Why the push for i3?

[tphillipp]

Hi XS-NRG,
The first i3 units that went out were not as robust as they should have been. We had some scattered reports of leakage around the unit. We jumped on this immediately and continued to refine the design and make changes to improve durability and reliability. If you know of anyone who had an issue, I hope that they would tell you that they were taken care of promptly. Today, the i3 system is reliable and durable. As you can read on many threads, i3 owners are pleased with the units.

Being in Canada, I think that you will enjoy the oral inflator. It was designed with cold lips in mind. When diving in cold water, divers have trouble wrapping their lips around a mouthpiece. They also struggle to push the oral button in all the way. With our oral inflator, the diver just pushes the mouthpiece block against his pursed lips and blows (similar to playing a trumpet). It is a solid design of our own making and works very well. Go to your local AQ dealer and give it a try!

 

[XS-NRG]

Thanks for that. It looks quite interesting. When the time and budget allows this will likely be the first BC I look at :cool2:

 

[Islandheart]

New Axiom I3 arrived today. Reports to come.

 

[underachiever]

I just bought the Lotus i3 after being able to test a bunch of different BCs. I absolutely LOVE the fine control you can get from it. I like the idea of having things off my chest especially since I am usually carrying other equipment. I hated having to feel around for my hose, and now I never have to worry about it again. I suppose it doesn't answer the question of why they aren't carrying the alternative in that model other than that maybe they feel this is the most ergonomic setup, which is the reason I purchased this model. I can't wait to test everything out! Going to be taking it down to Utila for a 6 week research trip this July. Woot Woot!

How did everything test out with your Lotus i3? I am considering the Dimension i3 but will wait to purchase till about a week before our trip to Cozumel in March. That way if I do not like it on the trip I can exchange it within 30 days.

 

[Splitlip]

I don't poopoo new technology, but I can't embrace this. My bc has two dumps. During the dive I typically use only one. I don't get the need to blow all at once. Does the bc fill with water? Btw, my inflator only stands off my chest about four inches.

 

[Diogenesdemar]

My wife has an I-3 and loves it. She's also more of a recreational-only diver. This is the I-3 market IMHO.

Why I won't have an I-3 (at least in the foreseeable future)?

1. As a divemaster assisting with classes, the point about my using an I-3 unit when students are using standard inflator models has already been made. The fact that I can temporarily change the inflator configuration has also been made -- doesn't make my life any easier or simpler or less expensive, however.

1a. K.I.S.S -- already also asked and answered.

2. Actually I can't temporarily change my inflator configuration. I already use an Airsource -- another one of those latest-and-greatest, future-of-diving products that I really do like (which I know kind of begs some questions with my point #1. You don't need to point out my life's logical inconsistencies of which I am already well aware). Anyway, I use an earlier model Airsource which does not have the standard inflator hose attachment, my inflator hose is hard-wired into the Airsource unit. Just one more thing on my regulator setup I could change or purchase to accommodate the I-3 revolution, I guess??

2a. The reason I began using, and actually like, the Airsource was to eliminate hoses and danglies from my rig, especially the octopus. Welcome to I-3 world, where everyone is now, again, also purchasing Aqualung octopuses??

3. There is, at least in my mind, a weight issue -- although I'm not entirely certain if the weight of the I-3 components isn't more than offset by the elimination of the inflator hose from the BCD. (My non-scientific, just-because-that's-what-I-think-in-my-gut prejudice . . . We've already covered my logical inconsistencies . . .)

4. I-3 pockets? You can have my "old" ProQD when you pry my cold, dead hands from all those deep, spacious pockets.

If I-3 is the future of BCDs, then you've just hammered another nail in the coffin of this here old Luddite. (Maybe I'm more of a candidate for a future backplate and wings than I thought.) But what the heck do I know?, I'm just a lowly customer . . . and not an educated manufacturer or manufacturer's representative.

 

[aquaregia]

I don't poopoo new technology, but I can't embrace this. My bc has two dumps. During the dive I typically use only one. I don't get the need to blow all at once. Does the bc fill with water? Btw, my inflator only stands off my chest about four inches.

I've seen a lot of newer/occasional divers yanking all kinds of dump valves in strange places that don't correspond to where the air is at all. For people who don't dive much, I think this is lovely. However, I get a lot of feedback about my trim and weighting from feeling the air exit past my hand as it triggers the dump. I wouldn't get that from a decentralized actuator.

I'm also concerned with the repair/service issue, but again, recognize this isn't on the priority list of most divers.

 

[XS-NRG]

Well I bought the ProQD i3 and absolutely love it!!! I'll never go back to the old corrugated style. Making adjustments are so much easier and you can stay horizontal the whole time. Practiced a stuck valve exercise with my instructor in the pool. Had her hold the inflate open and I did a manual dump and a quick disconnect and she was very impressed how fast you can disconnect it so as to prevent a run away ascent. I had never tried it out of the water and still managed to do it extremely quick underwater. Re-connecting is not so easy.

There are only 2 issues I have with this BCD though. One is the fact that the waistband on the i3 is not the same as the ProQD I used during training. That one was adjustable (in the velcro portions in the back). Secondly cleaning the inside of the bladder is not as nice. There are 2 ways to do it. One is to unscrew the multiport and rinse that way, however screwing the port back on it the biggest PITA. The other way is through the oral inflator but being that it's so flexible I found it kinked too much when trying to fill so it's not as easy to get water in, but releasing it through the oral inflator upside down is as simple as the other styles.

Overall 9/10 and I'll always use the i3 style for inflation/deflation. It's just such a nice setup and design!!!

 

[Bubbletrubble]

@XS-NRG: I don't think I would be so quick to give the i3 BCD a score. Put several hundred dives on the BCD over the course of a few years, then see how you feel about the i3 feature. Personally, I'd like to know what is the chance that the i3 up/down switch or any of the downstream venting components will malfunction after being used in an unforgiving salt water environment over the course of several years. I'd also like to know how much Aqualung or the dive shop will charge for such a repair.

 

[randl]

@XS-NRG: I don't think I would be so quick to give the i3 BCD a score. Put several hundred dives on the BCD over the course of a few years, then see how you feel about the i3 feature. Personally, I'd like to know what is the chance that the i3 up/down switch or any of the downstream venting components will malfunction after being used in an unforgiving salt water environment over the course of several years. I'd also like to know how much Aqualung or the dive shop will charge for such a repair.

Challenge accepted. Stay tuned.