octo air 2,,,good way or bad way

[DennisW]

Senior Randy is opinionated to be sure. The Air 2 has it's purpose. It is not useful for certain types of diving. It is perfectly suitable for other types of recreational diving. It serves a certain purpose and serves it very well. I've been using one for 18 years and I ain't dead yet.

 

[Randy43068]

Senior Randy is opinionated to be sure. The Air 2 has it's purpose. It is not useful for certain types of diving. It is perfectly suitable for other types of recreational diving. It serves a certain purpose and serves it very well. I've been using one for 18 years and I ain't dead yet.

and no brain damage yet either? eyebrow

I really don't like them. Lots of divers who have no experience with OOA or emergency drills have them. In a real emergency it's my feeling that trying to manage the octo and inflator on the same pipe could be problematic. That's the biggest reason I don't like them. The other is they're on a hugely long hose which I think gets in the way, and of course causes more drag in the water.

When I offer an opinion I sound a lot more harsh than I mean to. If we were to have this discussion in person you'd find out that my comments otherwise seen as pretty brazen here on the board, are given with a smile and laugh. So even that I don't' like them and can put a pretty good argument against 'em *grinning* all I'd ask is to think about it with an open mind. On the other hand, my opinion of many things have changed when a well reasoned argument is put fourth. Unless I'm right, of course.

Please don't take this the wrong way, but since I "discovered" the long hose and backup on the necklace (hog) it just makes so much sense and is a pleasure to dive with. I had the "typical" jacket BC for 3 years and thought it was the cat's meow, till I tried the HOG setup. It's been so successful for me (and others) I really can't figure out why it's got a bad reputation in some circles. Really, I can't. If we're diving together and (heaven forbid) you need air, you'll get it on my long hose in an instant and you won't have to be 'that' close to me while you figure out what's going on, unless you want to me. That's one advantage. OK, OK, I'll stop. I'm getting off track.

 

[redacted]

An Air 2 (or clone), like any other second stage, can also be set up with a lower inhaltion effort. I have set mine up for years with an inhalation effort around 1.2 to 1.3 " of water and it does not have any tendency to freeflow. So getting better performance from one is just a matter of asking the tech to set it up to breathe easy - just like you would need to do if you did not want your conventional octo to breathe like a rock.

And if you have one of those scuba multi-tools and the know-how, a little tweeking can easily be done with no disassembly in just less than a minute.

 

[superstar]

Randy,
Thanks for the input. I see now why you may not like the air-2 but just to say they suck doesnt help us out. This is why I like the air-2, when I learned to dive, buddy breathing was the norm and octos were an option. An octo was worn around the neck on a nasds safe plug. The octo seem to be one more thing to clutter you up with so the air-2 was a very practical alternative and way safer than buddy breathing. So for me, the air-2 does not suck and I will be the one breathing it.

 

[Randy43068]

Randy,
Thanks for the input. I see now why you may not like the air-2 but just to say they suck doesnt help us out. This is why I like the air-2, when I learned to dive, buddy breathing was the norm and octos were an option. An octo was worn around the neck on a nasds safe plug. The octo seem to be one more thing to clutter you up with so the air-2 was a very practical alternative and way safer than buddy breathing. So for me, the air-2 does not suck and I will be the one breathing it.

Yeah, sorry about that. I try to be funny, but it doesn't come across like that in text.

I dove with one a couple of times and didn't like it one bit. Now that I use the long hose, I like the airII even less. I know I keep saying it, and sorry if I sound like a broken record, but I just cant find a reason everyone should not be using a long hose. To me, it just makes so much sense.

 

[DennisW]

and no brain damage yet either? eyebrow

I really don't like them. Lots of divers who have no experience with OOA or emergency drills have them. In a real emergency it's my feeling that trying to manage the octo and inflator on the same pipe could be problematic. That's the biggest reason I don't like them. The other is they're on a hugely long hose which I think gets in the way, and of course causes more drag in the water.

When I offer an opinion I sound a lot more harsh than I mean to. If we were to have this discussion in person you'd find out that my comments otherwise seen as pretty brazen here on the board, are given with a smile and laugh. So even that I don't' like them and can put a pretty good argument against 'em *grinning* all I'd ask is to think about it with an open mind. On the other hand, my opinion of many things have changed when a well reasoned argument is put fourth. Unless I'm right, of course.

Please don't take this the wrong way, but since I "discovered" the long hose and backup on the necklace (hog) it just makes so much sense and is a pleasure to dive with. I had the "typical" jacket BC for 3 years and thought it was the cat's meow, till I tried the HOG setup. It's been so successful for me (and others) I really can't figure out why it's got a bad reputation in some circles. Really, I can't. If we're diving together and (heaven forbid) you need air, you'll get it on my long hose in an instant and you won't have to be 'that' close to me while you figure out what's going on, unless you want to me. That's one advantage. OK, OK, I'll stop. I'm getting off track.

I never said I didn't have any brain damage. I just said I wasn't dead yet.

I have had to use my Air 2. Worked very well. If you are comfortable with your equipment, an Air 2 or a standard Octo works well. If someone is OOA and you happen to be the person they see first, you will lose your primary. That's pretty much guaranteed. Your next issue will be keeping that person from shooting to the surface dragging you with them. In my case the person wasn't even from our boat. I dumped what air he had in his BC immediately and held him until he calmed down. As I was dumping his air, I was getting my Air 2.

Although the Air 2 isn't a really nice breathing regulator, I have breathed on it at depths in excess of 100 ft and it breaths just fine. I do not use my inflator hose to dump air on my BC, I use the shoulder dump valve on the right shoulder. I have a Scubapro Sport Classic. Mine is not on an extremely long hose. It's on the same length hose as a standard Power Inflator.

By the way, I was on a float dive off West Palm Beach and I took this guy to the surface, put him on our boat and went back down to finish the dive. When I got back on the boat he was gone. They had found his charter and got them to come get him.

I have never seen the need to buy a new rig, so, I really haven't used the long hose. I believe it is a very good idea for caving and wreck penetration (exploring). An experienced diver using the rig you use will know they are getting low on air and let you know early and you can do your exit and ascent. I don't do deep dark holes, so that setup isn't necessary for my diving interests.

If someone is really OOA, they are going to take your primary and try to shoot for the surface. I want them close so I can try to control them. If I can't control them, I'm getting my primary back and I'm heading for the bottom. They will not follow me deeper, that is a fact.

My point was that although you don't like something, doesn't mean it isn't perfect for someone else. Some people have no tolerance for things they don't like. That's just not right and I have a hard time keeping my mouth shut when I think I am seeing that. So, no hard feelings. I have been called the "S" word on this board before I even knew what the word meant. I need to get a slapstrap like BabyDucks.

 

[lowridersvt]

Please don't take this the wrong way, but since I "discovered" the long hose and backup on the necklace (hog) it just makes so much sense and is a pleasure to dive with. I had the "typical" jacket BC for 3 years and thought it was the cat's meow, till I tried the HOG setup. It's been so successful for me (and others) I really can't figure out why it's got a bad reputation in some circles. Really, I can't. If we're diving together and (heaven forbid) you need air, you'll get it on my long hose in an instant and you won't have to be 'that' close to me while you figure out what's going on, unless you want to me. That's one advantage. OK, OK, I'll stop. I'm getting off track. [/QUOTE]


I agreee 100% the only way to dive is with a long hose make life so much easyer dont wast you money buy a 7 ft hose insted of wasting 40$ on an air 2

 

[rmannix]

Long hose or AIR2, you're still giving up your primary (or should be) so I don't see where the long hose has anything to do with this.

 

[BabyDuck]

I have been called the "S" word on this board before I even knew what the word meant. I need to get a slapstrap like BabyDucks.

go right ahead! ooh, i came out of devil's last week with it on, and jj was debriefing a class at the steps...corigan said his expression was priceless. i didn't see it.

randy, maybe *you* suck! hee hee hee! (you know i'm joking, baby.)

to the op, if you decide to get one, practice with it. what's right for you is what's right for you. on the other hand, why are folks selling them for cheap? maybe they didn't like them.

...stickin' with my bungeed backup...

 

[pnwdiverman]

You need to think about how you will control your buoyancy with your BC inflator in your mouth and your buddy breathing off your primary. That's is some seriuos task loading in an emergency situation. An octo works alot better.