The Air Buddy

[ozzydamo]

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Well, while it's true that we try to avoid topic drift to some degree, I don't think that it's reasonable to expect that the OP gets to control who posts according to his or her preconceived rules. I mean, this type of discussion goes along with posting in a public forum. I suppose if the OP was dead set against hearing input from anyone who hadn't used the Air Buddy, they could have just posted "Please PM me if you have ever used an Air Buddy" and left it at that.

But to decide ahead of time that no one who hasn't used one would have any useful insight into potential problems with the device seems foolish to me. This board has a lot of very experienced divers who are willing to give their time and knowledge for free. That's a valuable resource.

My opinion is the same as for the Air 2. In an emergency, expect EVERYONE'S training to go out the window. We are all far more used to breathing from a normal second stage than from anything else. IMHO, the best thing to have in an emergency is a second stage. That way, no matter who ends up with which air source, they are breathing from something familiar. No matter how much you practice with your Air Buddy or Air 2, it will never be as familiar as a regular old regulator, especially if your plan of donating the primary and switching to the backup doesn't work out the way you expected.

What isn't to your idea of conventional; is of no use to anybody!

That's being smug and sanctimonious in my book and all it does is make me skim read your words, then take them for what they are worth to me personally.........bugger all really.

You can try to assume what other peoples uses are for something or what something is before you've used it or even bluddy seen the frikken thing!!! Foolish!!!

That doesn't always make you right. And yes it almost makes a person not want to bother with sharing ideas, like you have suggested.

Your experienced alright! lol CRIKEY!!!!



---------- Post added May 3rd, 2014 at 11:34 PM ----------

Your Air2 hose (and others for octo/inflators) has a different connection than the standard LPI inflator. The std LPI inflator has a schradder valve that restricts air flow and may not provide enough flow for comfortable breathing, especially in a tense situation. Octo/inflator connectors provide for a greater air flow that will support comfortable breathing.

DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHERE THE VALVE IS IN RELATION TO THE "air buddy"????

Because what you are writing here shows me you haven't even looked at the devise, but hey YOUR NO FOOL, are you????

Because you use a normal octo second stage, like all the other good little boys and girls!







---------- Post added May 4th, 2014 at 12:15 AM ----------

When someone has to share air, I want a real regulator and so do they. If they only wanted a garage-blower, they would be diving with one already.

The Air Buddy sounds like one of those redneck "Hey Watch This!" moments, like the 20' snorkel.

I'm guessing that I've spent ~$25K on SCUBA over the last 15 years or so. I'm sure not going to be sucking on a garage blower during an emergency and won't be donating one to an OOA diver either.

Well after spending $90,000 on a boat to go scuba diving in , $70,000 on a pick up to tow it, the rest on the gear is chump change really, my camera set up is worth $10,000. Really money AUD not that counterfeit stuff from over there....

Really, I don't want to know about a buddy- I dive solo or with a "buddy" that goes north me south at the start of dive, both happily taking photo's along the way.

Some people dive for their own pleasure, not to play boy scouts, hero, gi joes....

Maybe I should of wrote this for the original post-
Has anybody who has used an air buddy, please give US a review of it.....
(which we got amongst the other....stuff)

 

[tursiops]

[/COLOR]

What isn't to your idea of conventional; is of no use to anybody!

That's being smug and sanctimonious in my book and all it does is make me skim read your words, then take them for what they are worth to me personally.........bugger all really.

You can try to assume what other peoples uses are for something or what something is before you've used it or even bluddy seen the frikken thing!!! Foolish!!!

That doesn't always make you right. And yes it almost makes a person not want to bother with sharing ideas, like you have suggested.

Your experienced alright! lol CRIKEY!!!!



---------- Post added May 3rd, 2014 at 11:34 PM ----------





DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHERE THE VALVE IS IN RELATION TO THE "air buddy"????

Because what you are writing here shows me you haven't even looked at the devise, but hey YOUR NO FOOL, are you????

Because you use a normal octo second stage, like all the other good little boys and girls!







---------- Post added May 4th, 2014 at 12:15 AM ----------



Well after spending $90,000 on a boat to go scuba diving in , $70,000 on a pick up to tow it, the rest on the gear is chump change really, my camera set up is worth $10,000. Really money AUD not that counterfeit stuff from over there....

Really, I don't want to know about a buddy- I dive solo or with a "buddy" that goes north me south at the start of dive, both happily taking photo's along the way.

Some people dive for their own pleasure, not to play boy scouts, hero, gi joes....

Maybe I should of wrote this for the original post-
Has anybody who has used an air buddy, please give US a review of it.....
(which we got amongst the other....stuff)

How is your anger management class going for you?
LOL
Remind me to put you on ignore....

 

[spectrum]

This is an evergreen topic that I can't add anything too. I do want to thank everyone for the information and satire that took me to the verge of a vasovagal attack.:shocked2:

Pete

 

[ozzydamo]

How is your anger management class going for you?
LOL
Remind me to put you on ignore....

Slow, but I am making progress so my psychologist tells me-

it's definitely better then your hormone therapy for menopause is going.

Now please put me on your ignore list.....do it for ME as a personal favour

---------- Post added May 4th, 2014 at 10:49 AM ----------

This is an evergreen topic that I can't add anything too. I do want to thank everyone for the information and satire that took me to the verge of a vasovagal attack.:shocked2:

Pete

Sounds like you're having more fun then Woody Allen attending at a Korean Girls High School summer camp.

 

[Nemrod]

Wow, y'all still fussing and fighting. I took a break from changing out the differential oil in my Jeep and needed the comedic relief. Thanks, well, best get back to it.

You know, I suspect that the Air Buddy, as so many other things, is probably best used by divers who are confident in their water skills and able to deal with the less than perfect without having a melt down.

Arrrghh, well, back to the grease.

N

 

[doctormike]

[/COLOR]

What isn't to your idea of conventional; is of no use to anybody!

That's being smug and sanctimonious in my book and all it does is make me skim read your words, then take them for what they are worth to me personally.........bugger all really.

You can try to assume what other peoples uses are for something or what something is before you've used it or even bluddy seen the frikken thing!!! Foolish!!!

That doesn't always make you right. And yes it almost makes a person not want to bother with sharing ideas, like you have suggested.

Your experienced alright! lol CRIKEY!!!!

Wow.

I read my post over several times, and I have no idea where you are getting this from. I certainly didn't mean to come off as "smug" or "sanctimonious". I don't see where I implied that I am always right, either. And yes, I did assume that people were using the Air Buddy as a redundant gas supply for use in an emergency, hence my comment. Perhaps I was wrong in that assumption..?

Not really sure what you mean by "sharing ideas". Do you mean that you want to tell us that the Air Buddy is great, and for us to say "Hey, terrific, thanks for the tip!". You seem to feel that no one can have an opinion on a piece of gear that they haven't used - I personally don't feel that way, but to each his own.

I guess the other poster was correct, you only want to hear from people who have used it. So you will certainly hear no more from me. You seem to have been pretty upset by just skimming my post, and I certainly don't want you to be upset.

Dive safe!

M

 

[ams511]

DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHERE THE VALVE IS IN RELATION TO THE "air buddy"????

Do you? Looking at the photo of the Air Buddy, it appears the device connects using a standard BC inflator hose. So the restriction is before the Air Buddy. Usually on inline devices (i.e. Sherwood Shadow) they connect using a standard LP hose and have the valve after the breathing device. You can see it in this Y-valve.

BTW, Awap was answering a question on why standard BC hoses are not used with Air 2 type combo inflators. He was not commenting on anything relating to the Air Buddy. He is also one of the go-to guys in the DIY regulator repair forum so he knows quite a bit about equipment.

 

[ozzydamo]

it appears ?????

Your still making an assumption based on glanced look at a photo, it's the same QD used on second stages- like this- Quick disconnect for BOV or second stage regulator.

It's not fair to say things your aren't 100% sure is fact and not state your are unsure about it, its a suspicion, you should make that clear.

FWIW- I will be using a braided low pressure hose for it.

 

[ams511]

it appears ?????

Your still making an assumption based on glanced look at a photo, it's the same QD used on second stages- like this- Quick disconnect for BOV or second stage regulator.

It's not fair to say things your aren't 100% sure is fact and not state your are unsure about it, its a suspicion, you should make that clear.

FWIW- I will be using a braided low pressure hose for it.

I am not making an assumption based on a glance. I am expressing an opinion based upon what the manufacturer says. The manufacturer claims that it connects using a standard BC hose. If this is true, then there is a restriction before the Air Buddy as I and others have mentioned. If you are using a normal LP hose and a special fitting that still does not negate what Awap was explaining.

 

[Luis H]

I did own an Air-Buddy, but I ended up returning it.

The Air-Buddy I had was designed to be used with a standard QD hose (like the one mentioned by awap, etc.). As already mentioned, this QD fitting are not high flow design, like the ones designed specifically for BOV, second stage regulators, and Air-2 style second stages. The high flow QD fittings are very different from the standard QD hose used in a BC.

In order to use the standard QD hose, the Air-Buddy gives very clear and very specific instructions to remove the Schrader valve from the QD hose. Then it includes a tie strap that needs to be installed behind the QD collar to defeat the quick disconnect feature. Without the Schrader in place if the quick disconnect lets go, you would loose a lot of air very quickly.

In essence the use of a Air-Buddy with a quick disconnect hose becomes a semi-permanent installation. At the time that did not meet my requirements.


Note: IMO, the Air-Buddy is fine for some one that knows how to use it.

I have also taken breathes from an air gun and a couple of other improvised devices.