Safe second or octo?

[underwater daphne]

its a way of attaching your secondary reg so you can have it under your chin.

a good way to get info on a bungee is to do a search. there's loads of infos on it. or ask at your lds.

this post for example:

http://www.scubaboard.com/t64071-.html

 

[matt_unique]

What do most people use? At my local shop the push the safe second (reg + bc-inflater combo) over the octo.

Good call on doing research. At the same time I would caution you on making scuba decisions based solely on a board like this. In later posts it sounds like you are combining sources of information which is good.

I would suggest something else. Air2 or such to replace the standard octo but add a pony bottle and bungee that reg around your neck. Air2's and the like fail as much as any other bc inflate system. From the day I bought gear I was a firm believer in the concept of personal redundancy (what your buddy may be carrying does not constitute personal redundancy to me). I started with a 13CF pony bottle. Use the pony only in case of emergency to go straight to the surface, never use it to extend a dive.

If you choose not to dive with a pony, I would suggest the octo bungied around your neck.

--Matt

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Note, Dive Instructors are often given incentives (which may be in the form of discounts on their purchases or commission on sales) and sometimes plain orders to use what the store sells and to recommend it during classes. That means that what a Dive Instructor wears for equipment during instruction may or may not be what he/she would personally choose to wear if he/she were free to make their own choices.

Helping to promote gear sales is actually part of the instructor's job, and since most instructors are part of the staff at the LDS where they are teaching, that includes pushing sales of the gear the store is selling.

The majority of students purchase what their instructor tells them to purchase ... which is why most LDS require their instructors to wear the gear the shop sells.

For the new divers out there ... please keep this in mind. Your instructor may actually believe in the products they are promoting, or they may be telling you they do because it's part of their job. See if you can find out what gear they use when they are not teaching.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[DandyDon]

I would suggest something else. Air2 or such to replace the standard octo but add a pony bottle and bungee that reg around your neck. Air2's and the like fail as much as any other bc inflate system. From the day I bought gear I was a firm believer in the concept of personal redundancy (what your buddy may be carrying does not constitute personal redundancy to me). I started with a 13CF pony bottle. Use the pony only in case of emergency to go straight to the surface, never use it to extend a dive.

If you choose not to dive with a pony, I would suggest the octo bungied around your neck.

You would suggest a Pony to an OW student? I carry one on almost all dives, but I'd wouldn't suggest one here?

Get the Octo. I hear that the Air2 thing is becoming an industry standard, but I am not attracted.

So, what happens if you get the Octo now, then do want to add a Pony later? You can move the Octo to the Pony's first stage to be the second stage for it - or go in the water like me, with 3 second stages - primary in my mouth, Octo hung on my BC where it won't dangle, and Pony second stage elsewhere on my BC.

I tell my buddy, and anyone else around: "If you need air, just grab either one of these on my BC. You don't have to ask. I'll understand." rofile:

 

[cmcarver]

I dive with the Air 2. I had an Octo but I didn't feel in control the BC as much. The air 2 has a better button layout so you are not tring to use your pinky to push a button in a direction you finger isn't susposed to. This may be a result of my OW class where all the rental BCs had Air 2. But I dove with the Octo for 12-15 dives and just couldn't get used to it so I switched to the Air 2. I personally feel I have better control of my BC now. Now I don't have to worry about trying to grab the inflator 2 different ways for 2 different functions. I just grab it and use one ot the other finger with easy application of force.

 

[matt_unique]

You would suggest a Pony to an OW student? I carry one on almost all dives, but I'd wouldn't suggest one here?

Get the Octo. I hear that the Air2 thing is becoming an industry standard, but I am not attracted.

So, what happens if you get the Octo now, then do want to add a Pony later? You can move the Octo to the Pony's first stage to be the second stage for it - or go in the water like me, with 3 second stages - primary in my mouth, Octo hung on my BC where it won't dangle, and Pony second stage elsewhere on my BC.

I tell my buddy, and anyone else around: "If you need air, just grab either one of these on my BC. You don't have to ask. I'll understand." rofile:

I would recommend a pony to an OW diver. I think it's great to be thinking about redundancy and self reliance right out of the gate.

--Matt

 

[ianr33]

I would recommend a pony to an OW diver. I think it's great to be thinking about redundancy and self reliance right out of the gate.

--Matt

I think that is a really,really bad idea. The last thing a new OW diver needs to be worrying about is a pony bottle.

You suggested putting the pony reg bungeed around your neck,I assume you mount it on your main tank??? Ever think of slinging it like a stage??

 

[scubapro50]

read the thread "new law in Cayman ?" that deals with octos on your rig being required...

 

[matt_unique]

I think that is a really,really bad idea. The last thing a new OW diver needs to be worrying about is a pony bottle.

You suggested putting the pony reg bungeed around your neck,I assume you mount it on your main tank??? Ever think of slinging it like a stage??

Redundancy is a good idea for anyone at any level unless it interferes with their learning. A hard mounted pony on the primary tank would not interfere in this manner yet offer redundancy.

The bugied reg would only be applicable if mounting the pony to your primary tank. Quite obviously you would not attach a reg around your neck if you were slinging the bottle. For an OW diver I would not recommend slinging a pony bottle. I think this would present too much gear clutter upfront for that stage of learning.

--Matt

 

[Kestrell]

Uh Huh, Does he get a commission on purchases by students from the store?
Which is exactly the point. Your BC air inflate/deflate buttons are now on a device firmly clamped in your mouth, while one hand is firmly clamped on your buddy and you are both in a "stressed" situation with you trying to manipulate buttons and dump air, but wait, there is more. You cannot raise your inflator hose up as high as possible to help ensure you get a good dump because it is in your mouth. In addition, the hose is "short" and so moving your head around is limited.

I have never used one, but these are my concerns.

Bottom line, rent one from the store, dive it, try an emergency drill with it yourself and then make up your own mind.

Note, Dive Instructors are often given incentives (which may be in the form of discounts on their purchases or commission on sales) and sometimes plain orders to use what the store sells and to recommend it during classes. That means that what a Dive Instructor wears for equipment during instruction may or may not be what he/she would personally choose to wear if he/she were free to make their own choices.

Not an Dive instructor or even an informed individual, just one with an opinion.

This pretty much covers it.

Never buy what your instructor is wearing during training. My wife just got certified and during certification the instructor wore an old Scuba Pro jacket BC and an Air2.

When we went diving with him he wore a BP/W and doubles, a dry suit and a reg bungee'd around his neck. He isn't DIR but he does reck and cave diving, so this was the best set up for him. He was "asked" to utilize the Air2 during training since that is what the dive shop used for training. They don't push them though, wich is good. It is a very good dive shop overall and they won't recommend one thing over another just because they will make more money.