Why do we hate the Air2?

[vladimir]

In the context of the diving I do, with minimal exposure protection, an Air2 might make sense. I no longer use mine, but I think it would be easy to manage an air-sharing ascent breathing off the Air2 and having donated your primary. On most dives I barely inflate my wing, so managing the buoyancy swing on ascent is trivial.

 

[VooDooGasMan]

The new air2 allows you to breathe and dump air at same time, you do not need to hold over your head. The older style, just reach 1/2 way back and pull and it will dump.

The reason DIR divers are not diving the air2, is they do not know that it can save your life, being you are using memory muscles on every dive, you practice this every dive.

 

[Peter Guy]

There is nothing, in particular, wrong with an "inline inflator/octo" combination -- especially when one actually has done some practice with it. IF there is a problem with the air share, it is most likely because the primary has a short, rather than long(er) hose attached to it.

There are some pluses, there are some minuses (one, at least with the AirSource version, is that the inflator attachment (Schrader valve) may be non-standard and if you rent a regulator, there could be a problem). Me, I use one, have used one, will use one on my pool reg -- otherwise I use a bungied backup. But both use primary donate.

 

[Scott L]

What does this even mean? Connected to a "giant sea anchor jacket BCD." This is one of those word salad sentences where there are words in there that are recognizable but they are not put together in any sort of coherent or cognizant fashion.

I can't believe I am getting involved in this type of thread after telling myself I wouldn't but here goes: Dive with what you are comfortable with. For me, I personally prefer an AIR II because it's easier for me to find my backup. I don't have to worry about it being clipped off or if it's come undone and dragging in the sand. I pass the primary when I air sharing. It works for me and it's what I prefer. If it does not work for you that's fine. I've never had an incident in almost 10 years as a full time professional diver where I regretted having an AIR II over a standard backup.

They breathe inferior as compared to a quality second stage octo coupled with less functionality. The onus is on you to justify...

 

[VooDooGasMan]

Air2 breathes great at 200'+, never had tried deeper, but sure it would do just fine.

 

[TSandM]

Honestly, I think there is probably nothing wrong with an Air2, given two things: One, you practice with it regularly, so you are facile in its use; and two, that you put your primary regulator on a longer hose. Combining an Air2 which you haven't practiced using with the 24" normal primary hose, puts you obliged to be vertical in the water and nose-to-nose with a frightened diver, and trying to breathe and control your buoyancy with a device you haven't handled very much. That's not good.

In my personal experience, the Air2 didn't breathe particularly well, and was awkward to handle. I found the bungied backup worked much better for me. But if you don't mind the way it breathes, AND you handle it enough to be comfortable, AND you have your primary on an octo-length hose, the Air2 may not be a bad solution at all for the usual recreational diver.

 

[DevonDiver]

I'm not a DIR diver - my opinions on AIR2 systems were formed when I owned such a system as a novice diver. I went to a scuba convention in the UK and made a spontaneous decision to buy a A.P.Valves AIR2 for my Buddy Commando BCD....because it seemed like a 'great idea'.

Within 20 dives, the AIR2 was sold second-hand. I hated it. I lost money on it, because this was well before the advent of Ebay..

Here's my opinions about the claims made for AIR2 systems (i.e. why I was tempted to buy one..and why I regretted that decision);

Convenience: One less hose. Yes... there is one less hose. But... what you end up with is far more bulky and annoying than a lightweight AAS on a dedicated hose. AIR 2 systems dangle terribly. They are more awkward to use for buoyancy control. Also more awkward to use for air-sharing. Compromising on two essential functions, leads to the diminished performance of both functions. You have to donate the primary with AIR2... which means that you need a longer primary hose. Two steps forwards, one step back. What overall convenience are you actually achieving?

Hoses: You need a specific LPI hose for use with the AIR2. This means that you can't rent, borrow or otherwise use any other regulators. If I had a dollar for every request for loan of an AIR2 compatible LPI, or to swap hoses on our rental regs etc..... Also... good luck in getting a replacement hose at short notice in most tropical/tourist destinations or on a dive boat, should your regs fail...

Streamlining: One less hose again.. BUT... a big bulky AIR2 is nowhere near as streamlined as rigging a bungee necklace AAS, on a 22" miflex hose. Nor as comfortable. Nor as easy to use. Again... the issue of requiring a longer primary hose to facilitate primary donation.

Weight: AIR2, plus hose, will weigh more than a lightweight AAS on a short braided hose. It all adds up, if you are travelling regularly and get hit with airline excess baggage charges.

Donation: AIR2 gives you little flexibility for air-sharing. You have to donate the primary, which few divers are trained to do. You have to have a longer primary hose to allow that (wasn't the idea to reduce the inconvnience of hoses?!?). You have to manage your buoyancy on ascent, through an LPI that is now stuck in your mouth (hardly convenient or the least task loaded method).


The bottom line:

If you want a convenient, lightweight and easy-to-use system.... get a lightweight secondary regulator (i.e. Mares MV) and stick that onto a 22" miflex hose... and then necklace bungee it around your neck. You still have to primary donate, but you have reduced weight, reduced bulk, achieved more hose streamlining and not had to compromise on your emergency OOA drills or complicated air-sharing ascents.

There's nothing 'wrong' with AIRII systems, but I don't think they are optimal. I also think they promise much more than they actually deliver. I would never say 'don't get one'.... just advise to try before you buy and have an open mind and, also, don't be naive about some of the claimed benefits. Consider the alternatives and, where possible, try them all.

Nice concept - but not matched by the reality.

 

[Rascally Rabbit]

"We" in actuality do not hate the Air2. A large percentage of recreational divers use them and appreciate what they offer besides one less hose. There is nothing wrong with them or there use. Those divers that have dive profile requirements that are not met by them may look down upon them, the DIR crowd that is looking for standardized equipment among their peers poo poo them. However the facts are clear that the average recreational diver that isn't diving within environments with overhead obstructions and has spent their time wisely drilling with their gear is just as safe as those using standard type octos.

The noise you may hear about them or other pieces of equipment like wireless air integrated computers vs brass & glass SPG is just that noise. In some cases it is due to groups that have their own agenda such as DIR and tech in other cases it is simply not understanding the proper us or how to deal with the limitations of new technology. A simpler way to understand the noise is the fact that these devices do sell to the masses and yet just a small number of people have complaints. Out of that small number of complains a percentage of them don't properly understand how to use the gear. Another percentage is just resistant to change from old school to new technology and finally the smallest percentage are those that actually have a problem with a defective device that sours them on the technology as a whole without giving it a fair evaluation.

Getting back to the integrated octo like standard octo some are better than others but if you have learned to control your buoyancy while breathing on one then the advantages are similar to the necklace mounted octo but without the extra hose. In fact with a long hose primary it could even be considered for use in environments with overhead obstructions.

 

[ZoCrowes255]

They breathe inferior as compared to a quality second stage octo coupled with less functionality. The onus is on you to justify...

That's just BS. The low pressure seat and retaining nut in the AIR II is the same one that is found in every other Scubapro unbalanced second stage currently on the market. The case geometry is going to be different however the change in performance brought about by that and the difference in orifices is negligible. My Air II that I serviced last week was cracking at 1.1" on the magnehelic. If you don't like Air II's that is your prerogative but don't go spreading blatantly false information.

There are legitimate concerns about diving with an Air II such as the fact that if you have a situation where you need to disconnect your Air II due to problems with the inflator you have disconnected your backup reg. That means the dive is over. The trade off for that is a properly maintained Air II is one of the best inflators on the market. Far superior to the old fashioned schrader valves found in many (not all) standard inflators. I see those fail on a somewhat regular basis. I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen an Air II fail. This includes rental gear that is used on an almost daily basis in the summer months.

Once again this is all from personal experience so take it with a grain of salt. However, I doubt there are legitimate peer reviewed studies that show the difference in failure rates between an Air II and a standard inflator.

 

[VooDooGasMan]

Rabbit Air2 has been around for more than 30 years.