SMACO Mini Scuba || Gear Review + Safety

[@felixcat9318]

This is an extremely well produced, presented and narrated video chock full of essential information and warnings! These are Chinese knock off's of the original Spare Air and HEEDS 3 systems deliberately being marketed for a purpose that they were never designed for, leisure scuba diving for completely untrained people unfamiliar with the lethal risks involved in misusing these devices. When one's health and life is dependent on an oxygen system, why on earth would you trust it to an uncertified Chinese knock off of the original device?

[@thefreediverjohn]

Thank for watching! I totally agree with you, I don’t really think these have a safe place on the market. Maybe in situations like cleaning a small boats hull, but that’s about it. Not enough to have a profitable product off of, so most of their sales are coming from the average joe who wants “be a scuba diver” on their trip to the bahamas. If you look at their amazon reviews, it’s actually really scary. Multiple people who have bought these wondering where the “bike tire pump valve is to fill it” and if they should “drill a hole in it to fit their pump”. So my main goal with this video was to give some crucial information so that those people wouldn’t kill themselves. When it comes down to why someone would buy this over the original, price is the answer. Now “cheap” and “scuba” usually shouldn’t be seen together, but if somebody is scrolling through amazon and sees this for $80 they decide eh why not. More barrier to entry for the spare air system. When it comes down to the risk of the equipment malfunctioning and killing you. I don’t know if it’s very likely. The company claims to hydrostatically test the tanks themselves, and they seem to have a european certification on the tanks. The manufacturing process looked pretty legitimate, and I haven’t heard of one case of these exploding. To stay on the safe side, I think I’ll stop using these though.

[@probinsiyanomixtv1983]

@@thefreediverjohn hi sir im wllie from philippines if tbis tank full of oxygen inside how long the time that can we used it tnk you and god bless.

[@thefreediverjohn]

Hey, that depends on many factors... But generally if the tank is full of air and you are diving about 6ft deep you can get about 7min if not moving much. Make sure you are scuba certified and stay safe!

[@yusufabdullah4847]

smaco is a chinese brand lol

[@0s0n3gr0]

Great job kid. I am a retired Dive Master Instructor and I couldn't have done a better job. I always kept a Spare Air on my gear as a back up but you are exactly right. Its not a toy and one should get certified if one wants to SCUBA dive. If its a Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus then its SCUBA folks so get trained. That said a couple of uses you didn't cover are using it on land. For example I always kept one next to my bed in case of waking during a fire. If you wake up and the room is filled with smoke it helps to have a fresh air source to use while you help your family get out of the house or if they need a fresh breath. This is one of many uses for these bottles above that water that make them invaluable. Another is checking the prop on a boat or clearing a line when you need to stay under a bit while you work but don't want or have a full dive rig. Cheers and keep rocking it lil brother.

[@SeattleRingHunter]

Finally someone with a level head and appropriate cautionary approach on these micro cylinders. Your presentation was spot on great work. The one thing to point out these small cylinders in no way even come close in capacity to honestly be considered for any good as a reserver for a SCUBA diver, these cylinders are simply too small on capacity. If you're a trained SCUBA diver a bail out pony tanks starts at 19 cf and larger. These little guys have no real business for SCUBA divers as an emergency air supply as they provide a false since of capability due to their small capacity and in most out of air emergencies the swimmer or diver will suck though that gas like a high school boy burning rubber out of a parking lot! Cheers, #SeattleRingHunter

[@amogus7277]

I have no experienced and no knowledge in diving and wanted ti buy this... thank god i watched this video. Now I'll learn first!

[@thefreediverjohn]

I’m glad I helped you stay safe! :)

[@alyssadonato9395]

Was going to do the same thing!

[@traydog1257]

I would really invest in a scuba class. You won’t regret if

[@rainforesttoreef5355]

I ordered one but I am going to learn before it gets here

[@KayakDIY]

Totally useful product. The diving community bashes on them just because of the marketing to non-certified citizens as a toy. These are really useful for backup emergency air, dip diving for scouting spots, boat maintenance, and quick recovery of lost items in marina area. I want one for lightweight dip dives from kayak and as emergency offshore tank. I’m trained in scuba.

[@thefreediverjohn]

Definitely the marketing that gets it in a lot of trouble.. You seem to know what you’re doing so go ahead! Stay safe!

[@violetscreaming]

Found my way here after looking at videos about the scorkl and your attention to safety and professionalism is just mind blowing in comparison to the people hocking that product. I especially love that you make sure to tell us that you’ve used multiple sources of air whilst filming so that people don’t get the wrong idea about how they might expect to use the product.

[@thefreediverjohn]

Thank you so much that means a lot! Glad you enjoyed

[@MNDashcam]

As a certified scuba diver and snorkeler, I can definitely see a place for this if used properly. I am thinking about getting one for my snorkeling in shallow depths. 3m or less. It would give me more time to pop down and take a better look at something or possibly spend some time digging out something buried. I often get asked to retrieve stuff that people lost at boat launches and docks. Setting up scuba gear for 10 minutes underwater is not fun and snorkeling in murky water with having to go up and down constantly hinders any searching. If I had basically a buddy bottle to pop down for 10 minutes and do what I needed to do, that would be a perfect in between from snorkeling to scuba.

[@thefreediverjohn]

I think your use case could indeed be perfect for a product like this! Please just make sure to always dive with a buddy! Cheers!

[@D-me-dream-smp]

I don’t dive but this is an excellent video since it highlights fairly simply the pitfalls and dangers for untrained people who may be interested in exploring recreational “scuba” diving.

[@thefreediverjohn]

Hey I appreciate that, it’s what I was going for.. thanks for watching!

[@dragoon4481]

Don’t worry about having to have long surface time because using a hand pump makes you pump for 30 minutes

[@thefreediverjohn]

hahaha you’re right if you use the hand pump you have a built in surface interval

[@AviRotstein]

@@thefreediverjohn there is some debate about the effects of exercise after a dive.

[@interrobangings]

thank you for this. this sounds like the perfect thing to bring while snorkeling shallower waters and you want to retrieve something a little too deep before immediately surfacing

[@thefreediverjohn]

Yes it can definitely be useful for something like that. Just make sure it's shallow waters, and that you are certified and with a buddy. Be safe! :)

[@interrobangings]

@@thefreediverjohn open water padi certified and got my best friend in tow :)

[@interrobangings]

@@thefreediverjohn also, i have asthma and have poor lung capacity because of it. Freediving is simply impossible for me and sometimes a full tank is just too much to deal with

[@thefreediverjohn]

Glad you are certified! Sorry to hear about your asthma... I think this tank could be perfect for you :)

[@interrobangings]

@@thefreediverjohn thanks. It's not really an issue when I'm all kitted out with a tank or two, i can breathe just fine with scuba equipmebt. Snorkeling, though -- i can't even swim down 15ft and surface without being left gasping for air. This DOES sound perfect for me

[@humblerapper163]

This is absolutely the best review on KZbin ..wow !!!!

[@thefreediverjohn]

Thank you I appreciate that!

[@PvtRyanD]

Thanks for the balanced view. This was a great video helped my son decide on his purchase. Like you, he is open water certified and is looking for something that is easy to use at our local lake.

[@thefreediverjohn]

Thanks for your comment! I appreciate it, have fun and please stay safe!

[@danjason2167]

Excellent review dude, well balanced. I was looking at this as maybe a breath or two extra for spearfishing. (I am PADI certified) as I want the freedom from all the scuba gear while doing so. I know it's not going to have very much air (obviously the same amount of air just pressurised, you know what I mean) not many breaths. I'm wondering if it can just make a difference to a 10M or so dive as just to overcome the CO2 build up on the way down, could give an extra minute or 2 at that depth. What are your thoughts

[@thefreediverjohn]

Hey Dan thanks for the kind words! I appreciate it :) I am glad you are PADI certified. However, even with a certification I think 10 meters is definitely too deep for such a small tank like this. Especially if you are looking at it as a way to "overcome C02 build up". In my opinion that is a bit of a dangerous way of thinking. Especially since you will be focusing on spearfishing, it would be difficult to also manage air consumption and decompression rates. If C02 buildup is your problem then I would say train more on your freediving skills and maybe even take a course. That's what I am going to do and I think it is the right move. If you have your heart set on scuba spearfishing then maybe get something a little bigger and safer, but that still doesn't limit your range of motion like the Mantus scuba setup. I plan to maybe get that gear soon and review it. Either way stay safe and always dive within your limits with a buddy! Thanks for watching, -John

[@from_da_block_2991]

Thank you very much i want one of those and i think im going to take a Scuba diving class

[@thefreediverjohn]

Glad I could help! Taking a course is definitely worth it. Let me know how it goes and stay safe!

[@from_da_block_2991]

Freediver John thank u, I’m subscribing

[@arixp9092]

It’s a lot of fun when you get your scuba certification you can get your scuba gear for 400 to 500 bucks!

[@Gangaroo_Jolly]

What scuba gear do you recommend for a begginer. I'm looking to start around that price point.

[@JoeOceanside]

Bro great video, keep the vids coming I think you could crush it on youtube

[@thefreediverjohn]

Thanks Joe I really appreciate that, comments like yours definitely motivate me to keep creating!

[@Tony3821]

That's definitely Alexander springs in the intro. Love that place

[@MicaelKling]

Thank you for a good informative video, pointing out the dangers involved. Keep on the good work!!!

[@thefreediverjohn]

You're welcome, I'm glad you enjoyed!

[@RandomNooby]

For cleaning the bottom the ship, that is exactly what I thought it was for and could not get my head a round the happy images of people exploring the ocean floor, product = innovative and fairly well made at a very low price, advertising = deaths somewhere.

[@thefreediverjohn]

Yes for sure, it’s definitely not a toy and I don’t get why some of the advertising paints it that way. If you get it, dive safe!

[@mjeps1115]

I use s 1L tank similar to this for freshwater diving. I am yet to have a problem with it and it works well for what I use it for.

[@nationwide11]

you said it great. those little tanks should only really be used for a back up emergency little tank in shallow water. or maybe fun in a swimming pool or shallow pond. nothing more for amateurs. for professionals it should be just something fun to have or for a quick emergency use apparatus.

[@thefreediverjohn]

Thank you for your comment! I think you’ve summarized my opinion on these pretty well. Have fun and stay safe my friend!

[@trufortune6771]

Now come to think of it, This would be cool to use in a shallow pool

[@AndysEastCoastAdventures]

I'm padi qualified and understand the dangers & limitations of this but it seems ideal for boat inspections etc. An alternative to a hookah system.

[@thefreediverjohn]

Yea Andy you’re totally right! For something like untangling a propellor or cleaning a hull it’s much more convenient than a hookah system

[@jbeerailroader6100]

Pony bottle with spg..is the safest...

[@robormiston2841]

I bought mine from a 12 year old and he was tellimg me if I hold my breath it will last longer. DONT HOLD YOUR BREATH EVER ON A TANK! I was thinking I probably saved that kids life buy buying this. Only used 2 times lucky for him, for it for $200 today. I just want to clean my sailboat bottom, or inspect the hull for damage or cut rope in the prop. I think it will work great. Just have to know the dangers. I'm not a certified diver yet but plan on getting certified soon. And I'm not new to diving as my buddy is a dive instructor. Don't hold your breath!

[@legend343]

Good vid, thanks. I’ve bought one for exactly the usage you said. Cleaning the bottom of my sailing boat, the propeller has taken ages up & down up & down. But with this as long as I breathe out before coming up I should be ok wouldn’t you say?! I will not hold you to it. But as with all tools, be it a drill, saw or this scuba tank there is an element of danger. But using a tool sensibly is the idea. Warren s/y Legend

[@Deeznuts69420skibbidi]

I'm only 13 and I will soon be getting my scuba certification

[@thefreediverjohn]

Awesome! Enjoy it!

[@lostpharaoh6057]

I wanna get one of those and use it to look for my gopro under a small cave waterfall. Depth is around 8m. Im not a certified scuba diver. I reached the bottom with single breath but cant hold long enough to keep searching. Is it a good idea?

[@thefreediverjohn]

At 8m with a small tank like this, preoccupied searching for something of value to you, I would say that is quite the dangerous mission. I would say instead to rent or borrow a full sized kit of scuba equipment. That way you have much more time to search and don’t have to worry about your air running out. That would be a much better idea! Dive safely my friend

[@MichaelFRASCOGNA]

Thank you I I’m 14 and bought mine this week just to swim in my pool under water longer this helped a lot thanks agen

[@bloxu1583]

How was it? Do you fill it up with the hand pump or a regular tank

[@isabellez5671]

you've earned a subscriber with this well-done review

[@thefreediverjohn]

🙌

[@rajgill7576]

Its a reacue device. I have one, used it maybe twice but its on me when i spearfish, or bedside for use in a fire indoors

[@ryancallander807]

Question.. recreational diving...more or less snorkeling for spiny lobster in 10..12ft of water. Returning to the surface every 2 mins constantly. Could this be used without worry? Just want a few breaths while grabbing the lobster. Your opinion on this?

[@thefreediverjohn]

Hey thanks for the question! So, I wouldn’t really recommend that sort of use for this because of the multiple, rapid, ascents and descents. Maybe one or two times down, but past that it wouldn’t be that safe because if you run out of air at 12 feet you may panic and inadvertently do something dumb on the way up. You would probably be ok though, it’s up to your risk tolerance.

[@finnyti]

i am a scuba diver so i wanted the mini one to so thanks for saying

[@bloxu1583]

How long can you hold your breath?😱

[@theartist8189]

If you don't have any desire to use high pressure tanks and only wish to use a hookah diving devices do these risks get lowered?

[@thefreediverjohn]

With hookah diving you still have the possibility of getting the bends or over expanding your lungs. all the same safety principles apply pretty much

[@forcebewithyou7746]

SMACO has passed ISO 9001, BSCI, TUV, certification. Products have the appearance & invention & practical patents of China, EU, Australia and the United States etc. It has passed the professional certification of CE, ROHS, DOC, FDA,PPE and so on. What most people are failing to realize is that All tanks holding compressed gas are certified in North America to required regulations. Mini tanks like these are in a different category from scuba tanks but its the only way these can be sold, think of SpareAir (40+ years and still selling). The scuba industry does not regulate any tank manufacturing, it is DOT in USA or TC in Canada that sets the requirements. I did check before doing this video and the tanks are certified for sale in North America and around the world. Believe me. These tanks are as safe as the Boeing 737 you take when you go on vacation.

[@mikehuntisitchy3965]

So only use in shallow water and use it with a filter when refilling it to prevent any moisture and possibly mold

[@Raybond007]

Great review. Good balance between safety (correctly pointing out that it isn't a toy) and product information. Just two points: what is the cost of these mini-tanks and how do they compare in price to say a 3-litre pony bottle, and how heavy are they? Do you get jaw-ache with it hanging from your mouth. Keep up the good work.

[@thefreediverjohn]

Thank you for watching man, I'm glad you enjoyed! You bring up two good points that I could of addressed in the video. The price of the SMACO is very reasonable. If you just purchase a tank and the adapter, (I personally wouldn't mess around with the hand pump) it will only set you back around $100. That is much less than any pony tank+regulator+pressure gauge setup. Regarding the weight it's pretty hefty on land, but it is a high pressure vessel after all. In the water it is quite neutral, and you almost don't notice the weight at all. I never experienced jaw ache. Let me know if you have any more questions!

[@bollywoodextras3868]

Vary nice video , cool product!!

[@Hantick]

Thank you for that review. I was very close to buy this but 25 minutes of pumping for 10 mins staying underwater is not what I like :D. Guess I have to stick to training my lungs

[@thefreediverjohn]

If you have access to normal sized scuba tank, then I say it is definitely still worth it! Freediving is always a good option though :)

[@Hantick]

Well It would be hard to get all of this in one luggage

[@thefreediverjohn]

Jack is right, it’s not extremely difficult depending on your perspective. But it’s not a walk in the park, and you get sick of it very quickly if you have to do it before every dive. Plus the air filter is super sketchy, so like I mentioned in the video I strongly recommend staying away from hand pumping. And Jack I would be super cautious buying and using automatic pumps. You really gotta know what you’re doing with them, and they have to be high quality. Stay safe guys!

[@mattmerricks9326]

I'd like to know about its life time usage. I'm a commercial diver and interested in getting one of these because regularly dive between 15-40m and it's always good to have a third redundancy.

[@thefreediverjohn]

Hey Matt. At 15m this device would give you barely enough air to get to the surface. Forget any decompression. The product seems like it will last a while if that’s what you’re asking, but I don’t think it would be useful for commercial applications. Just my opinion. Have you ever looked into redundant pony bottles?

[@mattmerricks9326]

@@thefreediverjohn agreed. At 30mts it would give around 1minute of air. But the idea is as soon as your air supply runs out, you use the smaco to get to the surface.

[@JCMech1]

U should review the mini dive

[@thefreediverjohn]

I’ll be doing a mantus scuba pack review soon!

[@RiverRat734]

Ayyy 300th subscriber🤩

[@thefreediverjohn]

Ayy thank you Ron! Big milestone for me, thanks for joining along!

[@rambo8135]

Do we have to do this in like a 5ft pool do go back up slowly or no? I'm almost 12 when I'm 13 I'm gonna scuba dive I just want to know.

[@thefreediverjohn]

Hey! In a 5ft pool you will be fine in almost all cases. It’s still good and safe practice to slowly ascend while keeping your airway open though! I got my dive certification at 13! Over 3 years ago and I haven’t regretted it one bit!

[@rambo8135]

@@thefreediverjohn Thanks for the tips man!

[@sockerpufflan]

Yes you are at risk even in a 5ft pool

[@Tyming]

Hello there you scared me a bit but I wanted to ask this question let’s say I’m a beginner in scuba diving all I wanna do is get this tank for pools and like waters 0-7 ft deep would it be ok to get this?

[@thomaswong4047]

Tym1ng yes in a pool it would be safe

[@Tyming]

Poopsock6969 any risks or no?

[@thefreediverjohn]

There will still definitely be risks, but if you are certified and are aware of the risks, in a 7ft pool you will probably be fine. Stay safe and always dive with a buddy no matter how shallow! :)

[@benhappy7484]

Hey man awesome review! Any new videos in the works? It looks like it’s been a while.

[@thefreediverjohn]

Thank you! and yea! I have a new dive location review in the works

[@MrAdventure96]

So you dont go more than 15ft, that's good. Because I waterfall I wanted to dive is only 13-15 max. In hawaii so people lose a lot of stuff. Plus I have a small metal detector which having this small tank would be nice. I am (newly) scuba certified so I understand the dangers

[@thefreediverjohn]

15ft is definitely the max I would recommend, and always do it with a buddy. But, you're right it is well suited for low depth treasure hunting. Good luck and stay safe!

[@garrettzucker2894]

Know nothing about diving, but if you want cheap air why not just get a hand held air compressor, fill it up as much as you can & turn the knob pressure all the way down. Then with a leaver attachment just open it up & squeeze the air into your mouth. Maybe I'll try this later this summer, & I'll make sure to breath out.

[@thefreediverjohn]

I would not recommend doing this at all. Please don’t do this. For your own safety! An air compressor is not meant for breathing, there will be metal flakes, oil, and other impurities in the air. When you are underwater these impurities become more dangerous to your lungs! Try official scuba diving, it’s honestly worth it for the danger reduction. Stay safe!

[@garrettzucker2894]

@@thefreediverjohn okay thank you

[@1SeanBond]

A excellent veiw thanks for your efforts and time! A great job thanks so very much! I Got a couple of them coming after your accurate informative vlog!🙂✌

[@thefreediverjohn]

Thank you so much I appreciate that!

[@BrouilletteLuke]

I wanna get one for my pond. I am a OW certified diver

[@thefreediverjohn]

If you feel you know what you are doing then up to you! I wouldn’t recommend buying or using the hand pump though

[@pablogutierreznino4402]

Excellent review, many thanks

[@thetennisquest5208]

Sick!

[@blurrysimple3180]

Very professional Video keep going 🔥

[@1SeanBond]

Nice informative vlog a great veiw!thanks for your efforts in capturing this!✌🙂

[@saltydog8047]

Nice cool info filled video . I liked it ,good job

[@thefreediverjohn]

Appreciate that Salty Dog!

[@chefkero]

Please review for mantus scuba too

[@thefreediverjohn]

Haha! I was also thinking about reviewing their setup. I’ll reach out to the company, and thanks for your comment :)

[@brennanwitt]

U scared me away from this. I don’t want my lungs to go pop

[@Izzyatron]

dont be scared just dont hold your breath im 13 and am about to get certified just dont go down too fast or hold your breath and youll be fine :D

[@Thedirtylittlesecret]

Izzyatron 1313 like don’t hold your breath in a 6ft pool while using this product?

[@Izzyatron]

@@Thedirtylittlesecret yes dont do that or you can or will die due to the air in your lungs escaping into your body (im not trying to act all high and mighty this is just knowledge you need to know when diving)

[@danni3094]

its especially important to exhale on ascent, and ascend slowly. normal breathing is fine for this

[@Tyming]

Free diver John now that in certified I realize this is not a toy and now I know this can’t be a primary tank which the ads try to get coustomers that are in experiences like I was but really this is a back up air supply that you don’t really need. So I wanted a small tank do you know any 1 liter tank that’s good because all I want are about 15 minuets dives

[@thefreediverjohn]

I am glad you are certified and more knowledgeable now Tym1ng. For 15 minute dives I think the Mantus scuba set up could be a good fit for you. A couple of other people have requested that I review the Mantus system, so I will reach out to the company soon regarding that. Safe diving!

[@Tyming]

Freediver John ok I’ll check that out and I wanna let you know to watch out for the smaco mini tank the aluminum makes aluminum dust and you end up breathing it so watch out and thank you and you really did change my life in a lot of ways thank you

[@Tyming]

Freediver John I checked out the mantis and in shallow waters 0-10 ft it lasts about 40 minutes and that’s great it’s also a 2 liter bottle

[@benhappy7484]

Awesome video. You should do more videos of diving with this. Out of curiosity - what’s your breath hold time?

[@thefreediverjohn]

Thanks Ben appreciate it. I definitely will :) My static breath hold record is 3:30min. Most of my dives are around 1min though

[@gideonsimmons8015]

That's Alexander springs right?

[@thefreediverjohn]

yes!

[@Minnesota76]

I just purchased scuba tank 6.0 cu i am not scuba certified i only use near shore not go under 10 feet so i can use it right? And i know what i am doing with my tank

[@anthonycorcoran4055]

Super work kid!! I have just gotten into shooting photography in the water and was thinking of picking up one of them to get a minute or two under the water. This wee vid is very well presented. are you on Instagram ?

[@thefreediverjohn]

Yes! I just don’t post very often... @freediver.john

[@alexbuckley1215]

Can you use this just as a backup /emergency for freediving? (In case of air running out on the 10-15m) to allow me to come back up or will that explode my lungs (breathe out CO2 and nitrogen) then take s breath from the smaco

[@peteskyrunner4845]

It would work well as an emergency back up. Just don't stay down at 15m and continue breathing with it. Take a couple of breaths and then ascend slowly making sure to slowly breathe bubbles as you go up, do NOT hold your breath as the air will expand in your lungs as you ascend! Also I would advise taking a couple of breaths with it at the surface first to check it's working ok. You don't want to find out it's not working when you're out of breath at 15m and relying on it.

[@rhyboy1]

Would one of these be suitable to drive down and fish out some crayfish? Small downtime, shallow depth, just to get a breath or two to make sure you get the catch?

[@thefreediverjohn]

Hmm... I would say a definite maybe haha. If you’re a certified diver who understands all the risks involved well, and you would be staying shallower than like 10ft all the time. It would probably be safe and useful. The rapid ascents and descents of crayfish diving are a bit troublesome though. I say buy it, but use it at your own risk. Stay safe!

[@pauljansen6650]

Most country regulations don't allow for any use of artificial air when diving cray....give them a fair chance mate

[@quavyguy9792]

I never been scooby diving before I have no experience, would it be safe to buy this for my local river just for a bit off fun ?? Like going 5 meters deep , thanks

[@thefreediverjohn]

5 meters with no experience or knowledge could very quickly and unexpectedly become dangerous. Ideally get scuba certified before doing any diving, but if you must use this without certification, try to keep it above 3 meters, and research all the potential dangers. Stay safe!

[@alexzhang5776]

So what ur telling me is I shouldn’t use this to go diving 40 feet underwater for spear fishing in Bali this summer?

[@thefreediverjohn]

Lol probably not

[@pedrovon9942]

Hi! Can You say is there any quality different between Smaco and DiDeep? I would get Dideep with 30$ cheaper, but is it worth it...

[@thefreediverjohn]

Hey Pedro. I have no experience with DiDeep products, so I unfortunately can’t comment on whether it’s worth it or not. But I can tell you that usually cheaper does not mean better! Also remember this is a life support device, so I would focus on price as little as possible. Stay safe!

[@chrismccloskey2814]

Would it be safe for me to buy it I am only planning to dive around 4foot I have been diving before in the sea and I know the risks and how to reduce the risks. Btw whenever I dived it was about 3 years ago all I remember is how to equilize the pressure.

[@thefreediverjohn]

At 4ft deep there are very little risks to worry about. But you could still get hurt. Honestly equalization probably wouldn’t even be needed at 4ft. What do you plan to use this for so shallow? Stay safe!

[@chrismccloskey2814]

@@thefreediverjohn Hi there I am planning to look for my wedding ring I lost a couple of days ago whenever I was swimming I took a picture of the area so I know roughly where it is.

[@thefreediverjohn]

Then you would probably be fine! Good luck finding it!

[@chrisj8440]

Freediver John would I be safe at 10 feet? I’m not trained but I would love it just for my pool.

[@thefreediverjohn]

10 feet is pushing it for having no training, go get a certification! it’s fun and you’ll learn a bunch! :)

[@plane_spotter_italy]

Do you know how deep clean the tank or maybe do also a video cause I don’t find anything on the internet thanks

[@thefreediverjohn]

Hey sorry for the late response but you do not want to clean the inside of these nor do you have to… if you get any water on the inside of it, that will make it more likely to corrode which could cause it to lose yield strength

[@alexanderrojas4546]

Might this be ok to practice your scuba skills in a pool no more than 3 meters deep(around 10ft)? Last year got my Open Water certification but cant go diving that regularly and came across this, just wondering if anyone uses it like that?

[@thefreediverjohn]

If you are certified and know what you are doing I could see it being used like that. However I think a lot of the practice comes with setting up a normal kit of gear, so take that as you will.

[@alexanderrojas4546]

@@thefreediverjohn Thanks for the answer! Yeah I was thinking that from time to time you can take it for a quick dive in the pool, I still try to go dive every couple of months. I swim regularly and could add 10 minutes of diving with this to my routine some days. I will research a bit more tho, I am still concerned how safe it is Thanks a lot

[@octaviolatancia9757]

Hey guys, is it okay to ascend AFTER exhaling and not inhaling immediately back? Like holding your breath with your lungs empty! This in shallow waters (Max 15 feet)

[@thefreediverjohn]

Theoretically yes, but you always want to keep exhaling. Now, I would make the assumption you haven’t taken a SCUBA course yet? Definitely recommend getting certified before trying anything out you’ll learn more about the intricacies of these dangers. Stay safe man! :)

[@davidforbes3855]

What a couple are going to be the first? or has been the first?

[@Alpenbart]

I allready have 50 sea dives and about 100 lake dives with a regular Scuba Set! I want to buy a Smaco Mini tank as my Emergency Tank! I dive approximately between 10-20 Meters! Would u say i can use the Mini Tank also for that kind of deep dives? Greetings from Austria! I hope for a response;)

[@thefreediverjohn]

Hey! Thanks for watching! The Smaco is a lot like a Spare Air which is meant exactly for what you want to do. So I’d say yes this can be a good spare air source! But remember if you are staying long at 20 meters, and your main tank fails, the Smaco is too small and won’t give you enough time to decompress. Also remember the smaco cannot be hydro tested, so just be careful and dive safe!

[@timwalters5355]

I thought tank failure would be covered by the buddy system..?

[@thefreediverjohn]

Not ideal to solely rely on the buddy system, an octopus is an important secondary safety net

[@andreac.58]

Please everybody consider that scuba diving without proper education can be very dangerous and can result in serious injuries and pulmonary failure. There are only few single in scuba diving rules but these are very important for your own safety! I think your life is worth a 3 days course.

[@thefreediverjohn]

100% agree Andrea, that was one of the main points I was trying to get across in my video, and I hope I did well

[@andreac.58]

@@thefreediverjohn Sure mate! From your video and your profile I see that you have some knowledge about scuba diving and related physiology... Nevertheless I see a lot of shit video on the Tube teaching how to build your own scuba equipment and I always hope such people read my advice before taking examples for doing stupid things. You are doing great and explained everything very well!

[@alottapannacotta7368]

What do you think about using a smaco for underwater pool patching by a non padi certified person?

[@nutman411]

great idea

[@xparte]

Awesome video John! Just wondering about the alternatives to a hand pump and pumping straight from a larger dive tank. Can you use a regular air compressor to fill these up?

[@thefreediverjohn]

Thank you! You definitely cannot use a regular air compressor to fill the tanks. The air coming from them is oily and dirty, and when breathing that in when diving you can seriously hurt your lungs. I’d definitely recommend only using the tank adapter👍 Stay safe!

[@xparte]

@@thefreediverjohn Thanks for confirming! After a lot more youtubing.. have come across the Airbuddy. Have you tried this? kzbin.info/www/bejne/pavIZ5eKaZZ5iZY

[@thefreediverjohn]

@@xparte I have seen it before, but have never tried it. Looks like a modern hookah system. Are they in production?

[@badreddineattoui1201]

I have a question and i hope ill find the answer im a freediver will it be safe to dive with that thing and go to 20m and taking breaths from time to time?

[@leopoldbloom4835]

Please don’t. In theory this works, as long as you don’t ascend while holding breath. BUT: 1. At 20 m you consume three times as much air as on the surface. The tank will be empty in no time. 2. There’s no way of knowing how much air is left in it until it is empty. 3. You hold the tank with your teeth only and have no back up air source. Even if there’s still air in it, you might just lose it. Believe me, if an untrained person has taken his last breath at 20 m depth, it IS a last breath. Don’t take chances with your life.

[@B1rdTheW0rd]

I understand the concern. But saying only professionally trained divers should use this is like saying only experienced and licensed shooters should shoot a gun. It’s possible to be safe and responsible without professional training.

[@thefreediverjohn]

I just don’t want people to die because some kid on the internet (me) was not concerned enough. Thanks for the comment and thanks for watching. Keep living!

[@angilybatal919]

Very nice...how much one each..

[@Alvinyokatori]

I live in kentucky so I’m gonna use these in 5 meter deep creeks I can just swim up if I run out of air heard you can explode ur lungs if u don’t breathe out

[@canukillacs7022]

the most dangerous thing with this product i also see......is it is most important to check and know constantly how much air you have while using.......and where is the gauge ? .....where you cannot see it while using it !.....on the opposite side out of view without removing the unit from your mouth while using it

[@zeenack63]

I need a tank that can go 20-30 feet below water and at least hold for 10-20 mins. $80 or less. Am going to go to Florida to swim in the ocean. Please give me any suggestions for tanks. Please reply. Edit:am not gonna dive am just gonna swim under for a while. And swim in a pool. This will be my first scuba tank. Can this tank do all of this?

[@thefreediverjohn]

There is no tank that can fulfill your initial requirements. How deep will you be going? and are you scuba certified?

[@zeenack63]

@@thefreediverjohn only 5-15 feet in a pool.

[@thefreediverjohn]

I would get scuba certified first

[@auroraglacialis]

Why do you recommend a maximum of 2 meters? In scuba diving everything above 5m is considered very safe, the safety stop is at 5m and the NDL of 5m is easy longer than even the filling of a regular bottle can last. Even repetitive drives of less than 10 min have very short surface time to get back to A status. I would thus imagine that it's petty safe to use this for short drives up to 5 m, or did I have wrong thinking there?

[@niklassillaber9051]

This product is not dangerous. When I was a kid, we used an inflatable hand pump for diving. I had the hose of the pump in my mouth and dived 10 meters below the water surface. My cousin was on top of a boat and pumped with the hand pump.

[@monikapromotes9000]

Informative

[@FoRm4t123]

i see those tanks advertise on facebook and instagram targeted to people with no scuba training witch is extremely dangerous and shameful. The amount of air is also to low if you are looking fo a backup pony bottle to scuba dive with. Only good to mess around with in shallow water.

[@qiang77li]

This type of dive does not even make it onto PADI dive table. What is the risk of bends?

[@maxarn5449]

hi everyone the safety warner is good but the real depth max is 12 meters and you will not have nitrogen bubbles so 2 meters is a little bit severe

[@Berkcam]

No, you are wrong... it is possible to suffer a ruptured lung from as shallow as 2-3 meters. A burst lung brings a heap of nasty complications.

[@Berkcam]

Can anyone see the stupidity here? The cylinder being charged from a 10 or 12lt scuba cylinder makes no sense. If you're doing that then use the full size cylinder. Even if you only want to use as a boat backup a 10lt is the way to go as you can have; a pressure gauge, an inflatable BCD (with pockets), a secondary Octopus regulator and... enough air to give a fighting chance of achieving your task. But hey, don't take my word for it, I'm just a long time professional offshore oil diver 😏

[@maxarn5449]

@@Berkcam yeah i agree with you, you cant do anything with something like that but i was just saying that even if you can suffer a burst lung like you said it will not be cause by the nitrogen in your veins like you can have if you go deeper because until à deepth of 12 meters you can stay almost as long as you can, if of course you have enough air with you it is just hypothetically

[@dariusvilla5680]

But if I already have my mask, fins, and snorkel, and can't afford to shell put $500+ for an open water certification course, I'd say 15 or 20 feet max is a good limit for an uncertified (by an agency like PADI, NAUI, etc.) but medically fit diver, since SNUBA hookah divers also goes no deeper than this to avoid decompression sickness. But like you said, here is just a few things to know as you said. So, like how SNUBA and Nemo BLU3 gives a medical fitness questionnaire and waiver as well as a free, brief course on how to dive properly with their products, so should these companies making these mini scuba tanks. However, for the video demonstrating why you never hold your breath while diving with anything that has compressed air, you should of used a video of Christian Wedoy's expirement of that, which is here on KZbin instead of Adam Freediver's short that you used. Wedoy's expirement was done in a pool and the air ballon pops within just a couple of feet of ascending. That really shows that even in a shallow swimming pool, you never hold your breath while breathing compressed air. Adam, on the other hand, his balloon didnt pop until it went like 10+ feet up. I am interested in getting SCUBA certified but I personally don't like the idea of having a bulky tank on my back with lots of complicated gear as much as the idea of tankless diving. But for the time and depth of what I'll get from any Mini tank less than 1 Liter, I can might as well skin dive with just my mask, fins, and snorkel and train to hold my breath longer underwater, as I have when I swim underwater.

[@1a3dd7c1]

i think there is missing a clip or link at 2:08

[@thefreediverjohn]

The clip comes in a little later ;)

[@rc-wingman5719]

300bar on a Chinese and probably uncertified bottle with questionable quality control. Yes sounds like a good idea for me.

[@thefreediverjohn]

(First off I’m not sponsored or paid to say any of this) It is indeed Chinese. It’s extremely likely plenty of things we trust our lives to everyday were made in China. I had my doubts as well, and anything made abroad should raise doubts. But I talked extensively with the company and did my own research. It’s not a moral less “sweat shop” company. They are very professional and seem to care a lot about their customers. The tanks are certified to a European standard. They are not something I would say are the perfect example of craftsmanship, but the products themselves are safe enough for diving in my experience. How one uses them is the main variable I think. In the end it comes down to your own decision, and risk tolerance. The price is definitely right. Here check out this video for a little insight and forget the weird beginning m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/nanWdZKCYrCHbpY

[@rc-wingman5719]

@@thefreediverjohn I can't find any ISO 13769 certification for SMACO pressure bottles. No responsible scuba shop will refill those. Btw. Ever seen an exploded pressure tank? Most Chinese companies won't give a shit about your safety and can't be taken responsible for accidents. As well as intellectual property because they are "SKORKL" knockoffs. All Chinese companies are CCP state-owned. Better get a well tested and certified 1 liter from companies like "OMS", "POLARIS" a certified valve, and octopus.

[@thefreediverjohn]

Thanks for sharing your opinions. They claim to be certified by TUV Rheinland. I could find that certification online. Not all Chinese companies are state owned. The vast majority are privately owned. Don’t know where you got that from, please direct me to a source that says otherwise if I’m wrong. A high pressure vessel exploding is insanely dangerous yes I’m aware. I couldn’t find one case of one of these tanks failing in the news, and I’m pretty sure that would be publicized if something had happened. There are at least 10,000 of these in use too. Sure some chinese companies don’t have morals and could care less about there customers, but as I said, smaco seems pretty legit. Not that I’m defending them, I have no incentive too. I care way more about my safety. But I don’t totally get why you’re railing on them so hard. Although they do their own hydro testing during production, they seem to be certified by a I believe German tank certifier, and I’ve had no issues thus far, I will stop using these tanks most likely. And that’s simply because I cannot get these hydro’d at a dive shop. So I won’t feel comfortable continuing to use them past a year. I’m looking into the Mantus system, which is DOT approved.

[@louis9537]

Freediver John Yes, the bottle has a CE certificate but no TÜV. The pressure reducer has no CE and no TüV, that means if something comes loose shoot 300 bar through your lungs

[@digidave3456]

@@louis9537 can you explain further on the regulator tuv and ce? I was certified in the 80s and just bought one of these to tinker with knowing the limitations etc. No going deeper than 10 feet with it. I free dive mostly. What scares me is you talking about the regulator blowing and passing the high pressure straight out into the lungs...never heard of a failure like that. Is it a design flaw?

[@Tyming]

Hello there I was wondering let’s say I get this scuba tank I am padi certified now. But my question was how can I avoid decompression sickness if I don’t have a diving computer is it safe at 10ft?

[@michakurek454]

If you are PADI certified you should have diving tables somewhere. Check them for times underwater where decompression sickness becomes an issue and answer yourself a question if you can be enough time underwater with the smaco air bottle for it to become an issue.

[@thefreediverjohn]

Thanks for your answer Michał. Good idea with the tables, although I’d say get a dive computer as soon as possible they are an amazing investment. Are you Polish Michał?

[@Tyming]

Michal Kurek thank you i should of thought of that but I realize I don’t need the smaco mini tank because I wanted this before I was certified and now I realize it can’t be a primary tank and it’s not a toy thanks to being certified I’m no longer diving stupid 😂

[@camiloliscano2800]

What fins are you using?

[@thefreediverjohn]

During which part?

[@octaviolatancia9757]

Subscribing cause I see a huge potential here :)

[@thefreediverjohn]

Hey thanks man I appreciate that!

[@mmorenob2012]

Nice place, where are located?

[@thefreediverjohn]

Florida!

[@weerobot]

You Never said Why No Free Diving after Diving???...

[@thefreediverjohn]

When you already have a buildup of nitrogen in your blood, the rapid ascents and descents of freediving put you at a lot more risk for DCI.

[@prycenewberg3976]

I'm posting this before I've watched your video. The problem with products like these is that they pretend that they are NOT scuba equipment. SCUBA: Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus ~ Little tanks like these are SCUBA tanks, but the marketing tricks people into thinking that they can operate these things (safely) without any scuba training. This is false. In truth, the customers have no clue what the risks are explicitly because they are not scuba trained, while certified scuba divers who do know the risks know better than to buy these things. P.S. I'm an open water scuba diver.

[@molnarpetya]

Guys. Would you recommend this for scuba diving to a depth of 15 feet for a short time of max a minute or minute and half? Is it ok to do so? With free dive i can do 20 feet no problem but when searching for lost jewelry the effort it requires lessens the available work time at that depth. So that is what I would use such equipment. Thanks for advices.

[@nutman411]

TBH, if you can't answer that question by yourself, then you shouldn't use this product.

[@molnarpetya]

@@nutman411 great help you were. 🙏

[@nutman411]

@@molnarpetya my point is this product is dangerous and there is alot to learn about how to safely use it. and you demonstrated that you are untrained and therefor you would be at risk using this.

[@molnarpetya]

@@nutman411 having nearly 100 dives with regular scuba equipment I believe I have ample experience. All I didn't know if that small tank is good for anything at all

[@nutman411]

@@molnarpetya ahaha again, if you really had 100 dives, you would be able to answer your own question. google dive tables. but wait, you're an experienced diver so you knew that

[@bobmizoski9669]

Short dives in shallow water is what these tanks are for

[@lamanawebu]

it doesnt make a sense... hard to fill or use scuba cylinder, but who borrow/fill you cylinder without certification :)) Hard to check air. As John mentioned - there are only limited use cases but really this is not a toy :X and you should be certificated for your own safety. Please save your money and enjoy loooong real diving with some basic diving course (after few dives you can stay one or two hours under water instead five minutes)

[@cooolkat453]

U diserve more subs

[@thefreediverjohn]

Thank you for the compliment

[@jmverkler]

Am I safe if I want to just use it in my pool? It’s like 11 ft

[@thefreediverjohn]

If you’ll be with a buddy, and if you won’t stay near the bottom long, you should be fine. Just make sure you understand what can happen, and I definitely still reccomend getting certified. Stay safe!

[@leeannb.725]

Also probably good in an emergency. Car under water or kid overboard.

[@rc-wingman5719]

@@leeannb.725 car under water? WTF? Yeah, be prepared for that!