn't mean my post to be a knock on anyone who carries a lot of gear. I just like the idea of not having extraneous things drifting beside and behind me that I can hang myself with.


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## WhackUmStackUm (Jan 31, 2010)

bigspoon17 said:


> I like (the idea of) not having a whole lot of dangling crap I am a setup.


Understood. Nothing wrong with preferring a minimal setup.



bigspoon17 said:


> I'm just now starting to buy all my gear, piece by piece. I have a Zeagle Stiletto bcd, and just recently bought an Aqua Lung Titan LX reg with Aqua Lung octo and pressure gauge. I'm toying with the idea of replacing the octo with the Zeagle octo/power inflator combo to cut out the extra dangly hose, but part of me says to keep the traditional octo since that would be most familiar in a high stress situation. What do you use?


I use a combo unit to reduce the number of hoses. However, I also dive with a sliding shutoff valve on the feed hose in case the 2nd stage regulator or inflator springs leak.



bigspoon17 said:


> Also, how many use air integrated ($$$) computers to replace the traditional pressure gauge?


I used an air integrated computer for many years. However, it tried to kill me several times. I dive with a pressure gauge now. :thumbsup:


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## TONER (Mar 25, 2008)

hoseless computer is the way to go though i do have a pressure guage on a 6" hose for emergencies


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## FelixH (Sep 28, 2007)

I don't mind the "extra" hose of still using a traditional octo. In fact, I prefer the separate inflator and octo.
The concept of the combo octo/inflator is a neat idea, and some folks love it, but like most things scuba related, it'll come down to what you prefer. 

The inflator is never in my way or "dangling" and neither is my octo, nor is my console.
I use a slimline octo from Oceanic. Using a necklace of thin bungie material, it hangs just under my chin, with the hose routed under my right arm.
The inflator sits right where it belongs, thanks to the velcro loop on the shoulder strap of my harness.
For guages, I bought the smallest full console I could find (that I could still read), which ended up being a set of Tusa guages from MBT.
The guages are held to a D ring on my left hip which works great for checking pressure and depth. If I need to use the compass, I have to unclip the console.

In addition to that, I'm carrying a 50lb lift bag, a reel, a light, at least one safety sausage, a speargun, a stringer, sometimes a lobster bag, and sometimes a pole spear. Oh, and a knife, and a whistle.
Minimal ? No, definitely not, but it's all stuff I use (well, except for the whistle... haven't had to use that yet, and hope I don't.)

If you really want to streamline your rig, talk to a caver for some advice. Those guys carry two of everything and still manage to squeeze through some tight spaces. It's not always what you're carrying, but how you carry it.


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## bigspoon17 (May 31, 2011)

WhackUmStackUm said:


> However, I also dive with a sliding shutoff valve on the feed hose in case the 2nd stage regulator or inflator springs leak.


Haven't seen one of these. Where would I go about finding this?


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## bigspoon17 (May 31, 2011)

FelixH said:


> In addition to that, I'm carrying a 50lb lift bag, a reel, a light, at least one safety sausage, a speargun, a stringer, sometimes a lobster bag, and sometimes a pole spear. Oh, and a knife, and a whistle.
> Minimal ? No, definitely not, but it's all stuff I use (well, except for the whistle... haven't had to use that yet, and hope I don't.)
> 
> If you really want to streamline your rig, talk to a caver for some advice. Those guys carry two of everything and still manage to squeeze through some tight spaces. It's not always what you're carrying, but how you carry it.



That is a lot of stuff! I may go over to the Dixie Divers board and post the same questions over there and see if I can get some caver recommendations. Thanks for the reply!


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## MillerTime (Jul 6, 2011)

FelixH said:


> I don't mind the "extra" hose of still using a traditional octo. In fact, I prefer the separate inflator and octo.
> The concept of the combo octo/inflator is a neat idea, and some folks love it, but like most things scuba related, it'll come down to what you prefer.
> 
> The inflator is never in my way or "dangling" and neither is my octo, nor is my console.
> ...


I thought i carried a lot. You have me covered with the exception of the lift bag and reel. I do use the combo power inflater/octo. Always nice to have one less thing dangling off me. It's fine for me to breath but a pain if i had to share with someone.


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## SaltAddict (Jan 6, 2010)

Alright, I will jump in on this one. My buddies call me a Christmas tree. I carry all that Felix carries. In addition, I carry an extra lift bag, a second reel, I use a small pressure gauge, 2 computers, always a lobster bag, my safety sausage is a 7' long 6" wide I can be seen from space monster (thanks Jim). My stringer is the only thing that gets caught on things. Everything else is neatly tucked away in an easy to grab spot. 

Felix put it perfectly. It is how you carry it.


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## FelixH (Sep 28, 2007)

SaltAddict said:


> My stringer is the only thing that gets caught on things. Everything else is neatly tucked away in an easy to grab spot.


Same here! The only thing of mine that ever snags on anything is the stringer.


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## bmoore (Oct 10, 2007)

I'm a caver..its not what you carry but how you configure it. Standard, traditional octopus on "necklace" around you neck. Give the reg in your mouth to the fellow out of air and pop your secondary into your mouth. No air integrated computer..all ive seen are garbage. Wrist mounted computer with only a pressure guage on the tank..clipped to a d ring...I think there is a DIR article about all this...

Good stuff right here...

http://www.cavediving.com/how/compare/index.htm


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## Firefishvideo (Jul 1, 2010)

I have carried my fair share of the dive shop....well configured most of the time.....but I'm starting to get back to only doing one thing on each dive. I have found that although you may give up a opportunity on a dive if you don't carry everything and the kitchen sink.......at least I enjoy the dive a whole lot more with only the gear I will need for one task. It's amazing how much less effort it takes to move through the water with the removal of only a few items. I like the idea of getting back to the feeling of "flying" instead of lumbering through the water. More enjoyment from each dive.....and there will always be more dives right?


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## jplvr (Mar 7, 2011)

FelixH said:


> I don't mind the "extra" hose of still using a traditional octo. In fact, I prefer the separate inflator and octo.
> The concept of the combo octo/inflator is a neat idea, and some folks love it, but like most things scuba related, it'll come down to what you prefer.


 I have the combo, and while I was used to using it, a tail shot AJ made me forget what button was which and I ended up purging my regulator instead of deflating my BC as my ascent rate wasn't decreasing. We could probably spend a couple of posts discussing the "un-smart" things I was doing, but when I start diving more again, I think I'm going to change that out to have a separate inflator and octo.

My dive bag weighs a ton. I'm no minimalist. I wish I had a diving sherpa to carry more stuff when I go.


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## aquatic argobull (Mar 2, 2009)

> I wish I had a diving sherpa to carry more stuff when I go.


Haha, when I'm filthy rich, I will hire people to hand me loaded spearguns. I'll shoot the fish and then hand it back to them and let them fight my fish and string it up for me. :laughing:


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## WhackUmStackUm (Jan 31, 2010)

jplvr said:


> ...I wish I had a diving sherpa to carry more stuff when I go.


LOL. I was just talking about this a few days ago. Sometimes it is hard to know which tools/toys I'll need until I get to the bottom. I guess mounting pockets and brackets to a scooter would be the next best thing to hiring a sherpa.


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## WhackUmStackUm (Jan 31, 2010)

bigspoon17 said:


> Haven't seen one of these. Where would I go about finding this?


OmniSwivel makes several types of shut-off valves.


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## bigspoon17 (May 31, 2011)

WhackUmStackUm said:


> OmniSwivel makes several types of shut-off valves.


Thanks, I'll check it out!


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## Cajun Spearit (Jun 3, 2011)

FelixH said:


> Same here! The only thing of mine that ever snags on anything is the stringer.


Same here...I usually shove my stringer under my tank to keep it from catching on the rocks.


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