separate octopus vs. bcd inflator/second stage combo

[Ghost95]

You're right. Staying proficient with gear means using it for more than training. I do the same with a 13cf pony bottle which is why I know I can make a safe accent from 80' with it.

If someone is going to dive a piece of gear then they should use it frequently. That simple act of training will make a huge difference in an emergency.

 

[maulttc]

Just starting to read through this. Any reason not to run this and a regural Octo? Maybe go 6’ primary and backup on a necklace?

Also are there adapters that take the air2 hose to a normal inflator coupler?

 

[NothingClever]

Are you proposing three second stages - meaning Air2, short hose on a necklace and a long hose?

I think we can sometimes be a little bit impatient in our zeal about “failure point” but I’d have to yellow card that config. Does that mean I’d shame you or tell you you can’t dive with me on an OW rec dive? No, probably not but it does mean I’m not going to sympathize or wait for you to get your kit sorted if you have a malfunction on board. Not trying to be harsh - just frank.

Simply better to maintain and be prepared to field repair two of the same second stages than a combo of three. While you are creating additional redundancy, I don’t see the practical value outweighing the clutter, complication and potential confusion. Also, the chances of saving an OOG diver and then another one on the way up are pretty slim.

Last thing, 6’ hose is a non-standard length. The Florida rig is ~5’ and under the right arm and up the right chest (no cross chest and wrap) or just go with the config that’s been validated on thousands of cave and technical wreck dives - 7’ long hose.

Good luck in your journey.

In diving, learning is winning.

 

[mcohen1021]

Are you proposing three second stages - meaning Air2, short hose on a necklace and a long hose?

(For the record, I am not a fan of scubapro products, but i liked the idea of the air2 and retrofitted my BC with it)

I dont see anything wrong 3 2nd stages. My experience over the last 36 yrs, I have only given my octopus 1x, and taken an octopus 1x.

The air2 might work for some, but in the heated rush of helping a panicked diver, I gave the Air2 instead of my primary, putting is 5" apart until he calmed down. Yes, it happened that fast.

So after that, I ditched the Air2 and returned to a traditional octopus.

 

[Nemrod]

This is a five years old paleo thread . Five years ago I was anti-combo BCI units and now I am for them, for certain diving and under certain conditions, that being tropical photo diving in benign environments with no penetration. I just came back from two weeks in Bonaire and dived this every day, max depth was 110 feet. The G250 and Mark 11 breathe like a dream of course and the DGX-BCI is good enough for who and what it is for. It breaths okay, is tiny and it screws on and off a garden hose type connection so the BCI stays with the regulator, not the BC. It is also a very simple downstream valve thus it should be reliable and thus far has been perfectly so.



It travels with my "blue" G250 on a 22 inches hose and necklace just in case and a K-inflator stashed in the bag. That way I can do a standard long hose donate with the "red" G250 on the 40/60 inches hose with high flow angle swivel. I also stash in the bag a 60 inches hose.

I will be leaving for Cozumel in a few weeks and I will carry two sets. The one above as described but also either my long hose rigged Mark 17E and G260s or my long hose rigged Mark 2 Evo with G250s. This because of all of the swim throughs in Cozumel that can border on a mini-cave dive. And just in case I get talked into that rusty hulk.

As to giving an OOA diver my BCI, not going to happen, I practice donation, I am not going to get confused and give the OOA diver my BCI. I also go over this with any insta-buddy I am given but the places I go generally know me and do not buddy me.

As to two second stages and a combo unit, nah, I would not do that myself. I would get on one side of the fence or the other.

 

[Scared Silly]

The only time I had three regs was when I was teaching and standards required a std. regulator as a backup. An Air2 was not standard. Not long after that the Air2 was gone permanently.

Regarding the hose length while 5' and 7' are the norm. Other lengths such as 6' is just fine. Whatever length work best for one's diving.

 

[mcohen1021]

As to giving an OOA diver my BCI, not going to happen, I practice donation, I am not going to get confused and give the OOA diver my BCI. I also go over this with any insta-buddy I am given but the places I go generally know me and do not buddy me.

I have/had practiced and trained countless divers over the years until i retired from DMing classes. What we were taught in class is to give the octo, not the primary, so that was the instinct.

Once we calmed him down, we determined he had winded himself chasing something bc his regulator was working perfectly.

My opinion only, but the traditional octopus will always be a faster, no confusion option for giving someone their lifeline if needed.

 

[Nemrod]

I have/had practiced and trained countless divers over the years until i retired from DMing classes. What we were taught in class is to give the octo, not the primary, so that was the instinct.

Once we calmed him down, we determined he had winded himself chasing something bc his regulator was working perfectly.

My opinion only, but the traditional octopus will always be a faster, no confusion option for giving someone their lifeline if needed.

I was certified in 1966 on DH regs and was taught buddy breathing for air sharing. I was a DM and AI from around 1970 through the early 80s and then again not too long past for the company club. In those days we taught and learned buddy breathing. Not once in the years since do I fear that in a fuss that I would revert to buddy breathing because that is how I learned or participated in many classes teaching.

You should do what you are comfortable with. I have no particular preference for standard (octopus) donation practice as taught by most abc agencies vs primary donate as taught by most technical level training. After many PMs and arguments with the late TSandM (Lynn) she convinced me to switch over to primary donate and I have not looked back since. I am completely comfortable donating my long hose primary and switching to my necklaced secondary or the BCI. And if I need to, I could buddy breath . I think it should still be part of the curriculum for Basic or at least Advanced. And if I am going to buddy breathe I would much rather be on a long hose vs twisting a DH mouthpiece or a short 26 inches primary hose, that sucked factually. Do what you need to do to be safe and have a good dive. Whatever system you use, be good at it.

 

[mcohen1021]

I hear ya - do what you will do best.

Man, buddy breathing, I assume they still teach that? Can you get covid buddy breathing underwater? (better not open that can of worms! lol)

I'm off to do yet a 4th day of diving tomorrow morning at the ft worth waterski site. Installing the last 3 guidelines to 'connect the anchors' and I have 2 anchors to move (which will be the hardest piece since they weigh as much as I do.. The last bit of anchor locating scuba I did was EASY bc of the other connecting guidelines I put in a month ago. Thank god I have an old 2nd set of gear for that mucky crap

 

[Nemrod]

I hear ya - do what you will do best.

Man, buddy breathing, I assume they still teach that? Can you get covid buddy breathing underwater? (better not open that can of worms! lol)

I'm off to do yet a 4th day of diving tomorrow morning at the ft worth waterski site. Installing the last 3 guidelines to 'connect the anchors' and I have 2 anchors to move (which will be the hardest piece since they weigh as much as I do.. The last bit of anchor locating scuba I did was EASY bc of the other connecting guidelines I put in a month ago. Thank god I have an old 2nd set of gear for that mucky crap

Cool, slalom course, cool!!!! I used to ski slalom competitively, built a few courses, do not get tangled up down there! Here I am circa 1976: