Ridiculous question about inflator

[Aloha Joe]

How do you grip your inflator and what fingers do you use to activate it?

I have a K style 45 degree inflator. It always feels awkward using it, like I need to turn it over or upside down. Mouth piece and fill button face in (to the right). It seems like inflate button should be on left (for thumb) and purge button on right for index finger. (Maybe vice versa but not on the end?) then I could reach up with left hand and reach everything w/o changing its orientation.

 

[lowflyer]

You could rotate the inflator in the corrugated hose to suit your usage style. You would likely have to remove and then replace the zip ties.

 

[tbone1004]

I usually have it between my thumb and fingers with my thumb closest to my body. Index or middle finger inflates since you don't use that inflator for dumping unless you are vertical.
When you're vertical, I rotate my hand 180* so the thumb is on the "inflate" button and the index finger is on the "dump" button. That way it is easy to rotate into my mouth for oral inflation.

For right hand inflation, I just reach over and hit the inflate button with my thumb *how I normally inflate since I dive mostly with my arms crossed*, and you don't dump with your right hand , so that's outside of the scope of this discussion.

 

[Diver0001]

What I teach (and use) is that the index finger is the only finger that ever goes on the "deflate" button. What you use to inflate, I'm not so picky about. This just makes learning at the OW level quicker (more efficient).

If you want to rotate your inflator so that you can grip it differently then that is entirely feasible. It's only held in place by a tie-wrap and you can take the tie-wrap off, rotate it and then tie-wrap it back in place again in a different position. The way you route the LP hose may require a little thinking-through if you do that but it is perfectly feasible.

I did *exactly* what you're talking about with a K valve on my dive-rite wing. I found the K valve much more intuitive for me when it was rotated 90 degrees from how it was attached when I got it.

Since then I've replaced that inflator with a Seaquest inflator and find that even better. The Seaquest inflator, to me, just makes more sense. I still, after all these years, occasionally have to look at a K valve to see how I'm holding it but the Seaquest inflator is so "clicked in" to how my brain works that I'm never even really consciously aware of using it at all.

Needless to say the first thing I do when I get a new BCD is to take the inflator off and replace it with a seaquest inflator....

R..

 

[Aloha Joe]

Thanks. Yeah I was taught to use index finger for dump - that (index finger) was instructors signal to deflate so it got engrained a little.

I’m sure PPB will take care of all this but I want to nip bad habits in the bud, and am considering a different inflator (mostly for weight - mine is metal and is like a brick).

 

[tbone1004]

Thanks. Yeah I was taught to use index finger for dump - that (index finger) was instructors signal to deflate so it got engrained a little.

I’m sure PPB will take care of all this but I want to nip bad habits in the bud, and am considering a different inflator (mostly for weight - mine is metal and is like a brick).

get used to the two hand positions vs. trying to maintain one position for the entire time. Much more comfortable to have one for during the dive, and one for using that thing to dump

 

[Aloha Joe]

Thanks, I will. I’ll try inflating w/ index finger, if I don’t like that I’ll rotate the inflator and try it, otherwise get a 90 degree inflator.

One hand position is nice but it’s like the inflator is upside down for that to really work - almost like it was designed for having correlated hose under arm pit...

 

[Diver0001]

Thanks, I will. I’ll try inflating w/ index finger, if I don’t like that I’ll rotate the inflator and try it, otherwise get a 90 degree inflator.

One hand position is nice but it’s like the inflator is upside down for that to really work - almost like it was designed for having correlated hose under arm pit...

You misread me. the DEFLATE button is where your index finger needs to be. Your index finger is on the END of the inflator mechanism.

Once you do that it should become clear which finger (or thumb) needs to press the INFLATE button.

I hope you understand what I'm trying to say here.

R..

 

[TMHeimer]

Uh....You know, I actually had to go and grab the thing to see what I do..... Haven't thought about it in years. I THINK I use the index finger for both inflation and deflation. My first thought was I used the thumb for one or the other. My depths are fairly consistent (usually 20-30'), so my hand is never on the LPI. I grab it when I need it and push. Maybe my breathing and buoyancy is just so perfect?..........

 

[claymore]

Forefinger on the deflate button thumb on the inflate button.