The Air Buddy

[ozzydamo]

Want to hear from people who use this Alternate air source, what's your opinions?

'Seem's like a good idea, I am interested in the inflator hose one.


Air Buddy -- The Ultimate Alternate Air Source

 

[Fishpie]

Try one first..........
It isn't a generally recommended item.

 

[flots am]

Want to hear from people who use this Alternate air source, what's your opinions?

'Seem's like a good idea, I am interested in the inflator hose one.

"[SIZE=+1]The Air Buddy is a miniature regulator second stage from which all the complicated and delicate parts have been removed, leaving only one moving part, the tilt valve. [/SIZE]"

Oddly enough, there is no "tilt valve" in a real regulator. And there is no regulator in an air buddy.

I don't see a big difference between this and a $2 air blower nozzle.

 

[Hawkwood]

Contact Nemrod if he doesn't find this Thread. I could be mistaken, but I believe he has posted about his in the past. If it was not him I apologize in advance.

 

[redacted]

Search "air buddy"

 

[Nemrod]

Contact Nemrod if he doesn't find this Thread. I could be mistaken, but I believe he has posted about his in the past. If it was not him I apologize in advance.

The Air Buddy one of the things scubieboardies love to hate on along with split fins. I, being a different sort, love mine and actually ordered another just yesterday. I have completed entire dives at over 100 feet with mine as the ONLY air source. I have one old Mk V dedicated to it. Since it uses a tilt valve like regulators did back in the olden days a pressure relief fuse must be used in a spare LP port.

It is terribly useful, I use it as a back up with some double hoses regs since I can hide it away when pretending to be vintage or sometimes when solo as a back up, it is superb at inflating lift bags and sausage floats, it can sometimes blow a ring bubble too. I sneaked into a well known and no scuba allowed without a cave certification spring in "some place" Flariduh and did a penetration through the chimney so I could get some pics with my camera looking back up through the hole and I did it on a 30 cf aluminum slung and a Air Buddy. No more details forthcoming as I do not wish to be banned from Flariduh for a fourth time (or is it fifth?).

"[SIZE=+1]The Air Buddy is a miniature regulator second stage from which all the complicated and delicate parts have been removed, leaving only one moving part, the tilt valve. [/SIZE]"

Oddly enough, there is no "tilt valve" in a real regulator. And there is no regulator in an air buddy.

I don't see a big difference between this and a $2 air blower nozzle.

So all you haters go ahead and hate, I love mine. And, yes, second stage regulators did come in the tilt flavor in the 60s and the Tekna T2100 used a tilt valve actuated pneumatic servo. So there, all you haters. As to there not being a regulator, actually, your partially open mouth serves the function of regulating the air pressure to ambient. And I do not care what y'alls instructors have to say on the matter either.

N

 

[diversteve]

I have two questions.

1. Do you remove it from your mouth every time you exhale?
2. Who services it? It's rubber and has moving parts right?

Or I guess for $40 just throw it away when it needs it and buy another one.

 

[tursiops]

If you enjoyed breathing from a free-flowing second stage when you took your OW pool class, you'll love the Air Buddy.

Note that the flow rate/volume available from a LPI hose is not sufficient for heavy breathing, so some of the configurations they show are not likely to work well under stress.

Used as an octopus/alternate, your buddy better be ready and willing to use it....it is not for you, after all.

 

[Couv]

Note that the flow rate/volume available from a LPI hose is not sufficient for heavy breathing.....

Please explain this.

Used as an octopus/alternate, your buddy better be ready and willing to use it....it is not for you, after all.

Please explain why one could not donate his primary and breathe off the Air Buddy.

 

[Nemrod]

I too was wanting an explanation for how the flow rate from an LP hose is not sufficient for heavy breathing?

I can assure anyone, the Air Buddy can deliver sufficient air volume at depth for normal diving.

I have two questions.

1. Do you remove it from your mouth every time you exhale?
2. Who services it? It's rubber and has moving parts right?

Or I guess for $40 just throw it away when it needs it and buy another one.

1. No, you pinch it between your teeth, biting causes air to flow, the harder you bite, the more air you get. You leave your lips open and the excess and your exhalation vent. The Air Buddy does not free flow, it is a demand device.

2. Beats me, I guess Air Buddy does. What is to service really. I service my own gear and if I cannot buy the parts I make them or a buddy does or his buddy does or in this case Air Buddy apparently does.

As to regulator donation, like any integrated BCD inflator (Air Source combined inflator second stage units) air source such as the Air Buddy model the OP is interested in, one would donate their primary to the OOA diver and the Air Buddy would be utilized by the assumed practiced rescuing diver. You would not donate the Air Buddy. This is really easy.

Like I said, I just ordered another, my first one is on a hose, this one is the BCD integrated inflator model.

Hey, it is Nitrox ready . Let's get outside the box of norm think, okay guys.

N