Air-2 + octo : a viable set-up

[Srrh]

Hello y'all,

I am sort of new to scuba-diving, and completly new to this board....
I've been reading it for a week, and IMHO, time to jump in...
I appologize in advance for some of the dumb questions i will no doubt ask...

I was wondering if having BOTH an air-2 and an octo is a viable set-up ?

Why keep the air-2 ?
Well, it's very ergonomic, I love it to inflate my BCD...
On top of that, it's a very valid second air-source...

Sure, with the aire-2, I can't turn my head all the way to the right...and sure, my budy is quiet close to me when we share air...but it is an emergency system: if I have to use my air-2, I am coming back up...no need to look around and enjoy the sights.

On the other hand, some countries legally require an octo (france amongst others).
So i was wondering...is it viable to have both : I could become an underwater air-dispenser...

Cheers.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

There will be divers who disagree, but I see no real problem with using an Air 2 along with an octo. When properly adjusted they pose no significant freeflow risk and won't sustain a freeflow if bumped.

They are also an excellent balanced inflator - far better than many of the crappy generic inflators that Air 2 objecting divers seem to have no problem using even though they make bouyancy control less precise.

I also like them for things like filling large lift bags in very cold water as if they freeze up, you can just disconnect them for a minute or so until they thaw and avoid losing air from an uncontrolled freeflow. (assuming of course you have a very relaible cold water first stage that does not also freeze up).

They are also ideally suited to using as an octo if you dive with a pony bottle as it gives you the opportunity of breathing off the pony or off the main tank and in most real world cases it will be your choice as the OOA diver will mug you for your primary. The same thing applies to indpendent doubles where an Air 2 gives you an alternate method to breath off one of your two tanks.

 

[Noviz]

The pros and cons of using both:

Pro: you are familiar with it as an inflator. There's a lot to be said for that. Under stress or task load it's nice that the left hand can work independent of the eyes. Why change it?
Pro: no such thing as too much air
Pro: a "traditional" octo is more familiar to the OOA diver
Pro: an OOA ascent is easier with a "traditional" octo

Con: Introduce another potential point of failure
Con: You can dive in France

I'd put the octo and an allen wrench into the bag and use it as need be. I would leave the aire2+ thingy in place, if only because of it familiarity.

Of course, there will be other opinions following..

 

[ClayJar]

One of my instructors dove with both an Air2 and an octo. He used the octo for class air-sharing drills, but preferred the Air2.

With an octo, should you have to disconnect the Air2 due to a free-flow condition or a leaking power inflator, you could continue the dive. If you didn't have the octo, you wouldn't have any redundancy remaining, and it'd likely be wise to call the dive (unless you and your buddy are well practiced with buddy breathing a single second stage).

 

[Thalassamania]

I use a long hose primary (which I'd give to an OOA diver) and an regulator integrated inflator as my own backup. Why not just forget about the octo (unless you're going to France)?

 

[plwtwo]

I use both an Atomic SS1 (AIR2) and an OCto when I'm with students, if I'm fun diving, the allen key comes out of the bag and the Octo gets removed!..

The correct answer would be ::: What ever makes you more comfortable!

I'd say, suggest that if you stick with the same gear all the time...

 

[Thalassamania]

I use both an Atomic SS1 (AIR2) and an OCto when I'm with students, if I'm fun diving, the allen key comes out of the bag and the Octo gets removed!..

The correct answer would be ::: What ever makes you more comfortable!

I'd say, suggest that if you stick with the same gear all the time...

I do much the same thing, with students I add an Oceanic Omega II on a 4 ft hose that pretty much stays in my left hand.

 

[Srrh]

well, thank-you very much.
ohhh...and good point about diving in France...maybe I don't need Le octopus!
lol

 

[victor]

My instructor used exactly this combination.
His argument was as follows.
He taught using standard procedures for air share using the spare octo.
However if someone grabbed his primary then he used the air2 as that was instantly available.
In the unlikely position of 2 OOA's then to did not have to revert to buddy breathing.
He did teach budy breathing as part of our course and we had to do ascents from about 40ft. With a short primary buddy breathing is a fairly intimate affair and not one I would recommend.

 

[Nemrod]

Why?

Why have two additional failure points?

Why confuse yourself?

Why spend the extra money?

Why deal with the extra bulk and weight?


Dump the AirII and use an octapus, long hose or short, that is up to you.

AirII= bad, verrry, verrrry bad.

It keeps being mentiond that an octapus or AirII is redundancy--no---they represent no actual redundancy and their intended purpose is to share air with an OOA diver and nothing more. Redundancy is achieved only by:

Doubles with isolation manifold
Independent doubles
pony/buddy bottle


General rule--any increase in complexity of a system results in reduced reliability.
N