First BCD - Aqua Lung Dimension i3

[scubafied]

To answer your other question; Yes you can remove the manual inflation hose and replace it with a traditional power inflator, thus bypassing the entire i3 system altogether. I do this when I'm teaching and it is as simple as unscrewing one and screwing the other on.

 

[sjwhite26]

Used i3 for over 100 dives now, no problems, works brilliantly. Far happier using that than a regular inflator, because that is what I am used to. What you buy will be what you get used to. Given that you are not certified yet I would hold off buying everything at once perhaps and try out different brands and styles. Personally I love AL but it's not the only brand and how much experience do you have with AL if you are not certified?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[randl]

There are a couple of excellent points in the last two posts. You can easily replace the manual inflation hose and add a power inflator. In fact, you can have both connected for as long as like so you can see which you like best. Second, as a new diver, you'll get to try many brands and styles. Why not hold off a bit until you dive with something you really like?

I, too, have about 50-60 dives on my new Axiom i3, all of them in Bonaire, and I just love the darned thing. The snap-on tank band, the Wrapture strap that keeps the tank attached at the top, so many things I like in addition to the i3 system.

One more thing. My prior BCD was a US Divers (Aqualung) Cousteau I bought new in 1991. It served me for many hundreds of dives and I took very good care of it. BUT guess what broke twice over the years...the power inflator. It wouldn't dump air when it was pulled up. Anecdotal? Sure...and I wouldn't post that power inflators are unreliable but mine weren't. Both my Cousteau and my Axiom have an alternative dump and both can be manually inflated. In fact, I dove almost 100 dives with the broken power inflator dump on the Cousteau before springing for the Axiom.