Octo-Z Question...

[Big Gonz]

Scott, I have gotten things underway through my LDS to FINALLY get a Ranger. I am going with the Octo-Z, but am curious as to how it holds up in the cold. I was diving with a Scubapro S600 and had it freeze up on me this weekend and go all free flow on me. I was checking out the Flathead/Z combo as it appears to be your cold water reg and was curious if that Octo will hold up to water in the 40s. I know it is an in case of emergency tool, but would like to know if it is a good secondary choice. I prefer the air2 setup over the octo setup anyway.

 

[dhuskins]

I dive with the ScubaPro A700 and Mk17 combo along with the Octo-Z. While my coldest dives have only be 49-51 degrees, I have never had any problem with any of this gear.

 

[Big Gonz]

We were at like 43-44 in the quarry on Saturday...7mil. I lasted about 12 minutes before the S600 started trickling on me.

 

[ScottZeagle]

Scott, I have gotten things underway through my LDS to FINALLY get a Ranger. I am going with the Octo-Z, but am curious as to how it holds up in the cold. I was diving with a Scubapro S600 and had it freeze up on me this weekend and go all free flow on me. I was checking out the Flathead/Z combo as it appears to be your cold water reg and was curious if that Octo will hold up to water in the 40s. I know it is an in case of emergency tool, but would like to know if it is a good secondary choice. I prefer the air2 setup over the octo setup anyway.

The Z octopus would be my choice as a cold water octopus.

As for the Octo-Z, if you are using it in water temps in the mid to high 40's, I think it would be ok...but if you were using it in the low 40's I would probably steer away, simply because if you were to have to use it to breathe on AND inflate your BC at the same time, the amount of cold air entering the reg might be too much.

If you have other questions, feel free to ask!

Thanks!

Scott

 

[101recon]

The Z octopus would be my choice as a cold water octopus.

As for the Octo-Z, if you are using it in water temps in the mid to high 40's, I think it would be ok...but if you were using it in the low 40's I would probably steer away, simply because if you were to have to use it to breathe on AND inflate your BC at the same time, the amount of cold air entering the reg might be too much.

If you have other questions, feel free to ask!

Thanks!

Scott

I'm not planning any cold water dives (yet) but am curious as to the recommended temp range for the Octo-Z.There is a warning in the owners manual mentioning "diving under ice" and being "qualified and properly equipped",but no mention of a temp range.
Your post suggests 45 and up.Is 45 a good minimum?

 

[keyshunter]

Gonz,
What Scott says above applies to any octo-inflator regardless of brand. That is one reason (there are others) that one virtually never sees an octo-inflator in use by an experienced cold water diver.

 

[ScottZeagle]

I'm not planning any cold water dives (yet) but am curious as to the recommended temp range for the Octo-Z.There is a warning in the owners manual mentioning "diving under ice" and being "qualified and properly equipped",but no mention of a temp range.
Your post suggests 45 and up.Is 45 a good minimum?

According to Jim Fox, who knows 100 times more than I do about regs, over 45 degrees should be fine...

Gonz,
What Scott says above applies to any octo-inflator regardless of brand. That is one reason (there are others) that one virtually never sees an octo-inflator in use by an experienced cold water diver.

True...this isn't just a "Zeagle thing" - it;s an "alternate air source in general" thing. Thanks for pointing that out, Keys!!!

Scott

 

[Big Gonz]

Thanks guys! I am still cutting my gills, so to speak, so ANY information is useful information to me. The water was cold, but I adapted to it easily in a 7mil, so I am not put off on cold water, but I want the best equipment I can take down with me. It is my life at risk, after all, so why not take down the best stuff. *cough*soldonZeagle*cough*
(My LDS owner doesn't like it, but Scubapro is not blowing my doors off.)

 

[ScottZeagle]

No worries, Gonz! Don't afraid to ask questions...that's what Zeagle is here for!

Scott

 

[JJColorado]

For what it's worth, I was ice diving with my Octo-Z in January and had no negative issues with it at all. It performed flawlessly at 36 deg. F