Why do we hate the Air2?

[antattack]

Silly thread. I have two DIR rigs, and two jacket style rigs. The DIR rigs are for diving with my team style diving escapades. The jackets are for DiveMaster work. My Zeagle Ranger has had an Air2 on it since 1996. I've used it in an out of air emergency, and it works just fine.

Bottom line- it's not an issue. If you don't like the Air2, you really shouldn't use it. If you like the idea, then train with it and enjoy. It works just fine.

 

[Hatul]

It's been mentioned by Lynne, but if you do use and Air 2 or equiv you need at least a 36" hose for your primary for air sharing.

One other issue that has not been mentioned and applies to both the DIR style and Air 2, is the issue of hygiene when practicing, You take the primary out of your mouth and immediately goes into another. I don't mind that in a real emergency but I hesitate for practicing.
The conventional system has the octo soaking in seawater before use by the "victim".

 

[rhwestfall]

One other issue that has not been mentioned and applies to both the DIR style and Air 2, is the issue of hygiene when practicing, You take the primary out of your mouth and immediately goes into another. I don't mind that in a real emergency but I hesitate for practicing.
The conventional system has the octo soaking in seawater before use by the "victim".

Ah another "urban diving legend".... I'd like to see the medical data behind that one .... a link please?

 

[redacted]

Ah another "urban diving legend".... I'd like to see the medical data behind that one .... a link please?

Hepatitis C - contamination of toothbrushes: m... [J Viral Hepat. 2006] - PubMed - NCBI

 

[Hatul]

Ah another "urban diving legend".... I'd like to see the medical data behind that one .... a link please?

It would be interesting for someone to do a study on this. There was a study done on rinse tanks which showed high level of bacterial contamination from mouthpieces etc. in rinse tanks. The question is, is the quick transfer of a mouthpiece from one diver to another sufficient to wash off the mouth bacteria/viruses from the mouthpiece? We don't know. Do you have data that this is safe?

 

[g1138]

Ah another "urban diving legend".... I'd like to see the medical data behind that one .... a link please?

Hepatitis C - contamination of toothbrushes: m... [J Viral Hepat. 2006] - PubMed - NCBI

Not everyone bleeds by chewing gum/mouthpieces though. And not everyone dives in fresh tap water.
I wouldn't consider that as a substantiated data for our purposes.

 

[redacted]

Not everyone bleeds by chewing gum/mouthpieces though. And not everyone dives in fresh tap water.
I wouldn't consider that as a substantiated data for our purposes.

And not everyone has Hep-C. But the fact remains that if it can be transmitted via a toothbrush in spite of rinsing, then it can probably be transmitted through an air share.

Don't get me wrong. Life has its risks and this may be one of them. It will not alter my behavior. I will continue to practice sharing air often with little concern.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Hep C or dead? Kinda six of one, half dozen of the other on that one.

Look at it this way as well. in a pool you have some chlorine or other substance that should kill most nasty stuff. In freshwater lakes and quarries you may have freshwater fish pee and poop, e coli bacteria, algae, etc. In the ocean saltwater fish pee and poop, oil from the spills and wrecks, bacteria, sea lice, rotting flesh, etc.

In short it's all nasty but better than dead and drowned.

 

[rhwestfall]

all that tells me is that sharing a toothbrush is a potentially bad thing.... okay, need a different activity on the safety stop/deco line. Tic-tac-toe or sudoku anyone? Its safe(er)....

 

[g1138]

And not everyone has Hep-C. But the fact remains that if it can be transmitted via a toothbrush in spite of rinsing, then it can probably be transmitted through an air share.

Don't get me wrong. Life has its risks and this may be one of them. It will not alter my behavior. I will continue to practice sharing air often with little concern.

Possible yes, but probably is another issue. How probable?

Anyone can see the mucous saliva coating your mouthpiece after taking it out at the end of a dive. So it's no hidden fact that we swap spit when we do an air share from the primary. Likewise it was no hidden fact that spit (and air) was swapped back when they taught mouth to mouth.

The variables between the study and the conditions involved in an air share are highly different, so I wouldn't use that as the sole example of you should or shouldn't swap primaries in a training scenario; in relation to avoiding Hep C. Now if something were transferred through saliva such as a common cold or strep, then that's a definite no.