Air2 or Octo

[guymenton]

Hi Brian,

Thanks for the detailed description. It was exactly what I was looking for, to help me picture the general setup, so I have this as a starting point for putting together what will work best for me. I have a back-inflate BC...anything else I should consider, to make it work with this type of BC?

Thanks again.

I don't know what kind of BC you use, ie BP/W or regular jacket type. So, I am going to tell you how I do it with my BP/W since that is what I dive with.

Typically, the hose comes off the first stage and routes down along your right side, then tucked under/behind your cannister light or weight pocket or some other thing you have hanging on your harness which can be used to hold the hose. From that point, the hose crosses below your waist belt in front of you then comes up along your left front area. Finally, the hose loops around your neck from left to right, leaving the second stage hanging on your right. From there, you just place the second stage in your mouth and go blow some bubbles.

As for the octo on the bungess, this is on a much shorter hose and comes off your first stage then over your right shoulder/upper arm and hangs under your chin. It is held in place by some surgical tubing around the second stage mouth piece and your neck. Normally, the tubing is short enough that you can reach the mouth piece with your mouth and not have to use your hand to place it in your mouth but is not required to be that short.

Actually, there is NOTHING that is "required" about any configuration. You set up your gear however it works for you, keeps you safe, and is comfortable for you to use.

Hope this helps.

Brian

 

[Quarrior]

I'm glad to hear you have a back inflate BC. All you need now to make this setup work is have something on your right side you can tuck the hose into. Just remember, when you deploy the hose in an OOA situation, you need to be able to untuck if from whatever you are using to hold the hose in place.

Also, you'll hear a lot of folks say the long hose is not needed in open water, only in caves and the like. They have a point, it is not "needed", however, all my diving so far has been in open water and I have been diving this configuration since the end of May. I have done practice OOAs with buddies using the "standard" configuration and the long hose configuration. Both my buddies and I have agreed, the long hose makes it much easier to handle the situation. in fact two of them have converted to the long hose since practicing OOA with me using the long hose. It gives the person on the end of the hose all the room they need to do whatever they need to do. I like my space and the short hoses don't afford that option.

Brian

Hi Brian,

Thanks for the detailed description. It was exactly what I was looking for, to help me picture the general setup, so I have this as a starting point for putting together what will work best for me. I have a back-inflate BC...anything else I should consider, to make it work with this type of BC?

Thanks again.

 

[JDostal]

guymenton - i was going to give you a description, but it looks like I was beaten to the punch. Basically, the hose goes from your tank down along your right side, loops under something on your right (typically a canister light, but otherwise a small belt mounted knife works), and then across your chest (from right hip to left shoulder) and then around the back of your neck and in your mouth. Works pretty slick!

 

[guymenton]

Omicron, Brian,
Thanks for the great advice. Although I'm a newbie, I'm the type to think ahead and plan for the best combination of safety and efficiency in my equipment and my diving. For a beginner, it sure helps to have knowledgeable people like yourselves who are open to sharing what you know vs. trial-and-error on my part...thanks again!
Happy and Safe Diving!!!

guymenton - i was going to give you a description, but it looks like I was beaten to the punch. Basically, the hose goes from your tank down along your right side, loops under something on your right (typically a canister light, but otherwise a small belt mounted knife works), and then across your chest (from right hip to left shoulder) and then around the back of your neck and in your mouth. Works pretty slick!

 

[Mark Vlahos]

guymenton,

I just want to add to the earlier excellent posts detailing the hose routing, remember that the long hose should NOT run under your left arm. If you donate the hose to another diver you would simply grab the hose on the regulator from your mouth with your right hand and while you present the needy diver with the regulator just lean your head forward and allow the hose to slip gently over your head. You also need to be careful during your dive that you do not place anything like lights, slates, consoles, compasses, or any other dangly bits in a place where they will tangle with the long hose.

If it is possible you would be well advised to go in to a shop in your area that caters to technical divers, they should be happy to demonstrate the proper hose routing to you. I used to live in Orange County and I think there is a shop in Santa Ana just north of the 55 on the North side of the 5 that can help you. I can not remember the shops name.

Best of luck,

Mark Vlahos

 

[JDostal]

Good time to plan - I just hate to see someone do what I did. Bought all my gear once....then when I saw how well all this other stuff worked, I bought all my gear again. Hate to see others do it!

 

[The Kraken]

I thought I'd made a post to this thread, maybe it got pulled or maybe I forgot to submit it, but anyway, at the sake of being redundant I'll repeat myself.

An intergrated alternate air source is not the Grim Reaper waiting at the bottom of the ocean to pull you to your death.

Before I changed gear setups I dived with a Zeagle Octo+ for many years. My wife dives with a Seaquest Air Source.

We've practiced OOA drills with these devices and have never had an issue with breathing while releasing air from the BC on ascent.

One of the arguement for the bungied alternate air source is that the diver always "Knows where the alternate is". Well, we all use our inflators. We know where our inflator is, so if your alternate air source is on your inflator hose you would certainly know where your alternate air source is.

Another arguement against the intergrated second is that of the free flowing reg scenario in that it renders the BC inflator useless. I don't think that's the case. With a free flow one is going to surface in any situation. Even if the tank has been emptied one can inflate the BC manually.

So far on the board I've yet to hear an opponent of the intergrated air source cite a personal experience with a malfunction of a unit of this type. All that are give are hypothetical situations.

A hypothetical situation . . . your tank can explode.

 

[JDostal]

It's definitely not a grim reaper by any means.

I'm just saying that once you try an OOA using a long hose, you'll wonder why you put up with that other stuff. You can do it either way - but would you rather do it with a so-so reg hooked to your inflator stuffed in your mouth, and your buddy so close to you that you look like siamese twins, or would you rather have your buddy on a long hose giving you both freedom to swim and ascend safely, and you have a nice regulator in your mouth.

Both will get you there and get the job done - it's just a matter of preference as to how. Me - I like to make things easy - hence the long hose!

 

[vjongene]

I'm in the process of buying a new setup (bp&w), and I'm curious to hear people's opinions on which they prefer: the Air2 setup or the Octo.

A buddy of mine who is also an instructor has bought several BCs off e-bay for cheap. They had Air2 setups. First thing he did was to rip them off and replace them with proper inflators. Ought to tell you something...

 

[guymenton]

Exactly...I don't want to fall into that trap either...hahaha.

Now, going with the 7' primary and bungied octo, the next logical question is the octo better be as good quality as our primary. I'm planning to get an Atomic B2, so unless I hear of a better octo, I'm going to go with an Atomic octo as well. I'm really curious to know what other people with the same setup are using as their octo. (I'll start another post)

Thanks for everyone's input!

Good time to plan - I just hate to see someone do what I did. Bought all my gear once....then when I saw how well all this other stuff worked, I bought all my gear again. Hate to see others do it!