Why do some people say this?

[MikeFerrara]

Walter, from what I know of your experience, I'd trust you to bring me up from 150' buddy breathing in zero viz. However I think we can all agree that many divers out there need a fool proof system with as little complications as possible. I don't think the Air2 qualifies as that.

If I had to be OOA, I guess Walter would be one of the divers I'd like to have around but you'll forgive me if I same some of my own air for the ascent anyway? LOL

I think that simple, streamlined, mistaked-proofed and well rehersed procedures (especially emergency procedures) are a good idea for everybody.

I look at it this way. What's the selling point of an air2? ok, it gets rid of a hose but the hose, nicely routed isn't a problem. I don't need to get rid of it.

Now, what does getting rid of the hose cost? What else does it effect? The end result is that I want to maximize the reliability of my procedures.

I see absolutely no logical reason to tie my backup reg and my inflator together. I don't see any advantage but I do see several "potential" disadvantages. So, I keep my backup reg and my inflator, (which have completely unrelated functions) independant.

Edit: Just to add something. In system design we have a couple of terms we use, "Coupling" and "cohesion". In short, we group related components and procedures together and try to avoid complicating interdependancies where none are needed. The uneeded interdependancies are a real problem because a change to one component or procedure can effect other component or procedures in what that aren't intended and my not even be easy to predict. The easiest way to avoid that is to just not hook them together. In that light, why would I want the use or condition of my backup reg to have any effect on the function of my inflator? I wouldn't. How do I manage that. I just don't tie them together.

 

[Web Monkey]

Walter, from what I know of your experience, I'd trust you to bring me up from 150' buddy breathing in zero viz. However I think we can all agree that many divers out there need a fool proof system with as little complications as possible. I don't think the Air2 qualifies as that.

Although an Air-2 isn't the world's greatest reg, anybody who has one knows exactly where it is at any moment of the dive, unlike a most of the octos I see dragging along behind the diver like a little wind sock.

Equipment that gets used a dozen or more times during every dive is a lot easier to find than something a diver might not have actually ever deployed after certification. There's no searching and no deployment issues (extraction from various holders and clips).

Although the DIR and tech folk will talk about bungied backups, typical rec divers don't do that. If you're lucky the octo is stuffed into a pocket. If you're not lucky it could be anywhere or nowhere and may or may not actually work.

While an Air-2 isn't as nice to breathe from as a first-class reg, the chaces of it actually being found in time and being in good working condition are much better than the typical dragged-through-the-dirt octo that never gets dested or deployed.

Terry