safe second v octopus

[Conor]

This is probably going to sound like a stupid question but.......

I have got the impression from some threads that some people dive with two equivalent second stages rather than a traditional 'octopus'. I am about to spend a lot of money kitting myself out and was hoping you could help me.

What is difference between having two equivalent second stages as opposed to one second stage and an octopus ?

If for a similar price I could have either an ATX40 and a ATX40 octopus or two ATX40s, which would you reccomend and what is the difference ?

Thanks

Conor

 

[Walter]

Octopus, safe second and back up regulator are all different names for the same thing. There are different ways to set it up, there are differences of opinion on which to donate. Some people buy junk for the one they don't use regularly, more thoughtful divers have two excellent regulators.

 

[Conor]

....does that mean that there is no difference between an atx40 second stage only and an ATX40 octopus ?

 

[Rick Murchison]

You'll see me extolling the virtues of the integrated safe second (reg & power inflator) for open water recreational diving and urging the use of identical regulators when redundancy is required. To me it's sort of a "tool for the job" thing. In open water recreational diving I'm perfectly happy to make an air sharing ascent on an Air-2 or AirSource - they are reliable, breathe fine and eliminate a hose - but I wouldn't want to spend any significant time breathing one, and they are totally unsatisfactory for overhead environments. There my primary and my secondary regulators are the same (except for hose length).
Rick

 

[nickjb]

Some regulators designated as octos are slightly detuned. More usually if a shop describes something as a regulator it is a first stage and second stage, if it described as on octopus it is just a second stage.

The ATX40 octopus is identical to the ATX40 you would get as primary. If you get two ATX40s you will have two good regs. Just want you want.

On the quality issue...
I can't rember who said it but someone else posted: "Try to think of your octopus as a valuable piece of life saving equipment and not just something else you have to carry."


The octopus designator is a bit confusing. Persoanlly I think "octopus" should be used to describe the whole gubbins as that looks like an octopus. Then everbody could call their primary a primary and the back-up (for you or your buddy, depending on your set-up) a back-up.

 

[Walter]

When we broke away from the double hose regulator, it was common to have a first stage with a single hose leading to the second stage. It soon became common for divers to use an SPG, thereby having two hoses. Later an LPI hose became common. Adding yet another (many thought unnecessary) hose for an additional second stage made the regulator look like an octopus. The nickname stuck.

 

[nickjb]

Walter, I'm happy with the nickname. I just don't see why it refers to the second second stage only. It is the whole lot that looks like and octopus.... and the whole set doesn't have a name.

 

[lanun]

i thought octopi have eight tentacles/hose/whatever

anyways - i do mostly OW within rec limits and my 'octopus' is of primary second stage quality (or so some would believe ...) ...

because the person breathing from it would be me, and before that, my wife (when the whole set-up looked like afore-said octopus), so i splurged on the good stuff.

 

[Conor]

Thanks for clearing that up, I just placed an order for the bc, reg set and computer getting a nice discount for buying it all at once.

Thanks for you help, I just can't wait to get in the water

Conor

 

[nickjb]

Brace yourself. It is pretty chilly at the moment.