The Best Gear For Safely Scuba Diving Solo
Jon Whittle/ IST SportsScuba diving gear for solo divers.
Solo diving requires additional training that teaches divers how to become self-reliant underwater. After all, without a buddy to assist them, divers need to be prepared to solve problems and handle emergencies on their own. Part of this mindset requires carrying redundant equipment and other safety gear as part of their standard kit.
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The safety equipment below is great for solo divers as it gives them additional resources to use in case of an emergency. But this gear is also useful to normal scuba divers too. Even with a buddy, it never hurts to be prepared.
Hollis 150 LX DC7
Jon WhittleJust because your pony bottle has a limited capacity doesn't mean your regulator should too.
Just because your pony bottle has limited capacity doesn’t mean your emergency backup reg should too. The 150 LX second stage mated with the compact DC 7 first stage offers top performance with environmental sealing to increase durability and reliability.
IST Sports Reel
Courtesy IST SportsYour reels need to be as tough as the harshest conditions you'll encounter underwater.
Reels need to be as tough as the harshest conditions you’ll encounter underwater, so IST crafted this new model from durable, corrosion-resistant anodized aluminum, and included 100 feet of line to allow deployment at a wide range of depths.
Spyderco Snap-It Salt
Jon WhittleHaving a good scuba diving knife to cut yourself free of entanglements is even more important when you're solo diving.
This smart dive knife has a snap shackle anchored to the pivot end of the handle that you can use to clip to a D-ring or another attachment point when closed. And it’s tough, with an H-1 stainless-steel blade that is seriously rust resistant.
Spare Air
Jon WhittleWhen you have an emergency underwater, every breath counts.
When you don't have a buddy's octo available it's important to have a backup gas supply in case of an emergency. Spare Air is a handy bailout bottle that offers enough air to get divers to the surface in a convenient rig. It is available in two sizes, 1.7 cubic feet and 3 cubic feet, and is nitrox-capable. Plus, you can fill Spare Air from a primary cylinder with a yoke adapter for easy travel, or at a standard fill station for maximum convenience.
Nautilus Lifeline
Courtesy of NautilusIf worst comes to worst, it's always a good idea to call in back up.
The Nautilus Lifeline is a VHF radio, depth-rated to 425 feet, that is small enough to attach to your BC but powerful enough to send a distress signal 34 miles. Sometimes even the most experienced diver needs help, and for solo divers the Nautilus offers a reliable method for sending out an SOS if things get really out of hand. It offers two-way communication, GPS positioning, and LocateMe Technology that sends your MMSI number in an alert to rescuers in a 12-mile radius.
Zeagle Quick Deploy Deluxe Signal Tube
Courtesy of ZeagleSurface signaling devices are important safety devices for both solo and buddy divers.
Just because you prefer to dive alone doesn't mean you don't need to get someone's attention on the surface from time to time. The Zeagle Quick Deploy Deluxe Signal Tube is a complete surface signal system includes signal tube, plastic thumb reel with 115 feet of line, double-ended brass snap, and a zippered pouch. And it’s designed with a special strap that pulls the reel and tube from the pouch for inflation by second stage or orally.
