Should I get slightly lower quality octo than my primary?

[Brett Hatch]

There is no sense in having a fancy primary and a crappy octo. The octo should be at least as good as the primary, and IMHO should ideally be identical, so that you only need need 1 set of spare parts in the save-a-trip kit.

Have a look at the Deep6 regs, which run only $150 each. Deep6 makes really nice regs, I personally own 5 of them for different configurations. They have all worked perfectly, every single time, I have zero complaints. And because they're all identical, I can simply pack an extra 1st stage, 2nd stage, hose instead of bringing parts on a dive trip, which ensures that any failure will affect at most 1 dive. Heck, you might even consider selling your T3 and buy a pair of them, and putting the savings toward a dive trip.

 

[ajtoady]

ALL my seconds if there are one, are as good as the primary!! I usually dive independant doubles or sidemount so I have redundant systems. On occasion I dive conventional primary secondary setups. Why skimp when you already have a small fortune invested???!!!

 

[scubadada]

If you dive primary donate, the backup is you regulator. What do you want to breath off of? My 1st is a SP MK25, my primary is an S600. one set has an S600 backup, the other a C370.

 

[Capt. Bas]

Looking into it with European eyes, all available octo's in europe (via the official channels) are tested for their CE marking. (not China Export)
All 2nd stages will supply the air needed at any recreation depth and most likely way deeper.
Cold water can be a limiting factor but most 2nd stages will comply with the regulations anyway.
Yes, maybe they are breathing a bit heavier than a $800,- 2nd stage. They are there to bring you up to the surface not to continue the dive. A "cheap" 2nd stage will supply you with the same air as the expensive one. Maybe not with fancy carbon prints or Titanium barrels but it will get you to the surface safe.
In my opinion its better use the remaining of your budget for a decent lamp or proper computer. (a Suunto Zoop Novo or Vyper novo (or other basic computers of different brands) will do the trick for rec divers, (diving an Perdix AI myself but its overkill for 90% of my dives))

 

[tbone1004]

Looking into it with European eyes, all available octo's in europe (via the official channels) are tested for their CE marking. (not China Export)
All 2nd stages will supply the air needed at any recreation depth and most likely way deeper.
Cold water can be a limiting factor but most 2nd stages will comply with the regulations anyway.
Yes, maybe they are breathing a bit heavier than a $800,- 2nd stage. They are there to bring you up to the surface not to continue the dive. A "cheap" 2nd stage will supply you with the same air as the expensive one. Maybe not with fancy carbon prints or Titanium barrels but it will get you to the surface safe.
In my opinion its better use the remaining of your budget for a decent lamp or proper computer. (a Suunto Zoop Novo or Vyper novo (or other basic computers of different brands) will do the trick for rec divers, (diving an Perdix AI myself but its overkill for 90% of my dives))

that is not correct. They absolutely will not provide you "with the same air". They will provide you with a sufficient quantity of gas, but if you subscribe to secondary take *BSAC* or secondary donate *the "standard" out of air paradigm*, then the lower tier second stages that are not as easy to breathe may cause issues with the OOA diver if they are approaching a panic situation. If you are subscribing to primary donate, then it puts a better regulator in your mouth which is much nicer. Doesn't mean they have to match exactly, but buying lower quality octos should not be condoned behavior. Anything from Atomic in the case of the OP is going to breathe about the same as anything else except for the carbon prints or titanium barrels, but there is a vast difference between an Aqualung Calypso and an Aqualung Titan for the $100 extra you're spending.

Also, friends don't let friends dive bubble models, so no Suunto. The algorithm has essentially been disproven by current research, so there is no need to continue to use those computers when the Shearwater Peregrine is out for not much more money as a vastly superior computer. Zoop Novo is $300, Vyper Novo is $350, Peregrine is $450. I get a higher quality computer, high quality screen, easier to use and easier to see, using a vastly superior algorithm. No brainer.

 

[formernuke]

Same or better octo. You need to know it works and you might be the one breathing from it.

 

[formernuke]

Suunto Zoop Novo or Vyper novo

What did @alex_can_dive do to you that you recommend a suunto? I don't wish them on anyone.

 

[Pedro Burrito]

During my PADI Instructor Exam, I had to signal that I was out of air to a fellow instructor candidate. She was supposed to give me her octo. I switched from my Aqualung Legend XT (the best breathing regulator that I've ever used) to her old, sad, wet and hard breathing backup. I had to act like everything was good but I thought I was going to drown. I convinced her to get a better backup regulator.

 

[Angelo Farina]

My personal idea is that the whole thing of an octopus is not really a safe thing, particularly for cold water, where first stage free flow can occur. Better two have two complete identical regs, in my opinion.
I am a long term user of Scubapro regs, so currently I use two independent MK5+109 (converted to BA, of course) with SPEC and DIN connection.
If buying used, I would search for two MK10+G250V, and pack the first stage with silicon grease and the rubber SPEC boot.
If buying new, I would get two MK17+G260.
They are not expensive, around 800 Eur for two complete regs:
RO1 01 DIR kit Erogatore SCUBAPRO MK17 G260 + n° 2 fruste | eBay
The good thing of Scubapro is that they will be serviced everywhere in the world, and that you can easily buy service kits and spare parts on the Internet and service them yourself, even 40 years after they were built.
Having two identical regs makes servicing easier, and reduces the number of parts you have to carry with you.

 

[kelemvor]

I believe you're over thinking it. Just make sure the octo you get is balanced and well tuned and go on about your business.

There are some junk octos out there such as the XS Scuba "Alt Air" that I bought years ago. I later replaced it with a scubapro r295 that I bought new from a scubapro dealer with an mk2 first stage for under $200 total. That R295 doesn't breathe noticeably different than my s600 except I had the cracking pressure turned up (or down?) a little so it wouldn't freeflow. Later I replaced that with an Air2 which.. surprise surprise.. breathes just as good as the s600/r295.

In short, get a decent "octo" from a brand you trust (mares, scubapro, atomic, zeagle, whatever) and go on about your day. If you're buying JUST a second stage it won't be $800. Should be in the $200-$300 range if you're buying brand new.

Octo in quotes because really the only difference is the color. Often not even that. It's just an additional second stage.

Balanced Second Stage
In oversimplified terms, a typical second stage has at its heart a valve and a spring, much like the first stage. When a diver inhales on a regulator, the inhalation effort opens a valve that is closed by the tension of a spring. Balancing a second stage is accomplished by routing medium pressure air to the backside of the valve to help counteract the force of the spring. This allows the valve to open with less effort, making the reg breathe easier under heavier demand, such as the higher pressures at depth.