AAS on BCD hose?

[Camillebates]

I've been diving today (yay!!), and one of the guys I was diving with has his AAs on his BCD hose rather than on an octopus.

I saw this and thought it was a good idea as it was one less hose to get tangled up in (I'm a clumsy git). I'm inexperienced and have never seen this before.

Just wanted a few opinions on whether it really is a good thing or not? Any comments gratefully received....

Camille xx

 

[MSilvia]

Some folks like them, usually because they eliminate a hose and make for better streamlining. Personally, I don't like the idea of having to breathe through the same device I'd be using to control buoyancy during an ascent with an out-of-air diver. It seems like it creates the potential for task-loading problems.

 

[herman]

Welcome to the board Camille.

Your going to find that there are those who like them and others who do not....pretty much the same with most dive gear. Like Matt, I don't care for them. They do remove one hose but create the need for a more complicated accent procedure. If I am dealing with an less than in control OOA diver, the last thing I want to do is to remove my reg to vent my BC.

 

[SteveAD]

I've been using one for 13 years. Just recently had to share air with a student under the ice, no problem. I love my scubapro air2.

 

[NadMat]

Some people like 'em some don't. I do, I have an AirSource on my ProQD and love it. Remember to tell your dive buddies that you will be donating your primary in event of their OOA. Also consider a longer hose for your primary for easier air shares, don't have to go the full 5' or 7', but for sure long enough to pass to buddy and share with ease.

 

[oly5050user]

as NadMatt said "some like them some don't"..Aqualung has a sale now if you buy their bcd you get a free alternate air source on it..Worth $200.+Has to be authorized dealer..

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Like the others said you either like them or you don't, I've yet to see a "gray area" in opinions. Dive one before you buy one is my best advice, you'll probably either love it or hate it then you can decide if you want to buy one.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[Archangel]

Camille, let me chime in while I am still in the majority.

Taking any piece of equipment and making it do disparate double duty sets it up for failure. You take your inflator/back up reg and drag it on the reef and through the surfline a couple of times and it will either freeflow or not give you air when you desperately need it (of course, worst case scenario).

I gently suggest taking your back up regulator (aka octo) and bungee it around your neck closest to your mouth. I am not suggesting you start on your way to technical diving, tho' we tech divers who rely on our equipment to work and work well. . or else. . . we might be onto something that the recreational diving community is unaware.

http://www.gue.com/Equipment/Config/index.html

 

[jchull]

I have no problem ascending while using my air2, since my mouth is above the top of my bladder, air vents fine. You could always carefully use a shoulder dump as well, but since I can hold my air source in my mouth and manipulate the buttons all with my left hand, it leaves my right hand to grab my buddy. I really have no preference either way now that I have used both, although for keeping things consistent when involved in assisting with new divers, it may be preferred to have an octo because that is what they should to be trained with and what they are used to.

 

[SteveAD]

Camille, let me chime in while I am still in the majority.

Taking any piece of equipment and making it do disparate double duty sets it up for failure. You take your inflator/back up reg and drag it on the reef and through the surfline a couple of times and it will either freeflow or not give you air when you desperately need it (of course, worst case scenario).

I gently suggest taking your back up regulator (aka octo) and bungee it around your neck closest to your mouth. I am not suggesting you start on your way to technical diving, tho' we tech divers who rely on our equipment to work and work well. . or else. . . we might be onto something that the recreational diving community is unaware.

http://www.gue.com/Equipment/Config/index.html

So speaks someone who has obviously never used one. The inflator hose has barely more "dangle factor" than a bungied short hose. How often does your inflator hit the bottom. Anyone who is dragging anything on the reef has bigger problems than equipment configuration. Through the surfline? How is an air2 more vulnerable than any other reg? Mind you, I have been using one for 13 years and I am a regulator tech.

If you don't like an idea you are free not to use it. I do like, and use, several ideas espoused in the DIR concept, But the one thing I can not stand is the attitude of some that:

"There is only one right way! Anything else will fail and kill you!" Repeated, not from experience, but because that was what someone else told them.