ScubaMike14:
I too am an active DM with almost 3000 dives. I have never seen a loose octo dragging on the bottom, but what I DO see is SPG's dragging. The SPG hose is longer than a second stage hose, it weighs more than a 2nd stage, so if it's not clipped to something it hangs lower.
Not sure where you are going with the "they handle it alot in thier normal dive"....why would you want to hang onto your inflator hose all the time? I try and teach new divers to leave the damn thing alone after adjusting thier bouyancy. The temptation of a new diver to press the "little colored button" is just too much.
As for the Air 2....I personally think it's a piece of crap. Why? .....
- Too many things in one unit. One goes wrong, they all go wrong.
- Ever try to service one? I find them to be a PIA
- You cannot use a standard inflator hose with an air 2. Cough up another $30 for a new inflator hose.
- If you break or forget your reg while on vacation you better pray that the dive operator has a hose that will fit it. Otherwise you get to use a rental BC.
- In the dreaded "OOA" situation you give your bouyancy and octo to a "panicked" diver. Great, now they are in my face, controlling my bouyancy and freaking out!!
Just my opinion.
Mike Rushton
Well... I'm a big believer in '...different strokes...', so, if an octo works for you, cool. I certainly don't have anywhere near 2000 dives (and I envy your warm water access!). However...
I use an Atomic SS1 'air2,' and I'm rather pleased with it.
--It breathes better then quite a few primaries I've tried...
--If something goes wrong on *any* reg or inflator, regardless of rig configuration, I always assumed you'd abort the dive anyway, and head up...
--I have my regs serviced by the LDS, so I wouldn't know how much of PIA it is...
--With an air2, the primary goes to the OOA buddy, and you keep the backup (so, you keep the buoyancy control)...
--I don't tend to play with the 'little colored buttons' too much, however, I have no choice on descent, ascent, and perhaps once or twice during the dive (I'm still working on that pinpoint perfect elusive buoyancy, which requires adjustments for me, switching between fresh and salt, cold and warm)...
--Finally... it *is* a backup. If I ever find myself in that unfortunate situation of needing it, I'm heading up and out... I figure for the hours, days, and weeks of enjoying a simplified rig, it's worth the moments of inconvenient contingency, if I'd ever have to deploy it...
But, again... use what works for ya...