Integrated 2nd vs. Octo....Any Input?

[clifftondiver]

I have 2 rigs:
1-doubles with a tech set-up (7 foot primary and secondary bungeed at my neck). this set-up absolutely rocks! My buddy and practice sharing air all the time, as I dive my doubles whenever I'm not helping with classes.

2- jacket bc with an integrated octo i use when helping with classes. I have to switch hoses around when I use my jacket bc. I used my integrated octo when doing the skills portion of my DM tests. When orally inflating the bc, at depth or at the surface, i would have rather been pulling out my finger nails. It was not easy at the bottom OR at the surface. It's a major PITA!

You say you're going to tech and stuff. If that is goal, don't even bother with an integrated system. Just do it the old fashioned way, you'll save money in the end.

Just my 2' of worm, though.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I'd buy into that reason if not for the fact that whenever I hear it, it's coming from someone who's bicycle kicking like mad, swimming with their hands, at a 45deg angle, over-weighted to the hilt, wearing a 10" bowie knife strapped to their calf and an ill-fitting BCD adorned with all manner of folding pockets, retractors, doo-dads, and gadgets.

Good thing they've eliminated that one hose, huh?

Its a cute argument but it is also a logical fallacy. You'll find just as many roto-tillers with regular octos and it does not really have any bearing on the argument.

In some cases the extra hose has a lot more impact than just one hose - it can impact how the reg and all the other hoses need to be routed. Consider the pictures below and tell me which one is cleaner and lower drag. One uses an Air II and the other uses a bungeed backup.

 

[BDSC]

I personally know of two people/divers who used the octo configuration and they are now dead. All the people that I know that use the intergrated 2nd are still alive.

Enough said.

 

[RJP]

Its a cute argument but it is also a logical fallacy. You'll find just as many roto-tillers with regular octos and it does not really have any bearing on the argument.

We're in agreement. I'm not saying that ONLY Air2-wearing people are roto-tillers, but rather that since MOST divers are so out of trim and so poorly configured to begin with that the "streamlining" argument for an Air2 is almost de-facto a logical fallacy in and of itself.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I'll give you that, but look at the pictures above and guess which configuration I want to be in when scootering on a single tank pretty fish dive.

One issue I think is that people don't consider the whole configuraion when they consider an Air 2 - or a regular octo for that matter. Whether it does or does not make sense depends to a large degree on the entire package and what the diver is trying to accomplish with it.

 

[RJP]

Whether it does or does not make sense depends to a large degree on the entire package and what the diver is trying to accomplish with it.

Damn, there you go again with that whole "voice of reason" thing...

 

[Clammy]

I personally know of two people/divers who used the octo configuration and they are now dead. All the people that I know that use the intergrated 2nd are still alive.

Enough said.

Um.. that means nothing without context of total number of people that use octos vs number of people that use Air IIs vs number of people that use a bungied secondary and the number of deaths in each and under what situation.

 

[RJP]

Um.. that means nothing without context of total number of people that use octos vs number of people that use Air IIs vs number of people that use a bungied secondary and the number of deaths in each and under what situation.

Um...I think it also means nothing without some sort of smiley-face icon signifying sarcasm.

 

[BDSC]

Um.. that means nothing without context of total number of people that use octos vs number of people that use Air IIs vs number of people that use a bungied secondary and the number of deaths in each and under what situation.

The statement is actually totally meaningless like many of the arguements for or against intergrated 2nds. Some folks like em and some don't but there is no real "evidence' that supports either side. Mostly everything here is just opinions but that's fine because that's what the OP was wanting anyway I think.

 

[Clammy]

Um.. that means nothing without context of total number of people that use octos vs number of people that use Air IIs vs number of people that use a bungied secondary and the number of deaths in each and under what situation.

Look at my time stamp... too early to coherently click on the proper smiley!! :sleeping2: