Axiom i3

[JohnnyPella]

Greetings Everyone,

I have been looking hard on this BCD Aqua Lung Axiom i3.
Planning to purchase the unit this upcoming April but wanted to know what
others think about this product. I had been searching all different BCDs but
felt that the Axiom i3 the right one for me.

Can someone give me the ups and down with the product.
planning to conduct an open water this upcoming April. Its always 
good to get a second advice i’m unsure. Thanks for the help everyone.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I527 using Tapatalk

 

[They call me Tater]

If it works for you it is great. I use an axiom frrequently and like the fit. I dive a dimension i3 and prefer the back inflate. Don't worry about the i3 haters. With any equipment have it serviced as recommended and it will last.

 

[cb5150]

I have the Dimension, which is essentially the same BCD except that it is back inflate rather than jacket. You'll find it to be a very comfortable BCD, especially when you are on land and walking with a tank. The "Wrapture system" is amazing and makes it feel like you don't even have a tank on your back.

The poor design of the i3 system is why I only wear it when I have to while teaching (because I'm required to). The two things about the i3 system that I do not like: The bulkiness of the lever system on the pocket. This also leads to the next and, in my opinion, major flaw. When you are around other divers on a boat and gearing up or preparing to jump into the water, the lever is easily hit/snagged/bumped causing immediate inflation/deflation. This can be really bad if you are trying to help a struggling diver and all the sudden he hits that lever sending you both to the surface. Or if you are at the surface trying to help someone and they keep deflating your system. Also imagine if line from a SMB or fishing line got wrapped around that lever.

In the words of other, more experienced divers on this forum...It is a poor solution to a problem that didn't exist.

Please consider these items before purchasing. If you do purchase a BCD with the i3 system, please just remember that you always have to be conscious of that lever.

 

[Splitlip]

Do your open water before buying the most personal of every piece of gear you'll acquire. You should try lots of them before you buy.
Further, your instructor probably won't let you use it for class because of its "unusual" design. You'll be doing buddy drills with people using and learning with traditional inflators.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

While I peraonally think its a gimmick and dangerous if a student showed up with one they bought ahead of time and planned to use it, I would have to allow it in class. I can't in good conscience tell them.they can't use it if they plan to.after class. I would have to.consider it a teaching opportunity for my other students and myself. Looking at it any other way would be ignorant and an admission of incompetence. I might have to insist on trying it for a few minutes myself to.get somewhat familiar with how it works and more importantly how it does not. But outright refuse them for an OW class? No. Advanced class I teach, yes but for technical reasons that my dives require of a student and their buddy such as the stage bottle they need to.sling on the left. But not basic ow.

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

 

[JohnnyPella]

I already finished my classroom and inpool session with SSI. We tried 2 different BCDs. One was the one where you have to wear a weight belt but didnt like that at all and the other one was a integrated weight which happens to be the Axiom i3. April 3, I'll be going to the Keys in Florida just to do the 4 open water and then I'll be certified. However it won't stop there. I will still be continuing further my education and the shop recommended the i3. It seems like everyone likes the dimension i3. I'll check it out but also been looking at the Blackhawk. thanks for the input and looking for more suggestions. Want to make the best choice on the BCD.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I527 using Tapatalk

---------- Post added March 26th, 2014 at 05:31 PM ----------

Thanks everyone. I finished reviewing and asking around and thanks to everyone, I am going for the Dimension i3. Thanks again for everyone's help for determining the BCD for me.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk

 

[Aqua-Andy]

Evidently you have already made up your mind but I would also suggest against the Axiom I3. I'm sure your dive shop recommends it, the thing has a list price of almost $700. The I3 like many other BC "features" are designed by marketing departments and not actual divers. Dive gear has not changed much over the past 30 or so years, almost all innovation that has taken place in that time has been more to market the product than to change the way it works. Watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TD4K0SzZijI then decide if you need the I3 or if it is even a good idea. The video was made 15 years ago and almost all the content still applies today. Yes the acting sucks but if you can over look that, there is some valuable info to be gained from the video. The motto is keep it simple and the Axion I3 is about as far as you can get from simple when it comes to a BC.

 

[diversteve]

You seem set on it so the other caveat will be to always teach anyone you buddy dive with how to do the alternate inflation method if your I3 inflator fails.

It may never happen but ask your shop to show you how that works if it does. I believe the inflator hose is integrated and usually concealed behind a zipped poocket when not in use. I doubt that would be preferred in a technical/wreck diving situation as the accidental inflation/deflation possibility could easily become lethal. Silt it up and you may not get out alive - it's very disorienting.

The problem is that no one not diving with an I3 system will have instinctual training in how to inflate/control your buoyancy in an emergency. It's a bigger issue than it appears - it could kill you - or worse both of you. Please take it seriously.

There are a whole lot of weight integrated BC's available. Most everything in the Zeagle line is. Plus the Nighthawk you looked at or others in the ScubaPro line. Or any of the non-I3 Aqualung's - I believe the Dimension is also available with a standard inflator.

One other gotcha - if the I3 fails or is damaged during travel - you'll need to find a Aqualung dealer to fix it. There are a lot of them but not everywhere - especially at dive resorts at places like the Belize Atolls. If it breaks you're renting whatever they've got till it can be fixed. If your conventional inflator gets broken, $25 and two zip-ties later you're back diving. Everybody has a conventional inflator laying around somewhere - worst case they'd take it off a rental.

Don't assume your shop is selling you the best or safest thing. Sometimes their motives are driven by profit margins. Or in these times, a desire to keep the doors open. It's sad but it's just business. They have one good shot to sell you a lot of overpriced options before/during certification that you don't have the experience to understand yet if you do/don't need them.

SSI (I'm certified with them) [-]has a reputation for up-selling new divers during the certification process. [/-]When I did my classes years ago, my instructor tried to sell me gear made by a sub-standard brand no longer in business - not that Aqualung is one - but you should understand that their recommendation might at least partially be driven by management pressure to move dive gear. No sales, no instructor salary money either. A recommendation from someone like Jim Lapenta above carries more weight since he's mostly an independent. (although he and I disagree all the time..lol)

When I certified with a friend we bought the required basic gear. I chose to buy my own BC soon after - he rented for about a year. There were two people in the class - Mother/Son who bought $2500 worth of gear each before our checkout dives. Confidentially I asked our instructor what happens if they fail - he said the shop would take the gear back less a 20% re-stocking fee. So they'd have lost $1000 if for medical or other reasons they failed.

At least wait till you're certified. Maybe do some diving and ask other divers what they use and why. That's how I found out about Zeagle. Several people even offered to let me try their gear - or other gear they also owned. I've swapped gear twice with other divers when they wanted to try mine.

If you really "Want to make the best choice in a BCD"- that's not it. And I'm usually all over expensive feature laden BC's myself. I almost bought a Nighthawk before I bought a Zeagle Ranger. Not that it means anything but I've been diving 3+ decades so I've seen a lot of BC gimmmicks come and go - search here for Mares Hub to see what I mean.

I just have to ask also - you post here earlier then 5+ hrs. later you've made up your mind. Were you actually seeking information or did you just want someone to validate that you had already made the right choice? If it's the former you might give others a chance to respond.

 

[They call me Tater]

Yes the best bet would be to use a horse collar without auto inflation. It was good enough for me to learn with and very simple!

I do suggest that if you get the i3 you avoid diving with buddies who can't adapt to 'up is inflate, down is deflate'. They most likely won't know how to read their dive computer.

I do agree with getting a couple of dives in before you buy though. Not everyone takes to it for many reasons.

 

[kerrycorcoran]

Fear change. Ha. Sorry I had to say it. Purchase what you feel is best for you. Rely upon your training and over time, as with any piece of equipment, you'll learn to use it effectively and efficiently.