What is an Inline Octo?

[samsh426]

I am new to diving and have been comparing BCs. What does it mean if the BC has an inline OCTO? Thanks

 

[mike_s]

it plugs into your Power inflator hose at the point where the hose plugs into the BC.

It usually replaces the BC power inflator with one unit that operates both as an Octo and also a power inflator in one plastic housing. However you can get some that connect inline between the hose and the original BC power inflator.

example pics posted below.


some people like these, some don't. There is a lot of personal preference involved.


The major disadvantage that's been noted by them is that with the shorter power inflator hose on your BC, you can't "hand off" this inline octo to someone else for them to breath. You have to hand them your primary, which is on a slightly longer hose and then you breathe off your octo.


example pics:

dis-regard the last pic of BC being washed out by garden hose.

 

[naplestreasures]

Another thing to consider......
Where do you generally hold your power inflator when ascending?
Not in your mouth where you need your octo if you hand off your primary to your buddy who's out of air.

 

[jimdiverman]

Another thing to consider......
Where do you generally hold your power inflator when ascending?
Not in your mouth where you need your octo if you hand off your primary to your buddy who's out of air.

I would think you would need to ascend horizontally while breathing from the inline octo, and use the dump valve at the rear of the bladder to release gas in the bladder as you ascend rather than trying to release gas through the octo.

 

[kneptoon]

With an integrated power inflator in place of an octo you tend to use your top right shoulder dump valve. So it isn't necessary to share air in a horizontal position. The inflator works fine if you are in a situation (sharing) and the integrated power inflator becomes your primary. The only problem I have had with this set up is when another diver (not buddy) approached me OOA on a safety stop and needed air to complete his safety stop. He went to the area of my body where an octo would have been, momentarily confused. I handed him my primary and we finished his safety stop. My buddy knows my rig so knows what to expect.

 

[T23]

"The only problem I have had with this set up is when another diver (not buddy) approached me OOA on a safety stop and needed air to complete his safety stop. He went to the area of my body where an octo would have been, momentarily confused."

This is one of the disadvantages of this kind of a set-up that worries me because a panicked diver who is OOA is going to be feeling relieved as soon as they reach you and then go into even worse panic when they can't see/find the spare second they are looking for... esp in this example when it isn't a buddy who has been briefed on the set-up. At that point you can pretty much be guaranteed they are going to tear your primary second out of your mouth.

I know one diver who switched to inline and when he did he decided to try to lessen the likelihood of this by switching over to using his bright yellow spare second as his primary. That way he has a bright yellow reg to hand to a panicked diver and yellow reg is exactly what a panicked diver is looking for. Tunnel vision does tend to apply in these kind of situations.

 

[shoturtle]

I would think you would need to ascend horizontally while breathing from the inline octo, and use the dump valve at the rear of the bladder to release gas in the bladder as you ascend rather than trying to release gas through the octo.

I am not a fan of them, I tired it, and I was not that careful with using the bottoms, and got a mouth full of fishy air from the BC. Also it makes a stressful situation, more complicating. There are more to think about in a OOA situation.