XSScuba Airwave Octo orientation?

[cloudboy55]

Hello everyone - I just recieved an XSScuba Airwave octo, but it's orientation appears to be upside down, at least if you (the diver) uses it. The orientation would be correct for a buddy on the right hand side (bubbles disperse down, not up).

Does anyone have an opinion on this? I've been so used to diving with a "non-upside down" octopus that it's a bit of a surprise to me.

 

[TASea]

The Airwave octo has a left-side air inlet because it's designed to be integrated with the BC inflator hose (using an add-on adapter).

If you use this octo non-integrated and want it to be right side up when you breathe it, you will need to thread the hose into a left side port on the first stage and route the hose around your left side. That's how I use it.

 

[XS Scuba]

Hi Cloudboy:
The AirWave octopus is a "left-hand" octopus. That is, if you put the mouthpiece in your mouth (purge up) the low pressure hose attaches on your left-hand side of the AirWave housing. This is opposite of essentially all primary second stages and most octopus. The design philosophy of the left-hand airwave (and all left-hand octopus) is based on the presumption that an octopus is a piece of equipment to give an out-of-air diver, not used by the primary diver. The attachment of the AirWave to the first stage is made on the divers right side, usually one LP port down from the primary second stage attachment. The AirWave is attached to the divers right side (BC). In an emergency the AirWave is given to the out-of-air diver. Divers are in a face to face position, embracing right arm to right arm with left hands free to operate the BC inflators. Now, if you follow the AirWave LP hose routing, the design make good sense. The LP hose leaves the primary diver's first stage makes a gentle curve to the out-of-air divers mouth, no hard "S" turns are required.

As TASea stated, an Inline Kit can be added to the AirWave. This allows the AirWave and BC inflator hose be combined into one hose. If you subscribe to the plan that you will give your primary second stage to an out-of-air diver, then this is for you. An added advantage of the AirWave Inline is always in the same location. It could be easier to locate in a real emergency, as it won't "fall loose" of a retaining clip and be trailing behind you.

Our latest octopus design is the AltAir (image below). This is neither a right-hand or left-hand orientation. With this design the LP hose attaches 180 degrees opposite of the mouthpiece. When the AltAir is given to an out of air diver the routing of the hose truly makes the most sense, as no turns of the hose are required. The AltAir also has a unique patented feature to keep it in place until an emergency. We molded the “male end” of the retaining clip right into the body of the AltAir. The "female end" is included with the AltAir to be snapped to your BC. This is the same patented retaining clip used on the integrated weight pockets of most modern BCs. Basically, the AltAir will stay attached even following a belly-flop off the dive boat's tuna tower, yet a pull of the AltAir releases it from the retainer.

Hello everyone - I just recieved an XSScuba Airwave octo, but it's orientation appears to be upside down, at least if you (the diver) uses it. The orientation would be correct for a buddy on the right hand side (bubbles disperse down, not up).

Does anyone have an opinion on this? I've been so used to diving with a "non-upside down" octopus that it's a bit of a surprise to me.