Air3 on BP/W setup

[halocline]

TMay I ask what prevents stowing the extra length of standard hose in a different way than it's normal position floating above your head and to the right (which I agree isn't quite the streamlining I expected first time I wore it)? Without an octo down there, what are the dangers of simply routing it under your arm?

I will definitely consider the extra length of primary hose, for various reasons. I may decide go with miflex and get a foot or two longer at that point. I will definitely be at least trying it out and deciding from there.

It really feels sometimes like people don't like it (octo/inflator) because it's one of those 'too good to be true' type deals (which I understand), but have a lot of these folk actually even tried it, tested it, used it, etc? I think this variation in setup is at least worth considering, as long as it's safe.

The long hose is routed under your right arm, across your chest, over your left shoulder, behind your head, and into your mouth from the right. It lies comfortably on your torso, no loops sticking out. That's why it doesn't "float" around. The octo is on a very short hose, 22-24", and is worn around your neck on a bungie necklace. The bungie can break away in the unlikely case it gets caught on something. You can do a mid-length hose under your right arm, up, and connected to the reg with a 90o right angle fitting, and that's okay, still not as comfy as the long hose IMO.

Getting a standard length reg hose, only a foot or two longer, makes no sense. Decide on the hose routing you want, then get the ideal length you need for that routing. If you want to try the long hose routing without investing in a 5 ft hose, just take two regular hose and join them with a coupler that costs a few bucks. You can probably borrow a standard hose from someone to try.

An octo/inflator has never "sounded too good to be true" to me. When I first started diving, it seemed like a neat idea, so I tried one once in a pool, that was enough. I far prefer to dive with a dedicated octo and dedicated inflator mechanism. When you say "another hose to worry about" I've got to wonder what exactly it is you're worried about? If anything, the fact that the octo/inflators can't use standard LP inflator hoses is more of a worry than anything I can think of.

But, again, the dive gear/dive training industry loves to sell stuff, and new divers are their prime targets. So there are lots of products that seem like a good idea in the shop; that's what sells them.

 

[formula1mb@aol.com]

Out of curiosity, is it considered DIR if you use a 90 degree fitting on the 2nd stage, route the long hose under your arm without wrapping it around your neck?

 

[PfcAJ]

Out of curiosity, is it considered DIR if you use a 90 degree fitting on the 2nd stage, route the long hose under your arm without wrapping it around your neck?

That was the preferred method for OW diving a number of years ago (with a 40'' hose), but it has fallen out of favor to the 5' hose, and more recently, the 7' hose.

 

[UCFKnightDiver]

Eeew Air 3 really?

 

[DevonDiver]

AIR3 on a BP&W..... I'd rather have a razorwire crotchstrap

 

[PfcAJ]

You'll catch cooties if you dive that! Eww!!!! Gross!!!!

 

[Jeeptrick]

Even in the dream world of OOA situations where the OOA diver comes to you and signals OOA and you donate your primary reg and go to your AirII, you will still be locked arm in arm or holding BC straps, trying to fill or vent air from your BC with your BC controls in your mouth. ?? Just asking you to think about it.
Many divers never need to deal with an OOA situation, but if it does ever come up I would want it to go smooth and easy for you.

My BC has three air dumps and your BC hose has an emergency dump built in at the attachment to the bladder does it not? I don't see any more problem ascending with your Air-2 than an octo IMHO.

 

[fnfalman]

I'd take an Atomic SS1 over any long hose/short hose configuration, especially with a BPW setup. Streamlining is the way to go. It's all about being minimalistic.

 

[hg frogman]

Fnfalman, though I like and enjoy many of your posts, and though I find a long hose useless for non-overhead, recreational diving, I disagree with you on your last post.

Air2 is fine (in my opinion) for recreational diving on a traditional BCD (jacket or back-inflate) which has not only an inflator, but also a shoulder quick dump valve that you can use to dump air on ascent while your OOA buddy breathes from your primary and you breathe from your Air2. That way, you keep breathing and venting your BCD as two separate process. With a little regular training, that's no big deal.

But most wings have only the inflator for dumping air on a vertical ascent (no shoulder quick dump valve) so an Air2 with such a wing leads to way too much overloading : you breathe from the Air2 and have to rise your Air2 to dump air on ascent and press on the right buttons etc while watching your buddy etc etc ... pffeeew ... Seems theoretically possible, but practically it's tempting the devil ... I'd almost prefer buddy breathing then ...

Something in-between would be to have a fenstop on your wing (by fenstop, I mean you pull the corrugated hose to trigger a built-in dump valve) but I don't like these (they are fragile, and also if the corrugated hose is pulled too much and gets away you're in dire straits).

There is an excellent, detailed and definitive (in my opinion) post of DA Aquamaster about Air2 and BP/Ws in the Hogarthian sub-forum of Scubaboard; use the Search button to find it.

 

[fnfalman]

Fnfalman, though I like and enjoy many of your posts, and though I find a long hose useless for non-overhead diving, I disagree with you on your last one.

Since that certain people like to make spurious comments, I figured that I'd do the same.

Air2 is fine (in my opinion) for recreational diving on a traditional BCD (jacket or back-inflate) which has not only an inflator, but also a shoulder quick dump valve that you can use to dump air on ascent while your OOA buddy breathes from your primary and you breathe from your Air2. That way, you keep breathing and venting your BCD as two separate process. With a little regular training, that's no big deal.

But most wings have only the inflator for dumping air on a vertical ascent (no shoulder quick dump valve) so an Air2 with such a wing leads to way too much overloading : you breathe from the Air2 and have to rise your Air2 to dump air on ascent and press on the right buttons etc while watching your buddy etc etc ... pffeeew ... Seems theoretically possible, but practically it's tempting the devil ... I'd almost prefer buddy breathing then ...

I really don't understand what's so hard about breathing and venting from an inline octo? You can breath and hit the vent button at the same time. The air will vent out from the BC just fine. No need for another shoulder dump.

There is an excellent, detailed and definitive (in my opinion) post of DA Aquamaster about Air2 and BP/Ws in the Hogarthian sub-forum of Scubaboard; use the Search button to find it.

Believe it or not, many of us divers couldn't care less about Hogarthian configuration or diving. We like the inline octo and we like split fins. Crazily enough, none of us are dead while diving with such configuration.