Octo/inflator vs. regular (traditional) octo

Wanted some thoughts. Who has the best pros and cons for the octo/inflators (like AIR2) vs. regular (traditional) octos? Never mind for now the DIR system. I'm leaning toward this: I don't want a panicky diver grabbing either my primary from my mouth, or my inflator, where the ever-important inflate buttons are located. And universally, everyone knows what the long bright yellow hose means. Plus, giving your primary away seems to add one more step in what is possibly a quick/panicked/no-time-to-lose situation. It seems like the regular octo is still the better way to go (keeping it simple). Thoughts?

IMO You think good.

airassault:

Wanted some thoughts. Who has the best pros and cons for the octo/inflators (like AIR2) vs. regular (traditional) octos? Never mind for now the DIR system. I'm leaning toward this: I don't want a panicky diver grabbing either my primary from my mouth, or my inflator, where the ever-important inflate buttons are located. And universally, everyone knows what the long bright yellow hose means. Plus, giving your primary away seems to add one more step in what is possibly a quick/panicked/no-time-to-lose situation. It seems like the regular octo is still the better way to go (keeping it simple). Thoughts?

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Breathing the short hose primary and donating the long(er) hose octapus represents the standard training of virtually all diving training and virtually all divers with some few exceptions. That is because this system is flexible and works well in most all circumstances short of overhead/cave/penetration diving.

As to integrated inflator/octos, yes, they eliminate a hose and yes they work and in my opinion are a solution to a problem that does not really exist. IF--IF--you were to go that route I think it would be best to rig your primary on a longer hose (40 inches to five feet) and donate that regulator as your octapus to the OOA diver and you switch off to the integrated inflator/octo. That is my opinion and it is what I would do if I had that sort of rig. I would not run this rig with a short hose primary with the hose over the shoulder--it would either route under the rh arm or DIR style and I would donate that regulator.

N

There are TONS of these same threads on SB...I have never been in favor of the 'AIR2' type delivery systems.....many issues that can and do happen with their use....much prefer a straight forward and effective octo for those wishing to stay traditionally recreational.

Well, it has been awhile since this topic has been thrashed to a pulp, at least a few weeks. One often overlooked point on the MILLIONS of threads on this is that the octo/inflator requires a longer corrugated inflator hose than I find optimal, and it's a big piece of plastic on the end of that hose. Since 99% of the time you're using that hose for inflating/dumping, not breathing, having the longer hose and the monstro-inflator completely eliminates any perceived added convenience or streamlining that losing a hose from the reg might add, in my opinion. I agree with Nemrod that if you're going to donate your primary, you should have a longer than 28" hose or you'll be "up close and personal" with someone in distress, like it or not.

There are pros and cons and while the Air 2 and similar units are not the root of all evil or as problematic as most divers present them as being, unless you have a really good reason to use one, it's probably a better idea to just stay with a conventional octo.

I also agree that if you use one, also using a primary on a 5 ft to 7 ft hose is a good idea.

A longer corrogated inflator hose is pretty much a neccessity, so care needs to be taken to manage it appropriately by keeping it attached close to the body.

I have an extra recreational singles wing set up for an Air 2 mostly because the elimination of one hose allows the first stage to be side mounted with all three hoses routed straight down creating exceptionally clean hose routing. The longer inflator hose is retained along the left shoulder strap by two loops of inner tube around the strap and inflator hose. Comparing the two photos atached below illustrates the advantage of one less hose on a common style of first stage (2 LP and 1 HP port per side) where a 4th hose adds clutter well out of proportion to what you'd normally expect.

In the past I also used an Air 2 with a vintage double hose reg with only one port available (an adpater on the hookah port) - another situation where an Air 2 may fill a very specialized role.

Just one thing, if you were to donate the primary and the donating diver then switches to the Air II I don't think the corrugated hose needs to be all that much longer than standard. If your going to donate the Air II and turn over control of the power inflator to a possibly stressed diver who is bugging out--well---good luck with that-- but clearly you would need the corrugated hose to be longer than standard.

N

Absolutely - if you are using an Air 2, you are definitely going to be donating the primary second stage in an OOA emergency - which is one reason it is actually pretty consistent with using a long hose primary regulator. And in reality the average semi-panicky OOA recreational diver is going to go for your primarty anyway as it is actively making bubbles and they will want their own bubbles right now.

The near impossibility of donating an AIR 2 when using a double hose reg was one reason I was eternally grateful when the PRAM came along.

Otherwise the longer inflator hose only needs to be 3 to 4 inches longer than the normal recreational inflator hose but it is substantially longer than the very short inflator hose used by many technical divers.

I don't have the experience of these guys but I did start out with an AirSource and subsequently switched to a standard (bungeed) octo after taking rescue. There's not just "too close for comfort" aspect of donating your primary but I also found it awkward to adjust buoyancy while breathing from it. On top that I then added an air horn which made the thing so heavy that it was very uncomfortable to use. And what if you have to disconnect your inflator? Also keep in mind that if you find yourself (as I did once) suddenly having to borrow or rent a reg you might not be able to connect it to your BC. Sounds like you're leaning away from one but if you do go that route I'd practice OOA while adjusting buoyance a lot.

Well here's a vote FOR the Airsource/Air2 type rig:

1. Streamlined -- it does get rid of another hose and does reduce drag

2. Always know where the alternate is which is very important. I've never heard of donating the Airsource -- that is YOUR alternate. You donate the primary which means you know you are donating a rig that is working -- as opposed to donating a rig that nobody has breathed for how long (after being dragged through the sand, through the mud, through the reef...).

3. Minimizes danglies. How many times do you see people who's octos have come free and are just dangling around? And then, of course, it is NOT in the "triangle" easy to donate.

4. Much easier and faster to donate the reg in your mouth than to fumble with finding the octo that is somewhere "down there" and maybe covered by the dangling light/camera/slate/whatever that is also attached to your BC.

5. IF you use an Airsource/Air2, you really do need to put an "octo length" hose (or longer) on your primary to make the donation easy.

No, I don't use my Airsource any more but that's because I've gone to a bungied backup which means I do donate my primary -- for all the reasons I've stated above.