Combo Inflator/Octo or seperate?

[BDSC]

An Air2 thread without :flame:
I never believed it would be possible.

Give it time my friend!

 

[beanojones]

How is removing a bungee necklace a hassle? Same tug as an octo and it's loose. And air twos are much longer than any inflator I have used or use now.

A long primary is the way to go. That means that the choice is between a bungie necklace which is a hassle (kitting up, and during gear removal) or an Air2 which is not, because it is just putting on the gear. A standard octo is never a good choice for anyone.

I dive with both, and I never like having to deal with the bungied necklace when it is not required by the setup. It never fails to hang on the snorkel, when there is a snorkel for one thing. And it is kind of silly when solo diving because a typical move to free one self from entanglement is to remove the unit, which then becomes more entangled with a necklace bungie.

Bungied necklace are fine for some uses, when gear removal will never be an issue and when snorkel are not being used. But research diving may have both. As always operational concerns (and not notions on what 'should' be used) are the best way to decide.

Research diving is often with snorkel, often solo, and often involves gear removal. All of those are arguments for a long hose with an Air2, and argue against a neck bungie. (a quick removable neck bungie is kind of missing the point of a neck bungie in the first place, since it can fall out silently.)

 

[-=Striker=-]

Not to drag out the argument, but "bulky, drag all the bottom"? Those are problems with octopus's not with Air 2s. Inflator and Air2 hang at about the same level,and should both be put in place but a loop of something, if that is a concern.

I checked one out at a LDS and they seem considerably heavier than my current inflator. The key point is for my research i'll be spending a pretty significant amount of time sitting on the bottom (or even laying) doing observations... so there is potential i'll be laying right on the Air2, especially with the way my setup is.

So I just ordered a replacement part and i'll work with that for now, but i suspect at some point in the future i may swap over, or try one out for a rec-rig... But for my research work i'd rather not spend $200-300 just to destroy the thing in a season, If ya know what I mean ;-P

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Good reason to go for a bungeed octo under the chin then. Please don't lay on anything on the bottom that is alive or will get damaged just to study something else you want to preserve. I'd also carefully consider the advice of your professor.

And I don't know where Beano gets his neck bungees but they must be pretty crappy. The ones I make release quickly when necessary and I've yet to have an octo silently fall out of them.

Even before moving to a long hose and bungee octo I always kept my octo high. Usually in a holder clipped to the right chest d ring. I also like short inflators. The ones on my plates are no more than 16 inches. I even got rid of the standard one on my express tech as I felt it was too long and went with a short one.

 

[-=Striker=-]

I've got a permit to work inside of an MPA so trust me, i know about making sure i don't mess anything up X-P. I'll be building artificial reefs in the middle of a sandy area as well so there shouldn't be too much for me to lay on and injure .

Good reason to go for a bungeed octo under the chin then. Please don't lay on anything on the bottom that is alive or will get damaged just to study something else you want to preserve. I'd also carefully consider the advice of your professor.

And I don't know where Beano gets his neck bungees but they must be pretty crappy. The ones I make release quickly when necessary and I've yet to have an octo silently fall out of them.

Even before moving to a long hose and bungee octo I always kept my octo high. Usually in a holder clipped to the right chest d ring. I also like short inflators. The ones on my plates are no more than 16 inches. I even got rid of the standard one on my express tech as I felt it was too long and went with a short one.

 

[Greg G]

I have the SS1 and love it. Though I'm still new so don't know any different. Having 1 less hose is what attracted me!

 

[FM1520]

I have my octo bungeed around my next and will donate my primary. Thats the way I was taught and I'm comfortable with it. I plan to get the Aqua Lung Air 3, I like the idea of one less hose and one less thing hanging around.