Pros & Cons of Air2

[Quarrior]

OOA situation is a non-existant problem? You wish

Who said OOA was non-existant? Let's not be stupid about this.

I said Air 2 was an expensive cure to a non-existant problem. That problem supposedly being the extra hose for the octo.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

My thought is this:
1) In an OOA situation with the other diver breathing from your primary and you breathing through the Air2 you need to start your ascent.
2) During your ascent you should be dumping air from your BC on the way up to maintain neutral bouyancy.
3) If the common practice is to hold the inflator tube above your head while ascending. How can you also be beathing from it at the same time?

This means 1 of 2 things,
1) Your OOA buddy gets to breath on the way up while you blow bubbles, (i.e. Emergency Swimming Ascent).
2) You have to alternate between breathing and dumping, which is something I have never seen anybody practice.

Just my .02

During an ascent you are normally vertical and looking up. In that position the Air 2 is essentially above 90% of the aircell and venting is not an isssue. You can vent with the big square button while you are breathing off the Air 2 and there is no need to remove it from your mouth.

Alternatively, if you have a pull dump mounted at the base of the inflator hose, you can also tug on the middle of the corrogated hose with the Air 2 in your mouth and it will dump air. The dump valve is operated by increasing the lenght of the corrogated hose and in turn pulling on the cable. This can be done just as effectively from the middle as from the end as long as the end is anchored - in this case in your mouth.

Lastly, if you have a Scubapro BC, it will almost always have a right shoulder dump operated by its own pull cord. This keeps the dump function totally isolated from the Air 2.

In short, the dump issue legitamately sounds like it could be a potential problem to most divers but is in fact only a concern to divers who have never actually used an Air 2 or devoted even a minimal amount of practice to dumping while using it as an alternate air source. With a minimal amount of familiarization, the problem dissapears.

 

[OE2X]

During an ascent you are normally vertical and looking up. In that position the Air 2 is essentially above 90% of the aircell and venting is not an isssue. You can vent with the big square button while you are breathing off the Air 2 and there is no need to remove it from your mouth.

Alternatively, if you have a pull dump mounted at the base of the inflator hose, you can also tug on the middle of the corrogated hose with the Air 2 in your mouth and it will dump air. The dump valve is operated by increasing the lenght of the corrogated hose and in turn pulling on the cable. This can be done just as effectively from the middle as from the end as long as the end is anchored - in this case in your mouth.

Lastly, if you have a Scubapro BC, it will almost always have a right shoulder dump operated by its own pull cord. This keeps the dump function totally isolated from the Air 2.

In short, the dump issue legitamately sounds like it could be a potential problem to most divers but is in fact only a concern to divers who have never actually used an Air 2 or devoted even a minimal amount of practice to dumping while using it as an alternate air source. With a minimal amount of familiarization, the problem dissapears.

I like to ascend horizontally not vertically. I have better control over my ascent rate this way. I don't own a scubapro BC -(well I do, but I never use it) so no right shoulder dump for me. I'd rather have two top notch second stages that can breathed from ie... S600's or ATX200's. Keep your spare air and don't expect me to be your buddy.
I'm with Boogie here.

 

[Mandy3206]

Just because some people don't like it (for what ever reason), doesn't means that it doesn't work.
If you don't like it, don't use it, but all arguments against it are as ridiculous as saying that you can choke with the 7' hose around your head in the long hose config.

Get real guys every system has pros and cons and it's up to the individual diver to choose if the system is aproppiate for his/her dive style.

 

[Scuba Cowboy]

The biggest issue I have seen with an Air 2 is that most peoples primary reg hose is to short to be an effective reg for sharing air. Sure it works, but the chances of reg being pulled from the OOA divers mouth is greatly enhanced. The whole air sharing thing has to be done at very close quarters leaving both divers with very limited mobility. In my opinion, having used both set ups, nothing beats a long hose with bungeed octo.
Another issue is octo quality. Get rid of the cheap crappy one. There is a good chance you will have to use it, so buy a good reg for your octo. It should be of the same quality as your primary reg.

 

[Dan Gibson]

I'm not saying an AIR 2 doesn't work. I used to use one. I also got rid of it when I found a better way (IMO).

I will tell you your ascertion that all arguments against one are as ridiculous as saying a 7' hose can choke you isn't correct.

It is absolutely ridiculous to think you can get choked by a 7' hose becasue it's not wrapped around your neck.

It is not ridiculous to say you can't breath off an AIR 2 when the lp hose is disconnected. This is a fact, pure and simple.

Just because some people don't like it (for what ever reason), doesn't means that it doesn't work.
If you don't like it, don't use it, but all arguments against it are as ridiculous as saying that you can choke with the 7' hose around your head in the long hose config.

 

[lungdvb]

Thanks for your advice... Gee, I think may have to get one and try out myself. Get back to you all after I tested the setup.

Is it compulsary to get a longer corrugated tube?

Thanks.