SFL_diver:
I have seen some BC's with a built in regulator on the manual "blow-in" inflator portion on the BC. Thus eliminating the octopus. How do those actually work?
Which BC's are good quality that offer this feature?
Try doing a search for "AIR-2" the Scubapro trade name for the inflator/safe second. You will see that there are two very divided camps on the value and safety of these devices.
My
opinion...
Advantages:
* 1 less hose coming from your second stage
* Since it's on such a short lead you don't have to worry about dragging your safe second stage through the rocks, sand and coral if you are danglie challenged.
Disadvantages:
* You cannot use it to donate air, in an air share situation you will have to give up your primary and take the combination unit for yourself. Many will argue that the needy diver will take yours anyway and others will say that that's what they offer. In any case there's no choice.
* You are now managing a incident and ascending, you will have your inflator valve confined to the breathing position, With a shoulder dump and technique you can still manage but it is another skillset to keep sharp aside form your normal technique. Remember you may have a somewhat distressed diver involved.
* If you have a runaway inflator and need to release the QD you are SOL
* More often than not divers are trained using discrete safe seconds. If you don't have a constant buddy this is one more point to go over in your mutual orientation. This can result in training under fire.
* If one half of a buddy pair is doing a lot better on air consumption then sharing is not nearly as convenient as with a discrete safe second.
* You will have a bulkier hose and inflator to work with during all of your dives since you have the safe second and a hose sized for a greater demand than a simple BC.
*I don't think you'll end up saving any money.
*For ease of servicing your air delivery system the maker of you combo unit wants to be the same as your first stage and primary second stage. They at least should have a common servicing dealer.
These and other thoughts are what went into my decision, I bet you can guess. Like many many SCUBA topics some swear by them and others swear at them. FWIW my LDS won't keep one in the building. If a student insists and has one he will train them in the correct use of it. While the fact is you may dive for many years and never need to donate air I see the disadvantages as too widespread.
I think almost everyone offers such a unit . Atomic Aquatics also has the SS1 that can be used on most or all BCs.
Pete