AIR2 or similar, whats your experiences?

[Peter_C]

If the Air2 is so great how come you do not hear of people switching from a bungeed backup to it? Only the other way around, and everyone who has done so says they feel the bungeed backup is far superior! Hmmm...makes you wonder doesn't it?

 

[Scott L]

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.

The OP is looking for guidance on building the most thoughtful gear set-up. Although the Air2 can accomplish the job with practice, etc. I have no idea why it would be recommended over a conventional octo set-up regardless of the manner of attachment.

If one is worried about being streamline they would not also have the Air2 contraption affixed to a jacket BCD. Strange!

 

[redacted]

If the Air2 is so great how come you do not hear of people switching from a bungeed backup to it? Only the other way around, and everyone who has done so says they feel the bungeed backup is far superior! Hmmm...makes you wonder doesn't it?

My wife/ buddy switched back. We both dove an Air2 for quite some time. After I went to a BP/wing with 5' hose on the primary and a slung pony for solo diving, I found that my Air2 and my pony bottle were fighting for the same space. So I made the switch to a bungeed octo (and find nothing but advantages). Eventually, my wife/buddy decided to give up her jacket BCD for a transpac (still with some misgivings). It took a while but I also got her to try a 5' hose and a bungeed octo. She gave it a fair try but decided she wanted to go back to her Air2 and also changed to a 40" hose with a 90 degree adapter. Like with her Air2, she liked knowing exactly where her backup was at all times but did not like either the long hose or the bungee around her neck. She especially hated it when she had to remove her gear in the water.

 

[Scott L]

My wife/ buddy switched back. We both dove an Air2 for quite some time. After I went to a BP/wing with 5' hose on the primary and a slung pony for solo diving, I found that my Air2 and my pony bottle were fighting for the same space. So I made the switch to a bungeed octo (and find nothing but advantages). Eventually, my wife/buddy decided to give up her jacket BCD for a transpac (still with some misgivings). It took a while but I also got her to try a 5' hose and a bungeed octo. She gave it a fair try but decided she wanted to go back to her Air2 and also changed to a 40" hose with a 90 degree adapter. Like with her Air3, she like knowing exactly where her backup was at all times but did not like either the long hose or the bungee around her neck. She especially hated it when she had to remove her gear in the water.

If she is more comfortable in the old set-up that's exactly the way she should dive...

 

[Teamcasa]

From the OP:

...That makes me wonder, how often are you in these situations? For me (who was ready to get one for my first BCD) it seems like a neat setup.
But seeing how all these people disliked the AIR2 makes me wonder - how often do you find yourselves in these OOA situations? I thought that maybe it would be a once or twice in a life time experience...?

Anyone who wants to share some experience about AIR2, OCTO-Z etc....

The OP is looking for guidance on building the most thoughtful gear set-up. Although the Air2 can accomplish the job with practice, etc. I have no idea why it would be recommended over a conventional octo set-up regardless of the manner of attachment.

He was looking for how often you actually needed it and what experience people had with it.

Frankly, I could care less what he decides to use as the Air2 is what the donor has to use. So far, only a few actually answered his questions and offered alternative octo configuration instead.

All this effort in boohooing something that by all accounts works fine and so rarely needed just seems like overkill to me. People love their gear configurations and seemingly will stop at nothing to convert everyone to their way of thinking.

Like I said before, I don't care where I get the air. If I really need it and if my buddy is equipped with an Air2, bungied octo, conventional octo, pony or a can of Spare-Air, hoopdy damn do, just hand it over and lets head up.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Speaking from the viewpoint of an instructor the problem is not so much the equipment itself but the fact that so many shops sell this thing with no training in it;s use. I will not allow an integrated octo in my standard OW classes unless the student owns it and insists on using it. At that point they will need to schedule an extra session or two solely to work on it's use and function. It is absolutely prohibited in my AOW classes as it will not fit with the exercises required to pass the class. 100 foot no mask air share swims side by side, horizontal air share ascents from 90-100 feet in very dark water, and the length may interfere with deployment of the slung stage reg. I do not recommend it to students and in fact if asked council against it.

And my octo's breath as well as my primary's because they are the same regs for the most part. On my doubles I have HOG's and on the singles setup it is a Delta 3 w/cdx5 and a GT3 or an alpha 7 with dx4 and alpha7 octo. I went cheap on my first set up. I feel the octo should be of the same quality as the primary perhpas just detuned a tad to avoid a freeflow.

 

[diveprof]

Air 2 is fine. It breathes great. However, I only use it exclusively when I know the competency of my dive buddy and never alone as the alternate with students.

 

[Peter_C]

Fair enough one person switched back. At least she did try both and decided which one she liked better. Those that have not tried both with an open mind really do not know what they are missing. I know I am not missing my Air2!

My wife/ buddy switched back. She gave it a fair try but decided she wanted to go back to her Air2 and also changed to a 40" hose with a 90 degree adapter. Like with her Air2, she liked knowing exactly where her backup was at all times but did not like either the long hose or the bungee around her neck. She especially hated it when she had to remove her gear in the water.

We doff in the water (Some people don (Kayak diving requires both in the water) all the time diving off my small boat. It becomes routine, and someone leaving their bungeed backup in place when removing gear is always good for a laugh. Sometimes it is ME though! You can have my Hogarthian configuration when I am no longer diving...

 

[FritzCat66]

I have seen several people now saying that their purchase of an AIR2 or OCTO-Z has been a let down. Complaining how hard it is to breathe with them, badly fitting mouth piece etc.

That makes me wonder, how often are you in these situations? For me (who was ready to get one for my first BCD) it seems like a neat setup. I never liked the dangle and obtrusion that the octo presents. In the event of helping a distressed diver I would gladly part with my primary 2nd stage and use the AIR2 for live saving purposes.

But seeing how all these people disliked the whole affair with the AIR2 makes me wonder - how often do you find yourselves in these OOA situations? I thought that maybe it would be a once or twice in a life time experience...?

Anyone who wants to share some experience about AIR2, OCTO-Z etc....

I currently use the Aqualung version of the Air2, they call it the AirSource 2 (I think there's an AirSource 3 now, but whatever). No, I have not needed it for any real emergencies. However, I have used it quite a bit during training exercises, most recently - and quite extensively - during my cavern certification dives.

It worked fine, although I was very glad I had quite some time ago switched my primary to a "long-ish" 5-foot hose for the extended sharing. (I didn't get it for sharing purposes, however - I got it to wear underarm and thus eliminate an over-the-shoulder hose; I don't wrap it around, I simply wear the 5-footer underarm, with a right-angle adapter into my reg). While sharing this way was fine, nevertheless I think sharing with an Air2 and a standard short hose for an extended time would be rather a bit too... intimate.

In terms of breathability, however, the Aqualung was fine - not quite as smooth as my Atomic primary, but that's to be expected. Had to bite down a bit more on the Aqualung's mouthpiece to compensate for the stronger left-side pull; this would definitely cause jaw fatigue if you did it all the time, but even using it extensively for an afternoon's worth of drills, I was fine (and the comfort of my Seacure molded mouthpiece on my primary also has me spoiled in that department).

Buoyancy control wasn't much trouble, although I imagine it could be if my primary had a short hose, putting my buddy all up in my face.

I normally dive rigged for solo, with my independent pony reg necklaced. So in this setup, the Air2 is mostly just for the off-chance I'm having to help an OOA buddy and I prefer to continue to breathe off the main tank instead of the pony. In this configuration, the Air2 is actually quite handy and practical for eliminating a hose and keeping things simple, yet keeping one's options open.

Occasionally, before my normal ascent at the end of a dive, I will practice switching to, breathing from, and controlling buoyancy with my Air2 all the way up just to make sure I'm very familiar with it. If you use an Air2, I would heartily recommend doing this drill fairly often so it's intuitive when you really need it.

Just remember, if you do that drill, first make sure your buddy knows you're not in trouble or anything.

So, my final recommendation to the OP is: if you're primarily a recreational diver, and not an instructor or techie or anything like that, then sure an Air2 is fine and actually has a few advantages, but only if you get a good one to begin with, maintain it regularly just like your primary, and practice with it so it's comfortable and intuitive when you need it. And, think about getting at least a slightly longer hose for your primary.

 

[eelnoraa]

Before I bought my current regulator setup, I have tried my friend's Atomic B2/SS1 a few times. My overall impression was not very positive. The main issue is not how SS1 breath. In fact, I think it breath very compatible to B2. The advantage is definitely one less hose. In my friend's setup, he use Suuto transmitter. So the entire reg setup only have one hose to the primary 2nd stage, very clean setup and very easy to stow away.

Now here is a new reason I decided not to go for this setup myself.
1) It has been my buddy and my prratice to pretent OOA situation in safety stop. With B2/SS1, the length of primary is too short for donation. your buddy will be right in front of your. The Atomic swivel helps here, but image without it, the amount of movement premitted is very small before reg pull out of my buddy's mouth.

2) with SS1 in mouth, venting is not easy. I have Oxycheq wings, the only dump valves are the inflator and the lower left. When donating B2, it is almost impossible to state horizont because of hose length. At vertical postion, the bottom dump is useless. So venting with SS1, I have take it out of my mouth, vent then put it back in. I think if I were to have a normal BC with pull dump in corrogated hose or right shoulder, this would not be an issue. But nonetheless, this setup doesn't work well with BP/W setup.

3) although one less hose, but not necessary more stream line. SS1 itself is heavy, so it hang down when I am at horizontal. With BP/W setup, this is not too bad because corrogated hose is kind of short. With normal BC, I can see it hang down a more. Not so streamline if you ask me.

4) diffuclt to switch BC. Because SS1 go onto a BC or wing, if you decide to use another BC setup, you have to cut the zip tie and install it somewhere else. Kind of diffult to switch back and fore.

This is how I ended up skipping SS1.

Speaking from the viewpoint of an instructor the problem is not so much the equipment itself but the fact that so many shops sell this thing with no training in it;s use. I will not allow an integrated octo in my standard OW classes unless the student owns it and insists on using it. At that point they will need to schedule an extra session or two solely to work on it's use and function. It is absolutely prohibited in my AOW classes as it will not fit with the exercises required to pass the class. 100 foot no mask air share swims side by side, horizontal air share ascents from 90-100 feet in very dark water, and the length may interfere with deployment of the slung stage reg. I do not recommend it to students and in fact if asked council against it.

You teach all of these in your AOW??? I can only know how much I didn't learn in my AOW.