Best Way To Dump Air From Your BCD?

[OE2X]

I don't dive overhead environments so I've never been in a position I couldn't ascend a couple of feet to clear the bottom.

Good response.

 

[FloppyFoot]

Wouldn't this also depend on how much air is in your BC at the time?

For example, near the surface with little air in my BC, I find that I have to raise the inflator hose to dump the last remaining air. At depth with more air in the BC, I'll use whichever of the four pull dumps is highest at the moment depending on my attitude in the water, but I won't use the inflator hose because that requires me to get vertical. Another argument for owning your own gear so you know the location of each dump valve without searching

 

[wolf eel]

I use my dry suit and dump the air at the surface using the pull and then just before going under using the hose.

 

[OneBrightGator]

I'd say I use my inflator 90% of the time, my hand is usually closer and I don't have to worry about an imbalance. The little trick I learned was to hold your inflator level with your backside and hold the deflate button and the right amount of gas will vent leaving you neutral, takes a bit of practice but it works awesomely when task-loaded. Staying ahead of things will prevent silting out the bottom, I always adjust my bouyancy before entering a small silty section, other then having rock or metal directly overhead I see no need in being that close to the bottom anyway.

 

[mossym]

to bleed a little off the inflator hose, if i need to lose a lot then the rear dumps..

 

[ScubaFreak]

I also have a pull cord on my right shoulder, dumps air nicely regardless of position. (Suunto Pro2000)

SF

 

[Geezer]

I've found that the horizontal roll-to-the-right lifts my inflator hose enough to dump just fine, without having to go vertical. Sometimes, I'll roll most of the way onto my back, and watch the bubbles go up, before rolling back over.

 

[wcl]

- Left-rear typically when swimming (I am usually a little head-down already to keep the fin-tips off of things; they are a bit long).

- Deflator hose for major changes (initial descent, final ascent), head-up.

Cheers,
Walter

 

[Dive-aholic]

I wanted something a little more thought provoking for my 1000th post. That said my 1001th post was some inane little pun - back to normal for me.

Well, your posts leading up to 1000 were definitely thought provoking. Which is good. Haven't seen too much of that on the Board lately.

 

[Dive-aholic]

...Personally I use both methods ie... mainly use the rear left dump, but when ascending and I'm venting from my drysuit, I will occasionally use my hose. I don't have the pull feature.

The reason I prefer to vent using my rear dump valve is to keep my fins out of the mud when I'm near the bottom.

Same here. Earlier I replied with rear dump valve, but that's only to adjust bouyancy as I'm swimming along the bottom to compensate for depth changes. I'll use the dump valve on ascents. I have the pull feature but I don't like it. It takes too much pull to vent.