Integrated air choice

[kneptoon]

Want to find out whether to use an air integrated power inflator or a standard octopus, just ask your dive buddy which they would like to receive if needed. My DB's response was, "I'm looking for the yellow hose of an octopus". I guess I'm in the market for a yellow octopus. The point is, the SS1 worked fine for me as backup but I'm just one half of the team.

 

[NadMat]

I usually inform my dive buddies that they will be receiving my primary in the event of an air share and that I will be using my integrated second (airsource) on my bc. I am not sure why you would want to hand off control of your buoyancy to another possibly panicky OOA diver. I have never had anyone take issue to that plan. I have had one or two want to try breathing off my reg with its seacure mouthpiece to be sure that they did not have any problems with the mouthpiece.

I find it works very well for me, YMMV.

edit. I'll add that I have gone to a 40" miflex hose on primary for easier air share and have a right angle swivel adapter for it that I still need to install.

 

[Standingbear56]

There is nothing wrong with an intergrated octopus. Just remember that it is your primary that you will be handing off, not the octopus, that is for your use only. I agree with NadMat on getting the 40+inch hose on your primary - it makes handing it off a lot easier.
Whatever configuration you end up with, practice with it till it's second nature. Make sure all your potential dive buddies understand which reg you will be handing off and how your system works. You should also be made familiar with theirs.
Take Care,
George

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Ummm....yes....you;d never hand off an integrated inflator/octo.

I have had 3 real world situations where I donated to OOA divers and 2 of the 3 involved being mugged by the OOA diver (who in both cases was not even my buddy). The third air share was with a more or less technically inclined diver who had a failure and knew ke woudl go OOA during the ascent, so when he needed it I just handed off a stage.

Based on that experience over 1500 plus dives, my opinion is that 2 out of 2 times recreationally and 2 out of 3 times overall, the OOA diver will go for your primary with none of the specified signalling BS.

It makes sense to me to just train that way and that is the way you train with an integrated octo or inflator. It is also the way you train with a long hose and/or a bungee necklaced secondary reg. I am predicting that in 10 years nearly everyone wll be training to donate the primary as long hose use continues to increase in the recreational community and eventually rec training agencies will begine to give up on the donate the octo fallacy as more an more of their instructors rebel and teach donating the primary anyway.