How do you pick an octo?

[PerroneFord]

Put the bright yellow cover on your primary and the black cover on the bungeed backup. Problem solved.

2 Problems. First, I don't have another DR reg to switch with. Second, if I had another DR reg, I don't want some yocal stopping me as I am about to do a giant stride off the boat asking why I am staring the dive with my octo! (Long hose, yellow face plate)

 

[StSomewhere]

Second, if I had another DR reg, I don't want some yocal stopping me as I am about to do a giant stride off the boat asking why I am staring the dive with my octo! (Long hose, yellow face plate)

Point taken. Last Saturday at a quarry with OW students, I was asked *twice* why I was breathing off my octo -- once by an instructor. I think I'll have to go back to the blue faceplate on the primary...

 

[PerroneFord]

Last Saturday at a quarry with OW students, I was asked *twice* why I was breathing off my octo -- once by an instructor.

...I'm sucking the OTHER side of my tank down so my rig will balance right. Can't dive with no one-sided tanks...

 

[spyder]

I've always subscribed to the buy two of whatever your primary is logic. The last reg set I bought (SP mk18/G250HP) I deviated and got a Gyro octo on the LDS's suggestion. Hated it, had a tendency to bubble (which they finally got adjusted) and when I tried it at depth it didn't breath very well. Ended up buying another G250HP used from a fellow scubaboarder and elimnated the potential problem when in an emergency situation.

 

[halocline]

I'm sure that works great, only it almost seems a shame to have such a high performance 2nd as the G250 as an octo. Certainly nothing wrong with it...most people in that situation would get an R190 and have it tuned to the lower IP of the 1st stage. (MK2 IP is typically higher than the balanced piston IP, although I'm not sure about the MK18) Since my R190 is tuned to my MK2, when I tried using it as an octo on my MK15 G250, it breathed pretty stiff. Your way, having an adjustable octo lets you set it pretty stiff to prevent any free flow, then adjust it to breathe as you want when you're using it.

 

[Captain CaveMan]

i bought the same as y primary 2nd stage atx50. i now that both work and will give my buddy and i the air we need. my wife still rents gear and when we do ooa drills when i breath out of her octo its harder to breath because its not ballanced. some times i have to work to breath when were at 40-50 ft. that all she will go so my limits change for her. #1 buddy rule. know there limits....
get a good octo. make sure its ballanced