I assisted with a rescue class this weekend. Everyone else in jacket or back inflate bc's with all the buckles pockets clips etc. Conventional reg setups, with one guy using an AIR2. Me in my BPW, hog harness, and 7ft hose. I had no difficulties at all. They were however surprised by a few things.
1. OOA air share drill is so much easier with the long hose. A couple very surprised looks when I had a reg in their mouth and was still at arms length. Not locked together in some kind of weird hug. None had ever done a horizontal ascent on a share air either because they couldn't.
2. When you are using the victims inflator to bring up an unconscious diver from depth you get a whole lot more fine control with the short inflator and no pull dump. The guy who brought me could not believe how little it took to inflate/deflate the wing.
3. Towing a diver to shore while removing gear is so much faster and easier when all you gotta do is one buckle, loose crotch strap, and slide both arms down or (simulated of course) one buckle, crotch strap and cut two straps.
4. How it is so much faster to gear up to go into the water since everything is already adjusted.
5. How with a bungeed spare reg, and a clippped off primary to the right shoulder dring you never have to look for a breathing source. It is always at hand. No pulling a reg from a holder that may or may not be where it is supposed to be. No looking for one to donate because it's in your mouth! And to get the spare you duck your chin and pop it in.
Result: at least two guys who are going to change their hose configs very soon. And I think before the year is out or very early next year one will be in a new BPW. The other is using a zeagle ranger and really likes it but he also is considering fundies which I am also as soon as time and money permit. So he may make the switch as well. The third guy likes the setup but he just spent 3500 bucks on a housing for his new nikon D70. His wife will probably make him wait a bit for a new bc but he's probably gonna do hoses at least although rather than 7' he's looking at a 5 footer for routing reasons.
Slowly, but surely, conversion is happening. Patience children and the numbers will grow. No more octos dragging the reef. Air shares will be more efficient and not look like some convoluted mess. Less and less will there be divers who look like xmas trees on a 25 ft reef dive. If only the agencies would not be so stuck in their ways.
1. OOA air share drill is so much easier with the long hose. A couple very surprised looks when I had a reg in their mouth and was still at arms length. Not locked together in some kind of weird hug. None had ever done a horizontal ascent on a share air either because they couldn't.
2. When you are using the victims inflator to bring up an unconscious diver from depth you get a whole lot more fine control with the short inflator and no pull dump. The guy who brought me could not believe how little it took to inflate/deflate the wing.
3. Towing a diver to shore while removing gear is so much faster and easier when all you gotta do is one buckle, loose crotch strap, and slide both arms down or (simulated of course) one buckle, crotch strap and cut two straps.
4. How it is so much faster to gear up to go into the water since everything is already adjusted.
5. How with a bungeed spare reg, and a clippped off primary to the right shoulder dring you never have to look for a breathing source. It is always at hand. No pulling a reg from a holder that may or may not be where it is supposed to be. No looking for one to donate because it's in your mouth! And to get the spare you duck your chin and pop it in.
Result: at least two guys who are going to change their hose configs very soon. And I think before the year is out or very early next year one will be in a new BPW. The other is using a zeagle ranger and really likes it but he also is considering fundies which I am also as soon as time and money permit. So he may make the switch as well. The third guy likes the setup but he just spent 3500 bucks on a housing for his new nikon D70. His wife will probably make him wait a bit for a new bc but he's probably gonna do hoses at least although rather than 7' he's looking at a 5 footer for routing reasons.
Slowly, but surely, conversion is happening. Patience children and the numbers will grow. No more octos dragging the reef. Air shares will be more efficient and not look like some convoluted mess. Less and less will there be divers who look like xmas trees on a 25 ft reef dive. If only the agencies would not be so stuck in their ways.
