Integrated octopus and a standard octopus?

[abstract]

What problem are you trying to solve with the air2? Why do you think it is a better setup than the traditional PADI setup or the vastly superior necklaced secondary, long hose primary setup?

i prefer standard long hose configuration. The air2 style inflators have a lot of failure points which I don't like, plus they require special LP hoses which are annoying if the hose fails, you have to borrow/rent a regulator, or even if you borrow/rent a BC with your personal reg set. Which inflators have you used that you didn't like? The standard ones on the plates/wings are all super easy to use and comfortable to hold on to. The Scubapro ones suck imho, as do most of the recreational ones.

=evil

=slightly less annoying

=best imho

What do you think about Atomic AI power inflators?

 

[divad]

Nooooo, not the long answer.............

 

[tbone1004]

What do you think about Atomic AI power inflators?

my argument against them isn't anything brand specific, it is against the concept of an integrated secondary with your inflator being less than ideal for real emergency situations

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

I have both and really like it. My reasoning is that if something is going to go wrong, at depth, it's going to go very wrong. My bright yellow Octo is on a keeper on my BC where my right hand naturally falls. In a panicked diver scenario, if my primary was yanked and for whatever reason I could not get to my Octo, I have the air2 on the inflator that is always easy to find. It is awkward to breath from because of the stiff hose but it is readily available air while I get things sorted out. It worked great in my rescue class. I put the Octo back on for that class because I knew we would be practicing out of air scenarios. It's been on since.

I do carry my old hose when we travel in case we had to swap it out for a standard inflator.

Lots of divers have know idea what an air2 is. having something that everybody is trained on is just a little safer in my book.

Good luck!
Jay

 

[tbone1004]

have you read about primary donate and why that is superior?

using your example. primary yanked, fine, it's going out of your mouth in a donation scenario anyway, plan for the worst, hope for the best. You simply look down, and your secondary is right there around your neck waiting for you, and if fit properly, you can get it without using your hands....

 

[halocline]

Is it pointless to have an integrated octopus and a standard octopus?

My opinion is that it's pointless to have an octo/inflator under any condition, so I guess my answer to your question would be "yes."

There are lots of reasons that octo/inflators are a bad idea. But, shops love to sell them, they're the sort of thing that sounds good in a dive shop, especially to new divers, but in reality do nothing to improve your dive experience. And, if you ever actually have to use one in a real emergency, the disadvantages become evident very quickly.

Divers who have them and say they like them have almost certainly never had a real emergency with one, or have never had the inconvenience of not being able to use a different regulator or BC due to a last minute equipment screw up, or tried a long hose arrangement with a bungied alternate.

I am pretty sure your preference for the button arrangement on the octo/inflators is just due to familiarity. The regular inflators, like the one that tbone showed, are in fact much easier to operate by touch, without having to look or feel around for the right button.

 

[rhwestfall]

 

[ShrimpDaddy]

good point.
The rig I use to teach has the Atomic SS1 as well as an octo. The regs I use when spear fishing is my ST-1 Atomic's and it has no octo. I have found that you may not be near your buddy so the octo is a mute point however I do carry a 6 liter pony with a first and second stage, just in case.
Just my opinion.

 

[mathematical]

What problem are you trying to solve with the air2? Why do you think it is a better setup than the traditional PADI setup or the vastly superior necklaced secondary, long hose primary setup?

i prefer standard long hose configuration. The air2 style inflators have a lot of failure points which I don't like, plus they require special LP hoses which are annoying if the hose fails, you have to borrow/rent a regulator, or even if you borrow/rent a BC with your personal reg set. Which inflators have you used that you didn't like? The standard ones on the plates/wings are all super easy to use and comfortable to hold on to. The Scubapro ones suck imho, as do most of the recreational ones.

=evil

=slightly less annoying

=best imho

I just find the Atomic ss1 to have bigger buttons which works easier with thick gloves. The buttons are there so I just tap the buttons against my chest. I was just wondering if having this would be more of a nuisance. I currently use the Zeagle inflator which is similar to one that you posted.

 

[Edward3c]

Is it pointless to have an integrated octopus and a standard octopus? I like the inflator buttons on the integrated octopuses more than the standard power inflators, plus as long as it doesn't free flow it should not be a negative right? Or am I wrong?

When the idea of having a secondary reg became mainstream I opted for an Air2 rather than a dedicated 2nd reg. Buddy Breathing was still the primary response to an OOA situation.

Then, I had a situation where I wanted air (the high pressure gauge had unscrewed and come off), my buddy had an Air2 setup like mine. However, he didn't offer me his primary so I took the Air2.

Now we're doing an ascent and I've got both my buoyancy and his to control!!!

That was the last time I relied on an Air2 as my secondary air source.

As its been mentioned. Incident reports from BSAC do not support the myth every OOG diver will go for the one in your mouth. The reports show divers do (mainly) what they were trained to do.