Doubles vs. Single Air Tanks

Single tanks get used for recreational diving of less than 100 feet. Deeper dives require decompression, which is where double tanks prove useful. If you do a dive that involves decompression and your equipment malfunctions, you will not be able to breathe, which puts you in a dangerous situation. You can signal trouble to your friend to share gas until you reach the surface. Ideally, you want to terminate the dive as soon as possible. However, what if he has a problem? In a recreational scuba dive Key West trip, you could swim straight to the surface. However, if you are doing a dive that involves a mandatory decompression, swimming to the surface is no longer an option. This severe equipment malfunction has just turned fatal if you are not wearing a doubles tank.

What is a Double Tank?

Double tanks have two connected but independent regulators. It has sometimes been referred to as redundant equipment, but the extra tank could save a life. If one tank fails, you can switch to the other tank, and if that tank fails, you can share gas with your diving partner, who also has two tanks. Since you do not have have the option of swimming to the surface with deeper dives, you need to handle the problem underwater. Returning to the surface without decompression leads to decompression sickness, which can lead to a painful and sometimes fatal condition.

How Does Decompression Sickness Happen?

When you stay more than 100 feet below water for a period of time, the nitrogen dissolves from your body. If you swim toward the surface too quickly, it is just like the opening of a soda bottle; the gas is released, but this leads to an extremely painful and sometimes fatal experience when it happens to humans.

What is a Single Tank?

A single tank is best used for dives that do not require decompression. These dives involve less complexity, so they are more common with recreational divers. Twin tank diving offers safety and versatility for dives of all depths. When using double tanks, you have more gas to rely on. A single tank can be configured to provide a wing system that offers buoyancy control. If you use a double tank, the system involves a backplate and wing. The majority of people who start using a backplate and wing buoyancy device do not return to a wing system for buoyancy control. This is because the wing configuration provides you with greater comfort, and you do not have air squeezing your torso for the whole dive.

A double tank typically has more benefits for a scuba dive Key West trip. However, if you want to dive at no more than 100 feet, then a single tank would be sufficient, and it provides the benefit of not being as bulky, and it is easier to maneuver with. When diving, it is important to have a dive partner for safety precautions no matter what type of tank you are using. The top priority when diving should always be safety.