Using AIR 2

[Green Frog]

Looks like I’ll be going “belt and suspenders”. I’m sending my AIR2 and a secondary second stage for servicing so I can do whichever seems to be the norm at Stuart Cove‘s these days. Thanks again for all of your input and suggestions.

 

[johndiver999]

How are we supposed to carry on an argument if you are gonna pull that sheeeet?!!! You gotta pick a side, this is serious stuff!




Nobody on the boat is going to give your gear selection another thought - as long as it works.

 

[OMyMyOHellYes]

Nobody on the boat is going to give your gear selection another thought - as long as it works.

What he said.

 

[OMyMyOHellYes]

Looks like I’ll be going “belt and suspenders”. I’m sending my AIR2 and a secondary second stage for servicing so I can do whichever seems to be the norm at Stuart Cove‘s these days. Thanks again for all of your input and suggestions.

I carry an octo (back in the room, in the reg bag) and use the Air 2.

I am usually the overly obsessive, save-a-dive trip, kind of guy. At least on long, expensive out-of-the country trips.

That includes hauling three reg sets (primary, backup and the pony bottle rig for the pony bottle), but I also carry a small cheap Mares octo second just in case the Air 2 dies. Oh, and a power inflator I can switch out on the BC, just in case the Air 2 dies.

All of that ensures peak operational reliability. If I left something out, THAT is exactly what could be expected to crap on me.

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

Nothing about the air2 makes any sense except marketing.

Unless you are configured SOLO and have a fully redundant PONY. Then the Air 2 makes perfect sense.

 

[mcohen1021]

I’m not sure this is a Vintage Diving Gear question, but I started using mine a long time ago, so here goes… back when I was trying to streamline my diving rig for both efficiency in the water, I added an AIR 2 combination inflator for my BCD and secondary second stage (octo). This was something over twenty five years ago and my AIR 2 (2nd Gen) outlasted my first BCD and served for several years on the new one, until I suffered my severe case of Divius interruptus. Discussing its use with a couple of dive shop owners and following a couple of discussions from “experts” on the InterWeb I got diametrically opposing views, that they were great and that they made no sense at all!
So my closest friends in the dive community, what think ye? Should I service my faithful and familiar old AIR 2 and treat it to another Bahamas vacation, or is it as one InterWeb “expert” pronounced “a solution in search of a question” and therefore better put on the shelf with my original hula hoop and beanie babies?

Nothing wrong with an Air2, but I also find it bulkier than a normal power inflator, so less streamlined.

Even though it's not common, things can happen very fast and just my opinion/preferance, I would NOT use the Air2 in lieu of a traditional octopus. So until I "downgraded" to a jacket style BC, I had 3 air sources.

Now my Air2 just sits collecting dust.

 

[llyamah]

As a someone who is considering moving to an inflator/integrated second stage set up, I found this discussion really helpful and can see both sides of the debate.

However, I noted earlier comments about the BSAC being against such a set up, and I want to look into that further. It seems from this BSAC article that they do indeed recommend against such a set up.

BC mouthpieces (with/without an integrated second stage regulator) are not considered an adequate AS [Alternative supply]

Personally, that’s enough to move me away from the idea and I hope someone else finds this information useful, even if some in this thread will inevitably disagree with it (there are some strong opinions here).

 

[ibj40]

As a someone who is considering moving to an inflator/integrated second stage set up, I found this discussion really helpful and can see both sides of the debate.

However, I noted earlier comments about the BSAC being against such a set up, and I want to look into that further. It seems from this BSAC article that they do indeed recommend against such a set up.



Personally, that’s enough to move me away from the idea and I hope someone else finds this information useful, even if some in this thread will inevitably disagree with it (there are some strong opinions here).

Can I inquire as to when this criteria was adopted?

Seems to me it ignores a proven technology.

 

[rhwestfall]

I've said it before... The Air2 (specifically ScubaPro) is a component of a ScubaPro system. An Air2 on a ScubaPro BC allows you to dump air from the BC because the BC has on opposite side pull cord and dump. Plus, you can dump air out the device with it in your mouth. The air goes out the exhaust portion of the regulator.

As to on a wing? Aren't all the perfect divers always saying that the proper way to dump air is the rear dump? So, are these perfect divers forgetting their own perfection?

The biggest problem I had was the abysmal job shops I used seemed to tune them. The later versions can breathe well.

I actually once used one for 45 minutes of a dive as one of the team had a reg issue at the beginning of a drift dive. We did the whole dive sharing the tank. Him on my primary, and me in the Air2

There are places where I will and where I won't use them... I don't like them in cold water.

 

[MikeHoncho]

I’ve had mine for about. 50 dives. I’m not sold on it and will switch it out for a octo due to difficulty in use on ascent in an emergency and I have yet to dive with someone who also has one. Being the odd man out isn’t a good thing for consistency.