Air 2 Octo/inflators -- why the heated debate?

[LakeCountyDiver]

I have an air2 and I hate it. I have used the SS1 from atomic and those things are nice to breath off of.

The reason I dont like the Air2 is because it breaths hard, the hose is short and it woukd look stupid on my BP/W. I have it on my Jacket BC that I use in the pool with the kids programs but that is it.

There is no way in hell I would use one in a cavern or cave or wreck that space maybe an issue. If you only do OW then it will never be am issue because when you have something go wrong you go "UP" not "back" like in a cave/wreck.

 

[tflaris]

Well, I *am* new here, which is why I'm hanging out in the Basic forum.

I'm genuinely interested in finding out what people like or dislike about the Air 2. It's always interesting to hear the emotions, but I'm trying to find out what the facts are (or real experiences) that drive the emotions.

I used AIR2's for about 7 years. I like them for OW diving.

For tech/cave I use a necklace and a 7' hose.

Different gear for different types of diving.

Just my 2 cents


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[robertarak]

I used AIR2's for about 7 years. I like them for OW diving.

For tech/cave I use a necklace and a 7' hose.

Different gear for different types of diving.

Just my 2 cents

I can understand this reasoning as an octo/inflator (if used with a long enough primary hose to donate) is ok for OW diving, but is not ok for tech/cave.

On the other hand a long hose primary with bungied necklace back-up works well for tech/cave....and has no drawback in OW.

I believe that in an emergency you will do as you are trained and as you have practiced. Using and training with a configuration that can remain consistant and work for all types of diving you do, in my mind, gives your emergency the best possible chances of a positive outcome.

 

[FritzCat66]

Using and training with a configuration that can remain consistant and work for all types of diving you do, in my mind, gives your emergency the best possible chances of a positive outcome.

Agreed - However, given that only a small percentage of open water/advanced open water divers move on to do technical diving, then an Air2 can probably be used consistently throughout the average diver's recreational diving hobby.

FWIW, I used my AirSource 2 throughout my Cavern training, and while it perhaps wasn't as ideal as an independent octo reg, nevertheless it was fine and continues to be functional for recreational Cavern (not Cave) diving. That being said, I was very glad I upgraded my primary reg to a "long-ish" five-footer for Cavern - the buddy work would have been awkward and miserable with a traditional short hose.

 

[W8less]

Kinda diversion from the OP's original question but relates to gear choices and skills. I am a proponent of flexibility and not being married to any one gear/configuration philosophy. It is in your best interest to have the skills and be comfortable diving with different set ups. When you are diving out of your trunk, it's all good, you rig the way you want to and it is consistent. When you travel, fubar takes on a whole new meaning.

Went to Greece, dive gear showed up 4 days later. Had to dive Euro shop gear.
Went to Fiji chose to use an Air Source 2 to reduce weight/hose clutter. Inflator hose (air source compatible) would not mate correctly and leaked like a sieve. Mated and pressure checked just fine at home before packing. No chance of repairing/replacing on site. All of the dives were done orally controlling buoyancy and and if an OOA situation occurred, would have reverted to old school buddy breathing off of primary reg. Same way we did 10 years before octo's hit the market.
Went to Belize and someone off boated with one of my fins. I had to dive a couple of days with a grossly mismatched set of fins. (I did get mine back)

The DM's that I have seen, kinda scratch their heads when they see a long hose, transmitters get used as handles and doughnut wings get the bottom of the bladder smashed when the tanks get slammed into the tank holders.

I guess the point is make a choice, go with it, if it doesn't work for you make the change, but don't buy into the trap that YOUR choice is the be all end all!

 

[FireInMyBones]

I used to have a SP Air 2. I loved it until I needed to use it for my Rescue class. I had not done an air share since OW (more than one problem there). Being within inches of my buddy for a normal out of air ascent with a safety stop is bad enough without trying to control my buoyancy with and breath from the same device. I bought another G250v like my primary the next day.
After becoming more experienced and taking Decompression Procedures, I bought a long hose. Best move since my BP/W.

 

[Lopaka]

I used to have a SP Air 2. I loved it until I needed to use it for my Rescue class. I had not done an air share since OW (more than one problem there). Being within inches of my buddy for a normal out of air ascent with a safety stop is bad enough without trying to control my buoyancy with and breath from the same device. I bought another G250v like my primary the next day.
After becoming more experienced and taking Decompression Procedures, I bought a long hose. Best move since my BP/W.

Into this thread late, but this is almost exactly the path I went through. The Rescue class showed in painful clarity the drawbacks of the Air2 approach. Was never all that happy with the SP Classic BC, though the Air2 had sufficed. Tried a separate backup, but never found a way to stow it satisfactorily. Damn thing always managed to come loose.

Once the complications of Rescue drills come into play, and you can be very compromised with an integrated backup. Am sure some deal with it just fine, for me it was a wakeup call that led to the long hose, bungeed necklace, and BP/W. No more PITA keeping the backup secure, knew where it was at all times. Very easy air share that periodic drills keeps easy.

I still think the Air2 approach is fine for casual divers looking for a streamlined rig. It is when things get a bit more complicated that the issues others have brought up come into play. A full on BP/W long hose setup may look extreme, but something that works in extreme conditions is just icing on the cake in casual diving. May never have ditched the Air2 if I had not gotten very "gear conscious" during and after the Rescue class.

 

[g1138]

I used to have a SP Air 2. I loved it until I needed to use it for my Rescue class. I had not done an air share since OW (more than one problem there). Being within inches of my buddy for a normal out of air ascent with a safety stop is bad enough without trying to control my buoyancy with and breath from the same device. I bought another G250v like my primary the next day.
After becoming more experienced and taking Decompression Procedures, I bought a long hose. Best move since my BP/W.

You're in an OOA situation, chances are you're low on air as well
why would you even bother doing an optional safety stop with an "incompetent" diver connected to you? They don't make 15 foot hoses you know.

 

[jar546]

The Airsource 3 has been especially nice when diving with a pony bottle. It is just like the pony is the octo and the Airsource 3 is quietly hidden away and you don't feel like you have 3 regulators hanging around even though you do.

Again, to each their own and for the average recreational ow diver this should never be a problem. For tech divers, the specificity of the equipment needed for the task may make it impractical or even unsafe. What works for one buddy team may not work for another.

I make sure to review my gear with whomever I am buddied up with and of course I review their gear and what procedures we will use. It does pay to have a slightly longer primary reg hose when using the Air3 as your primary will be the hose that is given up anyway.

 

[D_B]

You're in an OOA situation, chances are you're low on air as well
why would you even bother doing an optional safety stop with an "incompetent" diver connected to you? They don't make 15 foot hoses you know.

that might be .. but you shouldn't be low on air because you've saved enough to safely get you, and your buddy, to the surface, right?

if your not sure how much that is, it's easy to calculate, search for "rock bottom" .. Lamont has an easy to remember and use rule of thumb calculation that I use .. works for most recreational scenarios