Wow ... such a huge response.
Firstly, thank you all for your input and comment, I appreciate the effort most of you put into your responses.
Regarding the Alternate:
As for the Integrated air option;
We cannot wait to get all our gear sorted out as we both feel we would want to do our Advanced Open Water after a few dives with our own equipment.
Thank you again for all your input, it is good to see things from different perspectives.
Best Regards
Riger (Richard)
Firstly, thank you all for your input and comment, I appreciate the effort most of you put into your responses.
Regarding the Alternate:
Based on the fact that Marianne (my Wife) and I are planing to buddy together for the majority of dives that we do, we are ok 
with the "closeness" that some of the alternates will give us. In addition, we are not planning to do much at 40m anyway, and even that will be the exception more than the rule. If one of us ends up doing an accent with a different person that will be OK too. We will start out with one having a backup reg on a necklace (bungee) and the other with an AIR 2. We will rotate these options a few times over a few dives and see if there is a preference for one or the other in a few simulated OOA's at the end of some dives. If there is a preference then we will adapt to that. We concede that the training environment does not always cater for the non "Triangle" Alternate and we will adjust to that as and when the time comes (if at all). The key for us is that in the pre-dive checks, we will agree on the procedure for immediate air needs then the plan for the accent after stabilizing the situation. The nice thing about both the necklace and Air2 is that it is low profile and at "less" risk of accidental damage. Additionally, the Air2 is an option that need not, (accepting the cost), be in-place of an octopus, the two are not mutually exclusive. I will let you know which configuration we settle on in the end.
with the "closeness" that some of the alternates will give us. In addition, we are not planning to do much at 40m anyway, and even that will be the exception more than the rule. If one of us ends up doing an accent with a different person that will be OK too. We will start out with one having a backup reg on a necklace (bungee) and the other with an AIR 2. We will rotate these options a few times over a few dives and see if there is a preference for one or the other in a few simulated OOA's at the end of some dives. If there is a preference then we will adapt to that. We concede that the training environment does not always cater for the non "Triangle" Alternate and we will adjust to that as and when the time comes (if at all). The key for us is that in the pre-dive checks, we will agree on the procedure for immediate air needs then the plan for the accent after stabilizing the situation. The nice thing about both the necklace and Air2 is that it is low profile and at "less" risk of accidental damage. Additionally, the Air2 is an option that need not, (accepting the cost), be in-place of an octopus, the two are not mutually exclusive. I will let you know which configuration we settle on in the end.As for the Integrated air option;
It seems as though the biggest "concern" for this option from the posters was the cost. Once again, I accept that there is an "unnecessary" cost in this field, but, we both like the option of the heart-rate monitor and integrated air features. The computer that we are considering is the Galileo. Having both scoured over the Instruction manual and read all the reviews we can find, this Computer seems to be the one with it all. We each plan to have a SPG (with Depth Gauge) anyway as a backup even though failure of the computer will trigger an end of dive and accent for us.
If there are any reasons (other than cost) that we should not use the transmitters for Air Integration, please let me/us know so we can take them into consideration.
If there are any reasons (other than cost) that we should not use the transmitters for Air Integration, please let me/us know so we can take them into consideration.
We cannot wait to get all our gear sorted out as we both feel we would want to do our Advanced Open Water after a few dives with our own equipment.
Thank you again for all your input, it is good to see things from different perspectives.
Best Regards
Riger (Richard)
