another newbie question-Mares Airtrim BC

[wyatt2323]

Hi: This board is sooooo great to get advice from experienced divers. You guys have helped so much in the past few weeks, but I digress. I am about to buy my first BC. The one thing that I really found to be a pain during my pool dives, was holding the hose up. Lo and behold, I see the Mares with Airtrim. It's expensive and will take up a good portion of my gear budget, but I really like the no hose idea.
I would really appreciate any input on the issue, as well as any other BC product suggestions.
Thanks in advance,
David
Ontario, Canada

 

[fisherdvm]

I like things simple. Almost all the rental gears are the same - all with the power inflator hose.

Diving should be second nature, and to me, since I use rentals on 1/2 of my dives, I am familiar with where things should be.

If you are out of air, or your power inflator doesn't work, I hope you can remember where the manual inflator hose is.

I would say, it will be a short while before these gadgets dohickies will quietly disappear, and sell for cheap on ebay.

 

[rawls]

Wyatt...You may get alot more responses if you post you question in the Equipment forum under BCD's. Just a suggestion....

 

[spectrum]

Hi: This board is sooooo great to get advice from experienced divers. You guys have helped so much in the past few weeks, but I digress. I am about to buy my first BC. The one thing that I really found to be a pain during my pool dives, was holding the hose up. Lo and behold, I see the Mares with Airtrim. It's expensive and will take up a good portion of my gear budget, but I really like the no hose idea.
I would really appreciate any input on the issue, as well as any other BC product suggestions.
Thanks in advance,
David
Ontario, Canada

It's high on the gadget factor and they are charging for it.

What you need is a little experience. Eventually most divers move to using the back dump of the BC most of the time. I rarely raise my inflater hose.

Save your gear money for valuable stuff.

If you had a medical issue with range of motion I'd begin to cosider suggesting the thing.

Pete

 

[wyatt2323]

All-very good points. Thanks guys/gals.

 

[johnny_bravo]

I like things simple. Almost all the rental gears are the same - all with the power inflator hose.

Diving should be second nature, and to me, since I use rentals on 1/2 of my dives, I am familiar with where things should be.

If you are out of air, or your power inflator doesn't work, I hope you can remember where the manual inflator hose is.

I would say, it will be a short while before these gadgets dohickies will quietly disappear, and sell for cheap on ebay.

I have to agree with fisherdvm. I wouldnt't want another diver fumbling around searching for my manual inflator hose to help me get positive on the surface in a distress situation.

Cheers.

-J.-

 

[String]

I've dived with a few people using these. Its fiddly to remember at least initially where the fill/dump is.

The location is also low down on the left hand side so not easy to see or feel for when diving using it.

It appears to be a solution to a problem that doesnt exist.

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

I "actually" own a Mares Dragonfly air trim BC. I have had it for 6 years now, so they aren't going away any time soon. It's a lot simpler than a hose. I just cross my arms around my waist and hold the inflate/deflate buttons with my right hand. If I have to adjust bouyancy, I just push one of the buttons. If you do a search on here, you will find a lot of people own them and like them.

 

[Fordan]

The location is also low down on the left hand side so not easy to see or feel for when diving using it.

Actually, it's easier to feel for when diving than a hose is, at least for me. It's always at the same place, so you learn quickly where to put your hand to control it. Generally you don't need to see it.

It appears to be a solution to a problem that doesnt exist.

Well, my Dragon AT (AT=airtrim) is a solution to my range-of-motion issues in my left shoulder. A motorcycle accident broke my shoulder ball into 4 pieces; the scar tissue means I can't lift my arm past a little above 90º. I can get a normal inflator hose above my BC/head by lifting my shoulder and using my elbow, but it's awkward and a bit painful. Airtrim makes my dives a lot more comfortable.

Would I have gotten one without my injury? Probably not. While it's nice, it's one more thing that could go wrong, it's a decent cost premium for the airtrim, and I get to explain it to instabuddies repeatedly. Additionally, mine doesn't dump air well horizontally, but I suspect that more to do with the "Dragon bladder" system they use that inflates up around the tank away from any valves, which doesn't have anything to do with the Airtrim feature.