Using AIR 2

[johndiver999]

We love to argue about this stuff. I just added an air 2 to my BP/W. Well actually it was an Atomic SS1, but they function the same and I had to replace the corrugated hose with a longer one too.

I have zero issue with ascending with an air 2 device, I just remove from my mouth and press the dump valve. I don't like to brag tooo much, but I am able to remove the device from my mouth for the 2 seconds necessary, without going into a full panic.

 

[johndiver999]

There is a lot of anecdotal evidence and rationalizing the behavior of normalization going on here.

Years ago, I worked at a dive shop that was really trying to increase sales by getting customers to switch to Air2 and eliminate a hose. All of the rental BCDs (used for teaching students) were set up with Air2, as well as all the Instructor's BCDs.

At first, I thought that this was really cool. But almost immediately, I began running into problems.

1.) The Primary Regulator hoses were too short. 28"-30". Students who didn't know each other were reluctant to press closely together, so the reg would get pulled out of the OOA Diver's mouth.

2.) The additional task loading for a new skill, of removing the reg and blowing bubbles whilst venting BCD caused numerous blowups. During Open Water dives, I had to donate a second stage to a student who had no regulator in his mouth, quite a few times.

3.) All of the Air2 units would begin to slightly free flow and need service before the traditional second stages needed service. To this day, customers come into my shop complaining that their SS1 or Air2 is "bubbling".

4.) To remedy all of the above, we put kits together with longer inflator hoses, longer primary regulator hoses (these were odd looking beasts) and we shortened the service interval for the rental regs. We spent more pool time working on OOA drills and proper technique for sharing air with an Air2. Then the people would go diving and rent gear at their vacation location, and get a traditional octopus setup. They hadn't practiced with that...

Between teaching, leading trips, leading dives, and just diving thousands of dives, I've had to "share air" with people who were either critically low on air, had a catastrophic malfunction, or were OOA, many times. For example, I came across a fellow on a dive in Cozumel who was at 60' and had 100psi left. He was a weak swimmer and was on the verge of panic. I put my bungeed second stage into my mouth and gave him my primary reg (on 40" hose with 90º swivel), launched a safety sausage and worked the spool, held his BCD strap, my camera, controlled his buoyancy and mine through ascent and during safety stop, and ultimately swam him back to the boat. I think removing an integrated reg from my mouth to vent wing, might have been one too many tasks to load...

I opened my own dive center a dozen years ago, our rental BCDs are exclusively BP&W. They have no shoulder dumps.
Unless diving side mount or CCR, Our Instructors use BP&W and regs with either 7' long hose or 40" underarm hose for primary with alternate second stage on necklace. Inflator hose length is minimized. Brass n Glass SPG secured with SS Boltsnap. Wrist mounted computer. Streamlined, nothing to drag,

I think removing an integrated reg from my mouth to vent wing, might have been one too many tasks to load...

This is really silly if you think about it...When do you vent air from the BC? A: when you are too light. What else do you do when too light? A: exhale.

It honestly surprises me that people think that the one or 2 seconds it takes to grab the inflator, hold it up, press the dump button and exhale is too much too handle if they are not simultaneously chewing on a silicone mouth piece.

It is no task loading to grab the air2 (from your mouth) and dump air and exhale for 2 seconds.

We could take an alternative view that it will be almost impossible for the diver to find his normal inflator during an emergency ascent because it is NOT located in his mouth. This delay in finding the inflator, could result in an explosive ascent and kill both people. Sounds a little ridiculous, but no more so than claiming that exhaling for 2 seconds with nothing in your mouth is so terrifyingly hard.

This stuff should be practiced often. It is zero trouble to practice normal ascents with the air 2.

 

[formernuke]

Removing your breathing device from your mouth with a panicked diver next to you, yup sounds like a good idea to me.

 

[johndiver999]

Removing your breathing device from your mouth with a panicked diver next to you, yup sounds like a good idea to me.

why EXACTLY?

The device is in your hand, when you are done venting you stick it in your mouth and inhale. Your hand is occupied working the deflate button regardless of whether it is a standard inflator or an Air 2.

 

[formernuke]

why EXACTLY?

The device is in your hand, when you are done venting you stick it in your mouth and inhale. Your hand is occupied working the deflate button regardless of whether it is a standard inflator or an Air 2.

I would rather lose my deflation button than my breathing device when the panicked person hits it.

Nothing about the air2 makes any sense except marketing.

 

[johndiver999]

I would rather lose my deflation button than my breathing device when the panicked person hits it.

Nothing about the air2 makes any sense except marketing.

A second stage would be more likely to get "lost" and trapped than an air 2 that is secured with Velcro and also by a corrugated hose. Which would be easier to recover?

 

[formernuke]

No need to recover what you don't lose, plus takes me less than a second to get my necklace back in my mouth.

Again you do you, I'm anal about dive safety and don't plan on changing no matter how much you don't want to admit to wasting money.

 

[johndiver999]

No need to recover what you don't lose, plus takes me less than a second to get my necklace back in my mouth.

Again you do you, I'm anal about dive safety and don't plan on changing no matter how much you don't want to admit to wasting money.

LOL, I have a second stage around my neck too. I will most likely start with the air 2 in an air share situation - depending on air supply of course.

With respect to wasting money on dive gear, actually I'm quite fugal in my expenditures for just about everything. Criticizing my personal fiscal responsibility (without any knowledge of it) seems to be somewhat off topic and a rather weak criticism.

 

[Pressurehead]

No need to recover what you don't lose, plus takes me less than a second to get my necklace back in my mouth.

Again you do you, I'm anal about dive safety and don't plan on changing

Agree with the above.

no matter how much you don't want to admit to wasting money.

Guilty, wasted money in the past on them.

 

[Moerae]

I feel like the discourse around Air2 (and many other dead horse debates) regularly misses two key points.

Not all divers are the same.

• If you're an experienced, competent diver it's fine. The additional task loading will be trivial and you'll be fine. Just practice with it periodically.
• If you are an inexperienced diver, it's probably not a great idea. An inexperienced diver does not need additional task loading (even if minor) or possible sources of stress (removing reg from mouth) when they are encountering what is likely one of their first tense moments underwater alongside another likely stressed (and likely incompetent) diver.

Not all dives are the same.

• If you're diving in easy waters, on easy dives, minor task loading additions are generally trivial.
• If you're diving in cold, 10ft vis high current water, minor task loading additions can be something worth reconsidering.

I wonder how many people that disagree on these types of debates might be able to find some common ground if they clarify the type of diver and diving they have in mind when they make their points.