How to pick a BP/W?

[cool_hardware52]

Tobin,

I have discovered that the nicest way to dump the OPV (at least your OPV with thick cord) is to hold the string in the closed fist with the last three fingers, while the thumb and the index finger hold the valve itself in position (to counter the pull). This way the wing is not pulled and the bubble stays near the valve.

If that works for you great. I like to describe the motion as trying to stick your left hand in your right back pocket. Of course this is an exaggeration, but it helps new BP&W understand

Eelnoraa,
As for the position, the wing usually wraps around the tank, and the valve ends being on the "outside" of the tank - facing left on the left side of the diver, in a pretty high point, where the air is. If the valve would be installed on what you call outside, it would be in fact caught between the wing and the tank, in a position very hard to find/use.

I usually find it harder to dump using the inflator, because this forces me in a vertical position in the water. If you cannot dump from the OPV you are maybe staying in a head-up position.

It should be easy to dump via the hose or OPV. Wings with a lot of tank wrap will be harder to dump via the hose.

Tobin

 

[cool_hardware52]

Can you explain why it is on the inside? I want to know too. This weekend, I dived with bp/w, I kepting trying to dump from the OPV, but hardly successful. It seems there is only way way to dump air. It is to use inflator's button. Most wing, like mine, don't have pull dump on corrogated hose either. Just wonder why!

Pull up and around your back, not down toward the bottom of the sea.

You need to lift the valve to where the bubble is in the wing.

Tobin

 

[eelnoraa]

I usually find it harder to dump using the inflator, because this forces me in a vertical position in the water. If you cannot dump from the OPV you are maybe staying in a head-up position. There's no pull-dump corrugated hose because it is easy to dump from the OPV when horizontal, and because if you pull the corrugated hose, you would basically pull the whole upper part of the wing towards your head, shifting the air bubble to the lower side of the wing, and failing to dump air because of that (the corrugated hose elbow would not be the highest point anymore).

Got it. I think this was exactly what happened to me. I am leg heavy, so most of th time I am like 45 degree head up. thanks for the tip. I need to work on my weight distribution next time.

 

[OldNSalty]

Can you explain why it is on the inside? I want to know too. This weekend, I dived with bp/w, I kepting trying to dump from the OPV, but hardly successful. It seems there is only way way to dump air. It is to use inflator's button. Most wing, like mine, don't have pull dump on corrogated hose either. Just wonder why!

The way it was explained to was that by putting it where it is nothing can snag when going into an overhead situation-a condition that does not apply to a recreational diver but I see their point.

Can you explain what is the advantage of Air2?? The group I dived with this weekend, half of them (the experienced half) have Air2 type of inflator/octo combo. I can see it has one hose less than the normal octo, but it seems to have other more pratical issues especially for bp/w users.

Most of wing have no shoulder dump on right side, the lower dump doesn't work on acsent. It seems with air2, the only way to dump is to take the air2 out of mouth, raise the the corrogated hose, dump air, put air2 back into mouth, clear, take a few breathes and repeat the whole thing again. It sounds hassale to me.

Even with wings with shoulder dump on right side, the donner will usually have his/her right hand holding onto buddy's BC harness, so cannot really use right shoulder dump easily.

Am I missign something here? What is the main advantage?

First, in a conversation about BP/W you will probably not find anyone who supports the Air2. Again, after having seen this setup I understand why they don't like them and you pretty much covered it. For their setup it is simply impractical. For other types of BCs they work fine IMO-I have practiced with them and don't have an issue but I don't see it working with a BP/W with its shorter hose and no dump valve on the shoulder. Advantages to it, one less hose and you always know where it is. Disadvantage-already noted in this thread.

 

[fnfalman]

The DIR type probably poo-pooing inline octo (aka Air 2), but I'm a rec diver and the inline octo work just fine with my BPW.

Eelnora, you don't have to take the inline octo out of your mouth to vent while you're breathing through it. The deflator button works just fine. Since that you've switched to your octo, it is assumed that the primary second stage had gone kaput or somebody else needed your second stage because they're out of air or their reg gone kaput. That means your dive is over and the two of you (or you depending on whose equipment failed, blah, blah, blah) are surfacing. When you ascend, the air in your wing is expanding anyway and you don't need to stick the corrugated hose over your head to vent. It will vent just fine at shoulder or mouth level.

I've practiced plenty of time with my inline octo setup and it vents just fine while I'm breathing through it.

Is it as convenient as a regular octo? Nope. But on the other hand, you save having an extra hose. So you make the call whether or not you want the regular octo with an extra hose or you want an inline octo. The PADI Police or the DIR Police ain't gonna come out and get you either way.

 

[RAWalker]

As a practiced user of a AIR2 style octo w/ wing let me make the following comment.
If you keep your wing clean and free from mold the following technique can be used safely.
To deflate the wing with the air 2 in your mouth... completely press the air release button and breath the air from within the wing release the button before exhaling. You may find some water in the wing when you breath off of it so do it slowly and carefully with your tongue placed to guard water from shooting down your throat. (like when breathing off a incompletely cleared reg or snorkel) With practice you can draw air from the wing and exhale it through your nose without releasing the button until the wing is empty.
An integrated octo may not be the best solution for all types of diving but it is choice that many divers like and with a bit of practice can be used as safely as a standard octo.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

As a practiced user of a AIR2 style octo w/ wing let me make the following comment.
If you keep your wing clean and free from mold the following technique can be used safely.
To deflate the wing with the air 2 in your mouth... completely press the air release button and breath the air from within the wing release the button before exhaling. You may find some water in the wing when you breath off of it so do it slowly and carefully with your tongue placed to guard water from shooting down your throat. (like when breathing off a incompletely cleared reg or snorkel) With practice you can draw air from the wing and exhale it through your nose without releasing the button until the wing is empty.
An integrated octo may not be the best solution for all types of diving but it is choice that many divers like and with a bit of practice can be used as safely as a standard octo.

Breathing wing air? that sounds gross!
It would seem to me to potentially be a good way to get a nasty lung infection too.

 

[DevonDiver]

Yeah... I'd do that to save my life.... but for a regular OOA ascent, that needn't be a life-or-death emergency.... no way I would consider breathing wing air. Sounds like an easy way to infect the hell out of your lungs....

 

[RAWalker]

First point is I noted that the wing should be clean. If this is the case it isn't going to be a problem. If you don't take care of your gear or you are on rental gear of unknown maintenance then I'd agree it may be an infection waiting to happen.
Maybe some of us need to be a bit more concerned with gear maintenance.
Second is if you "need" to be on the integrated octo to breath and surface it is a situation that you are trying to stop from becoming an incident. This isn't the same as swimming around breathing off your octo while everything is fine. The catch is you need to know the gear is clean to practice this and be sure you can do it. Since the wing and integrated octo are the air donor's equipment the donor should be aware of it's condition. Since integrated octos are not generally in rental fleets the majority of them will be the user's own property and responsibilty.
I keep my gear in proper condition so I can do this without worry of an infection. This allows me to practice it and have excellent control while keeping the octo in my mouth.

 

[DevonDiver]

If you've seen the trouble and care taken by CCR divers to keep their counter-lungs clean and disinfected, you wouldn't be suggesting that nonsense.

There is a big difference between properly maintaining your gear and keeping your gear disinfected, sterile and safe to breath from.


But if you want to spend a fortune and many hours keeping your bcd bladder sterilized, then nobody is gonna stop you. LOL