OP
Gear check for the wife? Does this sound reasonable?
- Thread starter flybigjet
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
Cosimo_Zaretti
Registered
I think the selene wing is the women's version of my BC, and I've found TUSA's AWLS weighting system a bit dicky. It's a great latching system if you triple check it, but I have had 6lbs of lead self ditch. It's quite difficult to get a weight pocket in while wearing the BC, especially underwater. I can't quite turn my head enough to see my own latches, so I need help recovering from an accidental ditch.
Other than that it's a sweet BC.
Other than that it's a sweet BC.
As others have said, big difference between an "add on" inline octo and a fully integrated octo/inflator unit. Go with the integrated unit, where you can breath and still use the pull dump without having to take the reg out of your mouth. Also, the larger hose and better breathing characteristics will be important if you have to air share deep (a lot of the dives at Truk will be very deep). There is also a big difference between practicing air sharing, and practicing air sharing during an ascent. If you haven't practiced during the ascent you might not realize how much easier it is when you can dump air without taking the octo out of your mouth, Otherwise, your rigs sound fine.
Second on the suggestion for an SMB, you each should have one. Don't worry so much about deploying from depth, but in any area where you will be boat diving (all your trips) and in current (Palau), having a signalling buoy that you can inflate at the surface is essential if for any reason you get separated from the boat or have to wait for a pick-up.
Second on the suggestion for an SMB, you each should have one. Don't worry so much about deploying from depth, but in any area where you will be boat diving (all your trips) and in current (Palau), having a signalling buoy that you can inflate at the surface is essential if for any reason you get separated from the boat or have to wait for a pick-up.
The biggest thing I am hearing about the inline octo/inflator is that YOU are comfortable with it. What needs to happen is the "Wife" needs to do a safe ascent on that reg with you on the primary and see how she feels about it. As you stated she is just going along to appease you and to sit on the beach, she may not be as comfortable using that setup if an air share is needed and SHE is the donor.
OP
flybigjet
Contributor
I have to admit to being a bit surprised at the responses-- I've been diving for over 30 years and I absolutely love my inline octo-- it's an older Sherwood Shadow, and it's simply worked for me for the past ten years or so. I'm very, very familiar with it, practice using it ever other dive or so, and I don't have any issues at all doing an ascent with having to dump air out of my bc-- I can either grasp the flex hose a little before the inline and give a tug to activate the upper dump valve, or I can just lift up the power inflator and dump air-- I've never had to remove the octo from my mouth.
Now, your mileage may vary, but for me, it simply works, and works well. Going to Truk, I think may end up putting on an additional octo with a 40" hose since I'll be in overhead environments, but my wife won't be doing any wrecks (other than swimming around them)-- so the additional octo will be simply to be "standardized" with the guide.
In other news, I found an absolutely screaming deal on a new Sea Quest Libra for my wife-- it fits her *perfectly*-- I found it online from a ski shop, of all places. It showed up at my door this afternoon still in the original packaging and not only was it exactly what she was looking for fitwise, it also had an integrated octo/inflator-- I wasn't expecting that.
Best. Deal. Ever. She's *very* pleased, and It's nice to get a good deal once in a while.
R.
Now, your mileage may vary, but for me, it simply works, and works well. Going to Truk, I think may end up putting on an additional octo with a 40" hose since I'll be in overhead environments, but my wife won't be doing any wrecks (other than swimming around them)-- so the additional octo will be simply to be "standardized" with the guide.
In other news, I found an absolutely screaming deal on a new Sea Quest Libra for my wife-- it fits her *perfectly*-- I found it online from a ski shop, of all places. It showed up at my door this afternoon still in the original packaging and not only was it exactly what she was looking for fitwise, it also had an integrated octo/inflator-- I wasn't expecting that.
Best. Deal. Ever. She's *very* pleased, and It's nice to get a good deal once in a while.
R.
Last edited:
Two women I know have used the Selene Wing and really liked it. But, I see that that is moot for you now.
I have been using the Hollis DC3-212 setup for over a year now and I agree that it is a TOTAL steal. DiveAddicts has had them recently for $150 for the set. At that price, you could buy two, take the 2nd stage off the one and use it as the octo on the other, and have a spare 1st stage left over. That's more or less what I have done with my rig. My octo is simply another 212 second stage (on a bungee necklace).
I use the Hollis set for single tank diving and I have a set of Dive Rite XT1 and XT2 regs for diving with doubles. The DR seem to be generally preferred on SB over the Hollis. But, I think the Hollis setup breathes just a touch more nicely. Both are good, though.
BTW, you mentioned several times about having an extra long inflator. Just an observation: Longer is not better. Shorter means you don't have to lift it as high in order to vent. And shorter is also less "in the way". There is a reason more "techie" wings generally have shorter inflators, as compared to more recreational-oriented BCDs.
I'm not very experienced, really. But, the idea of being in a situation where I've had to donate air to someone and I'm now breathing off a reg that doesn't breathe as well as my "main" reg does not sound fun to me. Having it attached to my inflator hose so that I also have to deal with that, while also having another diver (who is in a who-knows-what kind of mental state) that is "attached" to me via my primary regulator sounds even less fun. Combo items are cool. Until you have to use them for multiple different functions at the same time....
And if you ever decide to take the Rescue Diver course, I gotta say good luck dealing with a panicked out-of-air diver scenario while also breathing off your inflator hose and managing your buoyancy and the panicked diver all at the same time.
I have been using the Hollis DC3-212 setup for over a year now and I agree that it is a TOTAL steal. DiveAddicts has had them recently for $150 for the set. At that price, you could buy two, take the 2nd stage off the one and use it as the octo on the other, and have a spare 1st stage left over. That's more or less what I have done with my rig. My octo is simply another 212 second stage (on a bungee necklace).
I use the Hollis set for single tank diving and I have a set of Dive Rite XT1 and XT2 regs for diving with doubles. The DR seem to be generally preferred on SB over the Hollis. But, I think the Hollis setup breathes just a touch more nicely. Both are good, though.
BTW, you mentioned several times about having an extra long inflator. Just an observation: Longer is not better. Shorter means you don't have to lift it as high in order to vent. And shorter is also less "in the way". There is a reason more "techie" wings generally have shorter inflators, as compared to more recreational-oriented BCDs.
I'm not very experienced, really. But, the idea of being in a situation where I've had to donate air to someone and I'm now breathing off a reg that doesn't breathe as well as my "main" reg does not sound fun to me. Having it attached to my inflator hose so that I also have to deal with that, while also having another diver (who is in a who-knows-what kind of mental state) that is "attached" to me via my primary regulator sounds even less fun. Combo items are cool. Until you have to use them for multiple different functions at the same time....
And if you ever decide to take the Rescue Diver course, I gotta say good luck dealing with a panicked out-of-air diver scenario while also breathing off your inflator hose and managing your buoyancy and the panicked diver all at the same time.
Wow, that's a lot of I, Me, My there. That tells me that YOU totally missed the point of the majority of the people in this thread that YOU have asked for guidance/approval from. YOU are buying gear for YOUR wife, not for YOU. YOU state, YOU have been diving for a good long while and are comfy with YOUR gear and that is awesome, more power to YOU. That does not mean that the same comfort level will translate to YOUR wife simply by default. As I stated have YOUR wife wear YOUR current gear and do a safe ascent on the inline octo and see how comfortable SHE is with that setup. She may not find it as comfy or as awesome as YOU do.
OP
flybigjet
Contributor
Sorry about that-- I think I and or we got a few wires crossed; I wasn't talking about my wife's setup at all anymore. So, the inline octo was 100% me. I had actually taken the board's advice and was going to get her a traditional Octo. And then her bc shows up and it has an integrated octo on it. Which she likes the idea of and wants to try.
So, we're going to try it. A fair number of people like them (or there wouldn't be a zillion of them on the market). If she likes it during her skills refresh-- yay. If not, I'll pull it off and get her a traditional.
I'm not repeat not trying to force something on her-- but am going with her guidance. She's got enough experience to say "I like this" or "that might work for me" etc.
Sorry for the confusion.
R.
My apologies, I did not mean that in a snippy way and I see what you are saying now. If she is comfortable with it and likes it then the rest of the world can pound sand.. I am a firm believer in using what works for you, so I could not care less if you dive with split fins, air integrated computer and inline octo as long as it works for you. 
No issue with the integrated octo and Sea Quest makes a great jacket BC. I had not realized from your original post the degree of experience you have with the inline octo, and you are obviously well versed in it, but, when buying new gear for your wife, the integrated might be a better option--which you already have covered with the Sea Quest..
For Truk, you don't need to add another octo. On my rig, I put my primary on a 48" hose and route it under my right arm, with a right-angle swivel adapter to properly align the second stage with my mouth. This keeps the hose nice and close to the body for streamlining and snag-free use, and also gives plenty of room for an air share. It also does not involve the wrap-around-the-neck of longer hoses. So, in an air share, you just hand off the primary and pick up your inline octo and you are good to go. If you want to see photos of how it works, google "dive rite streamlined open water" and you will get a full discussion.
For Truk, you don't need to add another octo. On my rig, I put my primary on a 48" hose and route it under my right arm, with a right-angle swivel adapter to properly align the second stage with my mouth. This keeps the hose nice and close to the body for streamlining and snag-free use, and also gives plenty of room for an air share. It also does not involve the wrap-around-the-neck of longer hoses. So, in an air share, you just hand off the primary and pick up your inline octo and you are good to go. If you want to see photos of how it works, google "dive rite streamlined open water" and you will get a full discussion.
Similar threads
