First post from an excited new member!

[Still Kicking]

Aqualung product seems to be flowing again. Many backorders filled in the last week or two.

 

[landphil]

They don't breathe well. Period

That used to be true. But the latest generation of Air2 breathe great. There are certainly gear configurations where you wouldn't want to have your secondary air source integrated with the inflator (I don't use an Air2 anymore, cause it's just not appropriate for my rig.) But Air2s have been used as secondary air sources longer than any other type of octopus. And the wild failure and accident scenarios that people seem to cook up just never happen (never meaning not significantly more that any other configuration.) If you minimally practice primary donate with your buddy so that switching to your Air2 isn't a new motion, they are plenty safe and reliable. And I definitely miss mine when I'm packing up for travel with that extra reg and hose.

 

[ScubaCarlJ]

Welcome!
My suggestion would be to take your time buying your equipment. Rent your gear for a period of time to test what works for you. When buying your regulator, make sure it can be serviced locally where you live so you don't have the added expense of mailing it off somewhere, plus you don't know the quality of workmanship you're getting.

Don't bother buying a used regulator. You don't know its service history and how well it was taken care of by the former owner(s). Give serious consideration to using an AI transmitter. As @SeanDavid702 mentioned, it's an added failure point and really just a toy to add on. I've been on many boats where a diver's transmitter has failed to connect.

Don't buy any Aqua Lung products, at least for now. They've had financial problems for several years, and they were just purchased again at the end of June 2025. I needed a replacement weight pocket and my local dive shops have none and Aqua Lung has none in stock and all production of new goods are suspended. As much as I'd like to support my local shops, it's not possible in this instance. I eventually found one on Amazon.

Thanks! Thank you for the reply too!

I had an opportunity to buy used gear from someone. Had the local shop that serviced it look it up for me. Not well maintained and I declined.

I’m with everyone here helping me and that you all for that on renting and finding what works before buying but I’m definitely getting all new.

Heard that from our local dive shop that I certified with that Aqualung was having issues with their VC owning overlords. They are off the list!

The ones I certified with had AI with a backup. Still intrigues me but understood on your point of failing.

Thanks again.

 

[Subcooled]

Greetings,

Happy to be part of this community to learn as part of my journey into the world of SCUBA!!!

Love the absolute tranquility of being underwater and the silencing of the world. Quite the meditation experience for me.

Own all of my own Greenprene and a Garmin Descent Mk3i.

Have been renting during training and fun dives working up the courage to get my own gear.

My dream gear:

Scuba pro hydros with an Air2 and decent 1st and 2nd stage. Or an Atomic BC1 (or 2).
Wireless transmitter for my watch.

Figure this way, it’s only two hoses to my gear, low pressure to the BCD and my regulator.

Thanks for listening.

Diving is the art of swimming (and doing stuff) underwater.

Forward, backwards, sideways, reversing while turning and descending. There are so many ways to move in three dimensions! Many of us reverse with fins, others with hands, yet others with both. The number of different kicks is large, too. Not just frog and flutter. There's more! There are so many techniques to enjoy!

What makes diving special is the weightlessness and the quiet meditative world. An, of course, the adventure.

Now, many equipment configurations do exist. Some light weight and flexible, some heavy weight and enabling. Some divers prefer single tanks, some double tanks, some sidemount, some rebreathers, no mount, hookah, ... There are many configurations to suit you diving needs and challenges. No gear configuration is good for everything. Pick the one that helps to fulfill your dreams today.

 

[speleo]

Big Scubapro fan here - but don't buy the AIR II (or and other brands version). Don't take my word for it, research why many don't like this interesting (but flawed) type of octopus.

 

[Saffadiver]

AIR II - nope!

 

[happy-diver]

I wish I could describe the utter sense of calm and peace that comes over me underwater. After the initial training and being taught nervousness subsided over time, it’s quite literally the most peaceful thing I’ve ever done.

Mate magnificent it only comes in second to being on ScubaBoard and hearing how many so called divers
can't figure out how to dive a simple piece like the Air II, which has much suitability in many circumstances

 

[Allen-1]

Seeing "nopes" on Air-2's. My instructor uses that as his "normal" gear. He had to setup a "standard" regulator/octo while training me so that we could do out of air exercises. As soon as I was certified, he swapped back. He's quite happy with it; part of that is that he likes "streamlined" and he travels a lot - his gear is less bulky than mine.

We discussed, briefly, ordering one with my first (current) BCD, and decided that it wasn't a good idea for me with the limited diving I've done. Better to stick with the style that I'm familiar with at this time.

 

[boulderjohn]

Seeing "nopes" on Air-2's. My instructor uses that as his "normal" gear.

I mentioned earlier that when my dive shop adopted the marketing policy recommended by the head of the agency to which they switched, dive instructors were required to all wear the specific gear selected by the shop in order to maximize profit margins. If I had not quit, I would have been required to use an Atomic SS1, the equivalent of the Air2. I would have been required to tell my students that I had personally decided to use that gear because it was the best. If I had told them what I actually use for my own diving, I would have been fired.

Just as an FYI, I have my alternate air on a bungee necklace hanging just below my chin. In an OOA emergency, I would donate my primary and take the alternate below the chin for myself. It is pretty much like using the Air2 in that regard, except I still have the inflator hose free to use during the ascent.

He had to setup a "standard" regulator/octo while training me so that we could do out of air exercises.

I have no idea why this would be necessary. As mentioned in the paragraph above, if I had stayed with the shop, we would have had to do all the OOA exercises with the SS1 alternate.