Air2 or SS1

[sambolino44]

My wife is trying to decide if this Scubapro deal, including the Air2, is the way to go. She rented a Ladyhawk BC with an older model (3rd generation I think) Air2. We practiced air sharing and ascending while sharing air, and she tried to orally inflate the BC on the surface. It was pretty hard to do (not to mention trying to orally inflate the BC under water!).

Apparently, if you don't depress the button all the way, then the air you're blowing into the BC just goes out the exhaust valve at the bottom of the Air2. Well, it's really hard for her to get that button all the way closed, and none of the "solutions" people have come up with are satisfactory. Use both hands to depress the button, cover the exhaust valve with your hand. Yeah, that all sounds great, and maybe it works in the store, or in the pool, but when you've just had an OOA emergency, and you've surfaced in a three foot chop you don't want to have anything but the easiest to operate gear. And that's not the Air2.

I never noticed those problems back when I had one, but then again I probably never practiced orally inflating while trying to float, and my hands are stronger.

We've looked at the Atomic SS1 in a store, and the buttons are easier to push. I wonder, though. And besides, no matter what, it's harder to orally inflate through a mouthpiece with bite tabs.

 

[tfsails]

SS1, Air 2, AirLink, Octo-Z, whatever. They all have one thing in common: you must inflate them orally through the mouthpiece, and the inflate/deflate buttons are on top of the reg, requiring you to activate them with your fingers. To my knowledge every safe second on the market today is configured that way.

I have a Zeagle Octo +. Its buttons are on the bottom and are thumb-operated. You orally inflate it through the exhaust port, not the mouthpiece. It is, in my 'umble opinion, much easier to just remove your lips from the exhause port to inhale while orally inflating it than it is to take that big ole mouthpiece out of your mouth to get a breath, stick it back in, inflate the BC some more, all while trying to stay on the surface.

With my Octo Plus I hold two fingers over the exhaust port when I'm deflating my BC and I can judge without looking how much air is coming out and how rapidly it's coming out. I understand Zeagle's reasons for changing over to the Octo Z, but I like the Plus better.

 

[beanojones]

Apparently, if you don't depress the button all the way, then the air you're blowing into the BC just goes out the exhaust valve at the bottom of the Air2. Well, it's really hard for her to get that button all the way closed, and none of the "solutions" people have come up with are satisfactory. Use both hands to depress the button, cover the exhaust valve with your hand. Yeah, that all sounds great, and maybe it works in the store, or in the pool, but when you've just had an OOA emergency, and you've surfaced in a three foot chop you don't want to have anything but the easiest to operate gear. And that's not the Air2.

I never noticed those problems back when I had one, but then again I probably never practiced orally inflating while trying to float, and my hands are stronger.

We've looked at the Atomic SS1 in a store, and the buttons are easier to push. I wonder, though. And besides, no matter what, it's harder to orally inflate through a mouthpiece with bite tabs.

Note: I have not used the Atomics.

Air2's have always had that problem. Just like you I never noticed it for myself, but people with small hands can have trouble with getting it all the way closed. The way around it always seemed to be wrapping the left around it from the far side (so your palm is facing you.)

 

[ronbeau]

My wife is trying to decide if this Scubapro deal, including the Air2, is the way to go. She rented a Ladyhawk BC with an older model (3rd generation I think) Air2. We practiced air sharing and ascending while sharing air, and she tried to orally inflate the BC on the surface. It was pretty hard to do (not to mention trying to orally inflate the BC under water!).

Apparently, if you don't depress the button all the way, then the air you're blowing into the BC just goes out the exhaust valve at the bottom of the Air2. Well, it's really hard for her to get that button all the way closed, and none of the "solutions" people have come up with are satisfactory. Use both hands to depress the button, cover the exhaust valve with your hand. Yeah, that all sounds great, and maybe it works in the store, or in the pool, but when you've just had an OOA emergency, and you've surfaced in a three foot chop you don't want to have anything but the easiest to operate gear. And that's not the Air2.

I never noticed those problems back when I had one, but then again I probably never practiced orally inflating while trying to float, and my hands are stronger.

We've looked at the Atomic SS1 in a store, and the buttons are easier to push. I wonder, though. And besides, no matter what, it's harder to orally inflate through a mouthpiece with bite tabs.

My daughter was 12 when she got certified and had not problem with oral inflation usng the SS1.

 

[Slonda828]

FWIW I have been using the Atomic SS1 since I got my own gear (right after the pool sessions in open water) and it works great. I have 15 dive on it and I got it used from my buddy who put about 50 on it. A couple of things I have noticed:

- You have to tell your buddy how it works and that you will be donating your primary to him.

- You have to show him how it works in case he/she has to recover you using your SS1 to control your ascent rate/buoyancy.

- You need a 5' or a 7' primary (which you should have anyway IMO)

- You need to practice with it.

- It breathes just as good as any Atomic primary (check Scuba lab).

- I am fairly competent, and I have never once had a problem with it.

- The only downside is if you are going into cramped quarters then you aren't going to want it because you are going to want a shorter corrugated hose for your inflator, which means you won't be able to turn your head when you put the SS1 in your mouth. So if you dive a short corrugated hose, I'd say skip it.

FWIW

S

 

[shizham]

I owned a ScubaPro Air 2 and currently own the Atomic SS1.

I prefer the SS1 since it is removable, the buttons are large and the purge valve surface area is infinitely larger than the little circle on the bottom of the Air 2.

As the previous poster indicated it breathes as well as my Atomic B2 at 100 feet.

Since the SS1 simply unscrews from the corrugated BC inflater hose it make flushing out the BC bladder a snap. It is so easy that I actually do it after every day of ocean diving. The ability to unscreww the SS1 alos makes packing it in a carry-on easier.

The suggested service interval on the SS1 is every 2 years as opposed to every year for the Air 2.

As others have said you buddy does not understand how to use an inflator/safe second combination unit. You might want to educate him/her based on what you have learned here on ScubaBoard.

Ronbeau...or anyone... What BCs are you all using with the SS1 ? I'm thinking of getting it as well but am concerned with fitting it with my Apollo Bio Control Aircross BC.

Thanks

 

[ronbeau]

Ronbeau...or anyone... What BCs are you all using with the SS1 ? I'm thinking of getting it as well but am concerned with fitting it with my Apollo Bio Control Aircross BC.

Thanks

The BCs my family currently owns or previously owned while using the SS1 are as follows:

Sherwood Luna
ScubaPro KnightHawk
ScubaPro LadyHawk
Aeris ATMOS LX

The SS1 comes with 3 corrugated hose adapters that allow it to be fitted to virtually any BC. The owner of my LDS has not yet run into a BC which could not be used with the SS1.

 

[Slonda828]

Ronbeau...or anyone... What BCs are you all using with the SS1 ? I'm thinking of getting it as well but am concerned with fitting it with my Apollo Bio Control Aircross BC.

Thanks

I've used mine on a Zeagle Ranger LTD, an old Zeagle concept from the early 90's, and a oxycheq BP/W. As mentioned, it comes with an adapter kit, and you can use the older style corrugated hose, or the newer style. It also works with pull dumps. I would make sure that your corrugated hose is long enough to support your head movement provided the SS1 is in your mouth. You can check this by putting your current inflator in your mouth and seeing if you can turn your head all the way to the right. If not, then for using a safe second, your hose is too short. That's the reason many people do not use them is because you need a pretty long low pressure inflator hose and corrugated hose to make them effective. I have used both systems, it is just a matter of what works for you. Hope it helps.

Slonda

 

[nashirak]

Ronbeau...or anyone... What BCs are you all using with the SS1 ? I'm thinking of getting it as well but am concerned with fitting it with my Apollo Bio Control Aircross BC.

Thanks

I dive a Cressi Back Jac, but as mentioned the SS1 comes with 3 different adaptors to mate with just about any BC.

Like many others who have responded, I have a B2/SS1 combo, and I couldn't be happier.

 

[Mtbr]

How well does the SS1 breathe? I hear discrepancy from users. Some say it breathes well while other disagree. My current set up is a B1 primary with a Airsource2. The Airsource2 doesn't breathe anywhere close to my B1, and I'm debating if I should spend the money on a SS1.