Damselfish
Contributor
You can come up with any number of "special cases" where it made/makes sense to not have some form of typical octo. "Didn't exist yet" certainly qualifies. But that doesn't change the fact that it's the current generally accepted standard for typical rec diving. Presumably if you were vintage diving you would be diving with others with similar equipment, or at least make sure they were familiar with what you had (or didn't have.) But if you're in a general rec diving situation where there isn't a very good reason not to have one, and people will generally expect that you do have one, I don't see a good reason not to.
Buddy breathing is fine, I learned it too, but in an OOA situation the octo is easier and I'd rather have it. I think easier is better when it hits the fan. I've only been in one real OOA, and it was a complete (and naturally panicy) stranger that came to me. I'd sure as heck rather have an octo than trust that this person would/could buddy breath. (Actually, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have had a clue.)
Buddy breathing is fine, I learned it too, but in an OOA situation the octo is easier and I'd rather have it. I think easier is better when it hits the fan. I've only been in one real OOA, and it was a complete (and naturally panicy) stranger that came to me. I'd sure as heck rather have an octo than trust that this person would/could buddy breath. (Actually, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have had a clue.)