AIR2 or similar, whats your experiences?

[formula1mb@aol.com]

I've practiced it before, not a big deal. You give the other diver your main regulator, breath off the SS1, and than use the rear dump to control buoyancy on the way up. Or you can use the huge dump valve on the SS1 too.

 

[RJP]

I've practiced it before...

So the answer is "no" then.

 

[formula1mb@aol.com]

Maybe if you have a super short inflator hose it would be uncomfortable but as long as you have a decent length, it's fairly comfortable. If the length of the inflator hose is a problem, you can use some bungee to keep it down.

 

[formula1mb@aol.com]

So the answer is "no" then.

If you mean have I had a real emergency where I had to use it, no. How many have though? Other than a real emergency, you pracitce and you train, how's that different from using the short 22" octo?

 

[Zung]

Hmm... seems like you've got bigger fish to fry than gear configuration.

:shocked2:

It's not exactly what you think
We used to dive with a BIG film camera and a housing, and the one who carried that thing ran low on air first; if there's any action at that very moment, that one would feed on the tank of the other. We never advertized this because it's not proper, until we went on that particular cruise, and those guys, real professionals, were filming with a GIGANTIC betacam and they were doing exactly the same thing.

Have you ever breathed off of it, while ascending from depth, with another (out of air) diver in your face, while venting?

Just wondering...

:cool2:

No problem at all. We both use the quick dumps on the BC almost exclusively. We find it easier to control and it's a lot faster.

 

[ONESPEED]

Here's a little more food for thought. In an emergency situation do you really want your regulator to be attached with a quick disconnect fitting?

 

[djtimmy77]

I have an SS1 and a slightly longer than normal hose on my primary. My 3 regular buddies all have Air2's. We only do OW dives.

I have donated my primary in an OOA situation (thanks to a no-longer used AI computer belonging to my buddy) and everything worked smoothly. If I am sharing my air I will be holding on to my buddy's BCD anyway, so hose length is not an issue.

The SS1 breathes great, and there aren't any unusual maintenance issues. I also prefer the operation of the inflator buttons on it over the standard inflator.

Each setup has its merits, and obviously people have their preferences. All 3 typical setups are functional, choose the one that fits your needs the best.

 

[Teamcasa]

I've never used one but don't see any (valid) reason to boohoo it. I do know several very proficient divers that use them and are quite happy with their performance. Would I replace my conventional octo with one? Probably not, but not for the reasons stated in several of the above posts.

 

[explorer08]

In my opinion it depends on how you use them.
I’ve been using AIR II’s since their first generation appeared on the market. While just using them for what they originally have been created for – as a device for emergency situations – I always have been very satisfied with them.
You brought the reasons why this has been quite good to the point. There is one hose less dangling around you and you nearly never have to use it. But if the unlikely event occurs and you need it, you have something valuable to provide help with.
In more than 25 years as a diver and on about 2000 dives I had to share my air with another diver in an real emergency situation only once. Also I can’t remember that I have been witness of another real emergency situation in that period of time. So for me the alternate air source is something comparable to the spare wheel of a car – it is good to have one, but it is relative unlikely that you ever will use it.
Also if the unlikely moment comes, that another diver should be in need of your air, you should not expect, that he acts like he has been taught during his training. It is very unlikely that he will look for your alternate air source for to use it. It is much more likely that he will grab for the next regulator which is obvious for him and that is the one in your mouth. So if he pulls your regulator out of your mouth, because he is in panic, the AIR II is a perfect solution for you. But even if he stays relaxed, communicates with you with proper signs, in these rare occasions it is the easiest way for you to hand him your 2nd stage and than take the AIR II for your own.

Things started to change for me when I started teaching diving. From that moment on breathing from an alternate air source became a frequently used technique for me, I had to use on many of my dives. From that moment on using my AIR II meant, that I always had to hand my personal regulator to my students while exercising the alternate air source breathing with them. But I simply did’t like to have everybody permanently sucking on my personal regulator. Because of the same reason I also would never use the long hose version.
So first I simply added an octopus to my configuration, just for these training situations. But within short term it became obvious for me that it doesn’t make real sense to dive with an AIR II and an octopus, so I took the AIR II out of service.

 

[Teamcasa]

Here's a little more food for thought. In an emergency situation do you really want your regulator to be attached with a quick disconnect fitting?

More food: In a real emergency I could careless how it's attached, what it looks like, how it breathes or how silly I look breathing from it as long as I could get some air out of it and make it safely to the surface.