using octo reg as primary

[incysor]

I recently got my rescue diver certification after a couple years hiatus from diving. I'm looking at purchasing regulators, bcd, etc... but I'm on a nearly non-existant budget. I've noticed that all the new regulators have a very similar performing octopus that's sometimes hundreds less. Is there any reason not to simply purchase two of the octo version of the regulator and simply use a longer yellow hose to mark which one is my alternate?

Thanks

 

[PaulB]

From what I've noticed when I breath off an octo, it's a bit more difficult to get a full breath off them compared to a primary. I couldn't see using it as my primary.
That just may be me though.

 

[raviepoo]

For example, if you go to www.scubastore.com you will see an Apex ATX 40 for 238$. The same vendor sells the ATX 40 Octopus for 142$. This seems like a considerable savings, doesn't it?

It isn't. The difference in price is the first stage. The ATX 40 regulator comes with one. The octopus doesn't. When you buy an octopus it is assumes you already have a first stage.

 

[raviepoo]

Many regulators (including my own, cuz I'm cheap) have a good primary first stage and a POS (piece of s---) octo. In a real emergency situation at depth I would give my buddy my primary and breath off the POS. That's because;

1 - My primary buddy is my sweetie, and and I don't want him to drown, and
2 - I have a much lower SAC rate than him, and
3 - I'm much less likely to over-breath my POS octo.

I suspect that if you rent gear you're going to find yourself hauling a POS octo more often than not simply due to the cost factor.

PaulB once bubbled...
From what I've noticed when I breath off an octo, it's a bit more difficult to get a full breath off them compared to a primary. I couldn't see using it as my primary.
That just may be me though.

 

[incysor]

raviepoo once bubbled...
For example, if you go to www.scubastore.com you will see an Apex ATX 40 for 238$. The same vendor sells the ATX 40 Octopus for 142$. This seems like a considerable savings, doesn't it?

It isn't. The difference in price is the first stage. The ATX 40 regulator comes with one. The octopus doesn't. When you buy an octopus it is assumes you already have a first stage.

Ok, this certainly makes sense. I didn't get that feeling while hitting the LDS. Although I've seen a couple sites lately that offer the primary version of a regulator with the option of not ordering the 1st stage, and it's still more expensive than the alternate version of the same regulator.

 

[incysor]

raviepoo once bubbled...
Many regulators (including my own, cuz I'm cheap) have a good primary first stage and a POS (piece of s---) octo. In a real emergency situation at depth I would give my buddy my primary and breath off the POS. That's because;

1 - My primary buddy is my sweetie, and and I don't want him to drown, and
2 - I have a much lower SAC rate than him, and
3 - I'm much less likely to over-breath my POS octo.

I suspect that if you rent gear you're going to find yourself hauling a POS octo more often than not simply due to the cost factor.

My current setup sounds very similar. The octo definetely breathes harder, and I had already thought that if I needed to share air I would give my primary to my buddy and breathe off the octo, mainly because the last thing a stressed diver needs is to be breathing off a harder-breathing reg.

 

[ZenSquirrel]

raviepoo once bubbled...
I suspect that if you rent gear you're going to find yourself hauling a POS octo more often than not simply due to the cost factor.

Correction, you find yourself hauling around a POS primary and a "your better off without it" really POS octo.

I get my Scubapro MK25/S600 on Monday.....please let the renting end!

 

[deepwater]

Damn squirrel....you've been saving your nuts up for a while haven't you....

 

[scubajay]

In my opinion I think it would be kind of silly to use an octo as your primary because for one it's harder to breath and secondly if for some strange reason you happen to overexert yourself you will find yourself breathing faster than the octo can provide air and that could really lead to you having a panic attack.

I know everyone likes to save a buck but you have to always keep in mind that you are dealing with life support equipment and personally I rather spend a few extra dollars buying equipment that make me feel safe than having my family spend thousands of dollars in funeral arrangement.

My main concern is always safety.

Jay

 

[Diver Lori]

My secondary is identical to my primary. Believe me, when I donate my primary to my buddy, I want the same high performance reg for myself as well. My secondary isn't tuned as sweetly, but I know it will give me what I need and be reliable.