fisherdvm, in the
Mask- Purge or No Purge? thread you said
As I said, my OW dives were in a weight integrated BC, I have a purge mask but generally don't use it, my BC has your "up-down" buttons and a one way BC inflate hose. Are you seriously calling me incompetent?
Jim
Only when you suddenly have to switch to new gears on short notice. I think the anology would be diving with a drysuit without having a session with it. The technology is not difficult. Diving is alot of task loading for an individual, and it would not take more than 1 or 2 dives to be accustomed to new features. Unfortunately when needed most in an emergency - the task loading can lead to panic. The main task that can save you if you were out of air is manual inflate of a BC. If you are not used to manually depressing the inflator hose and releasing it after you exhale - it might be difficult if you never trained with it at the surface.
The skill is simple, kick, heads out of water, press deflate button, blow, sink below the surface, release deflate button, kick till you are out of the water again, and repeat. With your BC's hose, it is simply, kick, inhale, exhale, then kick again. The only missing piece is the synchronization of the push and release of the deflate button and your breathing. That is the only key skill you miss in the use of a regular BC.
I would encourage you to borrow a standard BC and dive it at least once or twice, so when you do need to use one, it wouldn't be a new feature. The learning comes from both sides - folks who take rescue classes, DM, instructors, etc. also have to learn the features on your BC - so we know how to inflate it in case you can't on your own.
To be honest with you, if you dove with a buddy, and didn't show him your hidden inflate hose - he'd be hard pressed to find it if you were unconscious or panicking at the surface. In the same way, if I dove with your BC, it will take at least three or four dives to overcome my instinct to grab for the inflator hose. And if you advanced to rescue class, familiarity with other BC's is necessary to perform surface inflation of another's BC. I would find it easier to deal with a panicking diver with a long inflator hose than one with a hidden straw inflate hose. At least I can secure their tank with one hand and reach for the hose to inflate from the safety of my position.
I am weary of new gadgetry, and my gut feeling on this "hidden inflator hose" is failure will occur, injury or death will occur, and it will be off the market in a short time. But I am a pessimist.