Manual/Oral inflation technique question.

[redacted]

Sounds like a cluster-f&%k to me.

Half-depressing buttons, covering exhaust ports, using 3 fingers to depress a button, full-depressing buttons, orientating my hand this way, orientating my hand that way.... wtf?!?

Are we dealing with a high-stress, time critical OOA emergency, or are we learning to play Bagpipes??

What happened to K.I.S.S. ?

Do people really see this as effective emergency equipment???

It could be if the diver does not practice the operation. But that is true of a number of things in diving: Donating air with a long hose, using a pony, deploying a DSMB....

The button operation on an Air2 (and many similar octo/inflators) is the same as on the Scubapro Balanced Power Inflator so it is a Scubapro thing, not just an Air2 thing. You do need to press close to the center of the button - it is not difficult. You do need to press it all the way for oral inflation to seal the exhaust port. I find that button design much easier to operate because you have a firmer grasp on the device as you operate it than the standard LPI. All my rigs have been converted to the Scubapro BPI rather than the std inflator that came with them. The main reason I prefer that design is it places both button where they can be easily accessed, simultaneously, with either hand and readily identified on the top of the inflator. And I found it to be easier to control the power inflation, especially when you wanted just a touch of gas in the wing.

Have you ever tried one?

 

[jeckyll]

Sounds like a cluster-f&%k to me.

Half-depressing buttons, covering exhaust ports, using 3 fingers to depress a button, full-depressing buttons, orientating my hand this way, orientating my hand that way.... wtf?!?

Are we dealing with a high-stress, time critical OOA emergency, or are we learning to play Bagpipes??

What happened to K.I.S.S. ?

Do people really see this as effective emergency equipment???

Couldn't agree more.

I haven't dove with anyone who's had one in a long time (3-4 years?). Long hose / bungeed back config has become very popular locally.

If I were diving with someone, one of the first things we'd do upon descending would be an air-share to ensure they knew how to donate properly. Which is something that is of course a best practice anyways

The whole thing seems to be a solution in search of a problem.

Just my $0.02

 

[CapeUW]

We had two of the Atomic SS1 versions of the alternate inflator regulators available in our rental/instructional equipment. They worked well, fine with one hand, but I decided after a short time to teach with just the standard inflator/octopus set-ups. The basic configuration represents a majority of the rental equipment students will likely be using in the near future, after certification, and I preferred teaching with the same equipment configuration for all students.

If students express an interest in purchasing an inflator style alternate air source I will happily work with them,, let them learn on what they will be diving with, but otherwise I prefer teaching with the basic inflator and separate alternate air source.

 

[Lead_carrier]

Actually, covering the exhaust port with your hand does work. The exhaust port is right below the manual inflate/deflate button. Pressing slightly on that button open the channel to the BCD bladder and allows gas to escape from the bladder. Pushing it all the way down until it stops then also closes the exhaust port allowing the BCD to be inflated orally. Pressing the button only part way but closing the exhaust port by hand also allows oral inflation.

I wasn't trying to say it wouldn't work. Just saying that I believe that student's should be to to make it work the way it was designed for. There's numerous ways that you can make something work by Rube Goldberging it. Sorry if there was any misinterpatation