Bailout gas.....how much is enough?

[systematic.entropy]

Easy. Enough gas to get YOU to the surface safely  ;D. I don't follow the Tom Mount "Team Bailout" method. That being said, if I'm in a cave, and know, that I can make it out from 1000ft on an AL80 (given SAC rate, experience with the system, etc.), an AL80 is my bailout. My buddy will be doing the same, so, even if all my bailout regs malfunction, bottle blows up, I'm held up at gunpoint, etc., I still have his bailout to fall back on for 100% safety. Also, in such a situation, it'd be prudent to have an AL40 of O2 waiting at my deco spot. Two bottles, buddy redundancy, not dependence, all bases covered.

Usually for recreational depth dives on the Lake, I'll carry an AL40. If something goes wrong on the dive, and I have to bailout, that's more than enough to satisfy any of the minimal deco I may have, and get me to the surface. Also, please remember many, many, many problems that cause divers to "bailout" can be solved, and don't necessarily constitute staying off the loop. Often times a few seconds on OC will be enough to identify a loose fitting, isolate a blown o-ring, etc., and one can go back on the unit for required deco, travel, etc.

Also, I have not yet been doing any heavy deco or trimix CCR diving. I have no experienced opinion on those logistics.

Good thread.
However, I will completely agree that many CCR divers I've SEEN (of course no one I personally know and dive with), do not dive with enough bailout. I mean, seeing someone go into a cave on a YBOD with a single 40, gives me the heebie jeebies.