Rear Dump Valve or Inflator Hose Dump?

[Wicko1]

I use the rear dump most of the time but find that if I just want to descend a little bit in order to, say, descend thought the hatch on a wreck, I can more easily control the amount of air I'm dumping if I use the inflator. It's easier to dump small amounts of air. The rear dump is a big, old bubble or three, no matter how fast I pull and release.

 

[chrpai]

It depends on where the bubble is. I'm comfortable using either although the rear OPV dump tends to dump out more air then you might want.

 

[fjpatrum]

Whichever one is appropriate at the moment. Sometimes it's the rear dump and sometimes it's the inflator.

 

[Tortuga68]

I use the rear dump most of the time but find that if I just want to descend a little bit in order to, say, descend thought the hatch on a wreck, I can more easily control the amount of air I'm dumping if I use the inflator. It's easier to dump small amounts of air. The rear dump is a big, old bubble or three, no matter how fast I pull and release.

Without intending to criticise your technique, there are various ways to limit the amount of air dumped when using your OPV. It's not all about the speed of your pull/release

If I wanted to descend 'a little bit' I would just use my lungs, not the OPV/inflator dump

 

[eelnoraa]

Inflator hose pull dump for me. My right hand is usually occupied with cameras and lights, while I keep my left hand free for other stuff. If I had a rear dump on the left, I would probably use it.

Are you using a wing? Maybe you install it front side back.

 

[dfx]

Are you using a wing? Maybe you install it front side back.

Nope it's a simple back-inflate BCD.

 

[CT-Rich]

my BCD has a dump at the top of the corrugated hose. Tug on the LP inflator and it will dump air. I use that to leave the surface. Underwater I will use that or the rear dump depending on my orientation. I go for the high point rather than a particular valve. My original BCD I used the corrugated hose most of the time, but am now trying to take better advantage of the multiple dumps.

 

[copter53]

I was talking to a friend who said he never used his rear dump valve on his BC/Wing, that the rear dump was only an OPV. Me personally, I frequently use my rear dump as opposed to my inflator hose because to use the inflator, you have to right yourself.

What do you do, and why?

Whats OPV mean?

 

[Tortuga68]

Over Pressure Valve, that automatically vents air from your BC when the internal pressure exceeds a certain value, designed to prevent stress on the wing (i.e. over-filling). Butt dumps are one example, they can be manually operated as well

 

[Laurie S.]

I use my rear dump, unless I'm taking a photo or trying to get a fish on the stringer. In those cases, I want to get heavy quickly to take control of the situation, and my right hand is busy with either the camera or speargun, so I use the dump on my Air2.