Scuba Diving Alternate Air Sources

In common scuba diving terminology, an alternative air source, also called a buoyancy compensator or a hybrid DV inflation valve, is a typical diving equipment that is generally worn by divers to provide emergency air source and buoyancy underwater or on the surface. For today's professional scuba divers, the most common type of alternative air source is the buoyancy compensator inflation valve, which has the ability to adjust and control a diver's overall buoyancy. Some types of this buoyancy compensator alternative air source are designed along with a scuba set or are included in a set's harness.

Spare Air, a product of Submersible Systems, solves this problem with their mini hoseless self-rescue system. It's been saving lives since 1979 and more than 200,000 of the miniature breathing systems are used worldwideby recreational divers, as well as for military and commercial uses.

Spare Air is available in the standard size of 3.0 cubic feet in both regular air and Nitrox, as well as a smaller 1.7 cubic-foot version for instructors. Submersible Systems recently introduced a Spare Air package, which includes the Spare Air unit in neon yellow, a covered holster to attach to a diver's BC, a safety leash to prevent loss, and a new and easy-to-use refill adapter. All these items purchased separately would have cost $350, but the package price is just $299.

The Spare Air website features the entire Spare Air product line, as well as 21 Ways that Divers Run Out of Air' and 'Why Sharing Air is Not the Solution.'