Best safe second?

[Caveeagle]

I wouldn't necessarily call it rude, a panicked OOA diver is going to go into survival mode at that point. They are going to grab your primary that's in your mouth. The whole practice of a diver swimming to you, giving you the OOA throat slash hand sign is not preparing divers for real life scenarios. Any diver who needs air is going to go straight for the source.

One of the reasons I'm a fan of primary donate and having a high performance backup.

Totally agree with the above comments.. but there was a pretty good post a few months back that called into question the "myth" of regs actually being snatched from a divers mouth. From what I remember, there have really not been that many example of this happening.

But since we are on this topic.. I think its critical to emphasize that your buddy's reg should not be your #1 plan for survival. Proper discipline around gas management, ....techniques and equipment for self rescue, ....good communication and close proximity to your buddy/team when you don't have a 100% redundant air supply, ...experience in how to deal with equipment failures.. etc..

These are all things that deserve as much attention as "which reg am I going to grab".

 

[DiverDownD3]

Totally agree with the above comments.. but there was a pretty good post a few months back that called into question the "myth" of regs actually being snatched from a divers mouth. From what I remember, there have really not been that many example of this happening.

But since we are on this topic.. I think its critical to emphasize that your buddy's reg should not be your #1 plan for survival. Proper discipline around gas management, ....techniques and equipment for self rescue, ....good communication and close proximity to your buddy/team when you don't have a 100% redundant air supply, ...experience in how to deal with equipment failures.. etc..

These are all things that deserve as much attention as "which reg am I going to grab".

Agree with what you are saying in regards to gas management and prevention. But I'm sure I've also read that most of the time when an OOA diver approaches you, it's not even your buddy. That goes back to good buddy skills, like you said

 

[Rred]

" the cheapest second and then dragging it though the sand,"
Which is why the BC industry followed SeaQuest's "Octopocket" nearly 40 years ago, with a dedicated large pocket on the BC, with a simple velcro flap, so the octopus (safe second my great white *ss) could be easily protected and still easily pulled out of the pocket.
Bungee on the neck? That's a noose, I try to avoid those.

 

[Caveeagle]

" the cheapest second and then dragging it though the sand,"
Which is why the BC industry followed SeaQuest's "Octopocket" nearly 40 years ago, with a dedicated large pocket on the BC, with a simple velcro flap, so the octopus (safe second my great white *ss) could be easily protected and still easily pulled out of the pocket.
Bungee on the neck? That's a noose, I try to avoid those.

Whether you donate your primary, or secondary.. having my back-up secured right under my chin is the best possible place for it. I can't think of any real downside to this. You are going to die from lack of gas long before being strangled by a small loop of bungee.

Most have the bungee attached so it will stay in place, but will easily pull free if you grab it. But, I am very comfortable with some who prefer to have the bungee attached in a more permanent way, like under the mouthpiece zip tie. The Poseidon Xsteam even has integral holes to perma-mount your bungee.

 

[DiverDownD3]

Bungee on the neck? That's a noose, I try to avoid those.

Do you have any evidence to support that claim?

 

[Caveeagle]

Bungee on the neck? That's a noose, I try to avoid those.

Do you have any evidence to support that claim?

I am guessing the concern is just a typical aversion to having a rope or dangler around your neck that could snag and either choke or pull you into danger. Like if you were rappelling or rock climbing, having hear tied to your neck would be an obvious issue. A slip & snag could easily create a "noose".

Diving, especially cave or technical diving is a totally different can of worms. That reg is your lifeline, and it does you no good if it cannot be pulled up to your mouth with a minimum of time effort. And the risk of it snagging and causing a choke hazard is practically non existent

 

[DiverDownD3]

@Caveeagle I get what you are saying, I just think it's one of those scuba urban legends. That you are going to die if you use a necklace!!!!!!!!!!1111 Same excuse you hear people not wanting to use a long hose.

 

[lexvil]

Caution, paranoia, fear, the only really safe second is another tank with its own reg. But what if that doesn't work you may need another tank/reg etc.

There are a lot of ways to dive, an octo-inflator is fine for most open water diving, deep diving, cave diving or wreck penetrating dives maybe not so much. We can all come up with multiple "what if" situations to support whatever style we choose, some are more likely than others, I've tried them all and still modify things as I see fit for whatever diving situation I see coming ahead, before the dive. I'm not going to continue a dive on an air2 nor will I continue with a fully functional full size second if my primary has failed I'm heading for the surface.

I'm not dismissing or defending any one system, I use or have used them all (not side mount but I recognize that it has some situational advantages) and I will switch between them still.

 

[WantSomeScuba?]

@Caveeagle I get what you are saying, I just think it's one of those scuba urban legends. That you are going to die if you use a necklace!!!!!!!!!!1111 Same excuse you hear people not wanting to use a long hose.

The long hose thing I hear constantly. I have never heard anybody speak ill of a necklace--is that really a thing?

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

"Best" is relative. Best is what your are comfortable with and works for you. I purchased a scubapro BCD a few years ago and it had the air2 on it. hmmm...cute. I dove with it a few time and yes, it was awkward to breathe from and not something I would want to complete a dive with, or even be on unless it was an emergency...but it did breath well enough and was almost impossible to lose. Touch your shoulder and work your way down.

Then came my Rescue Diver course. I knew that there would be out of air/panic situations practiced and in Oklahoma most diving conditions are 10 foot visibility at best, usually 3-4 feet, sometimes 1. I also knew that my instabuddies may or may not know that I have an Air2. I attached my old octo back to the 1st stage so I have both.

During a panicked diver scenario, I lost/donated my primary. I dropped my hand to my right hip for my octo and the little rubber octokeeper had dropped my octo. It was somewhere behind me. My air2 was right there, easy to find, and gave me a breath or two while I did an arm sweep to find my normal octo. Even if I would have had my octo on a snap, a couple of breaths is a nice thing to have.

I cant really say that if one is good, two is better....all three are dependent on a single first stage. I like the setup enough I have added air2's to both of my wings. The extra hose does not bother me and since I need an inflator anyway, might as well have an inflator/octo. For the type of diving I do, it works for me.

Long hose, short hose, Air2 or additional 2nd stage, bungee necklace, snap, rubber keeper, pony tank, spare air (probably not...but better than nothing), doubles, etc.... . What is best is what works best for you and your comfortable with, almost instinctive, if the sh#t hits the fan. What is best in my book is whatever get you back to the surface safely.

good luck, safe travels,
Jay