113 replies to this topic

[pocahontas]

I use an inline reg on the BC inflater hose. I like it. It takes up less weight and space in my dive bag. I test it now and then, but I hope to NEVER need to use it. I check my pressure often, as well as those with whom I am diving, including the guide!

I don't dive with people who run out of air. How do you run out of air anyway?????

Interesting question - I wonder if there are DAN stats or something somewhere.

The three I experienced went like this:

#1 and #2 were other idiots like me diving a J valve and forgot to flip it
#3 was another idiot like me on a fun dive when we were doing scientific testing of effects of narcosis. He was used to surface-supplied air diving and between that and the narc'ing drills we were doing - he simply forgot. (air goes pretty fast at 160' )

Hmmm....well....I'm sure this will get me yelled at by a bunch of people but have never run out of air nor have any of my buddies but my octo seems to get alot of use nontheless. :-) I won't mention names...... ;-)

If you have sold your soul to some heathen demon, so you can make air instead of consuming it - it is only fair to share the air generator with others.

Seriously - I enjoyed much longer dives because of your skills as a diver, and your incredible air management - THANKS (I have the yoga videos - so maybe there's hope)

There's always hope!

And it is always my pleasure to help extend your dives! You are such great company down there after all...

[Capn Jack]

And it is always my pleasure to help extend your dives! You are such great company down there after all...

Well, the gene pool is heading to Coz in Feb - you're more than welcome to practice your air-sharing skills with me (I still have a better SAC than my kids - so they're no help)

[captsteve]

I see lots of failures with the air2 units.....I used to own one, never again.
Spare Air units are very limited.....Having several breaths of air may sound good, but if you are panic or stressed at all, you will go through that air before you can blink twice. I feel that spare air leads to a false sence of security.

[Geek]

I see lots of failures with the air2 units.....I used to own one, never again.
Spare Air units are very limited.....Having several breaths of air may sound good, but if you are panic or stressed at all, you will go through that air before you can blink twice. I feel that spare air leads to a false sence of security.

When you say that you see lots of failures of air2 units, do you mean the style of unit or specifically the Air2. What kinds of failures? What are you seeing?

[captsteve]

I see lots of failures with the air2 units.....I used to own one, never again.
Spare Air units are very limited.....Having several breaths of air may sound good, but if you are panic or stressed at all, you will go through that air before you can blink twice. I feel that spare air leads to a false sence of security.

When you say that you see lots of failures of air2 units, do you mean the style of unit or specifically the Air2. What kinds of failures? What are you seeing?

Most of the failures vary from slow leaks to free flows. It seems to me that air2 units from design or placement have a knack of accumulating sediment or grit. This seems to be the larger problem....although, I am pretty sure there is a design flaw somewhere that propagates the problem.
An example of the later could be represented by my atmos pro reg on my pony bottle. The rubber "du-hiccchi' on the exhaust port reguarly "folds over" and I have to check it all the time before use. Great reg as long as you know what is causing it to breath water, but a flaw.

[Geek]

I see lots of failures with the air2 units.....I used to own one, never again.
Spare Air units are very limited.....Having several breaths of air may sound good, but if you are panic or stressed at all, you will go through that air before you can blink twice. I feel that spare air leads to a false sence of security.

When you say that you see lots of failures of air2 units, do you mean the style of unit or specifically the Air2. What kinds of failures? What are you seeing?

Most of the failures vary from slow leaks to free flows. It seems to me that air2 units from design or placement have a knack of accumulating sediment or grit. This seems to be the larger problem....although, I am pretty sure there is a design flaw somewhere that propagates the problem.
An example of the later could be represented by my atmos pro reg on my pony bottle. The rubber "du-hiccchi' on the exhaust port reguarly "folds over" and I have to check it all the time before use. Great reg as long as you know what is causing it to breath water, but a flaw.

It has been my impression that most of the units available are comparable to low end octos and that if you compare them to something comparably priced, the performance and reliability is about the same. The ScubaPro Air2 is a bit pricier and compares to a mid-range reg, but still not to a high performance reg. Are you comparing these units to similar quality conventional units? I've also felt that these units suffer from unfair comparisons when they are typically designed to replace cheap octo units, but are then compared to more expensive regulators. If you have the budget for a higher quality regulator then you'll only find conventional regs to choose from.

Getting slow leaks from the Schrader valve area is common with an inflator, so if the slow leaks are from there, that's independent of the reg. Is this what you are seeing, or are you seeing leaks elsewhere?

As far as picking up grit, I would expect the necklace arrangement to be most protected, with a typical octo or Air2 style about the same as each other.

[captsteve]

I see lots of failures with the air2 units.....I used to own one, never again.
Spare Air units are very limited.....Having several breaths of air may sound good, but if you are panic or stressed at all, you will go through that air before you can blink twice. I feel that spare air leads to a false sence of security.

When you say that you see lots of failures of air2 units, do you mean the style of unit or specifically the Air2. What kinds of failures? What are you seeing?

Most of the failures vary from slow leaks to free flows. It seems to me that air2 units from design or placement have a knack of accumulating sediment or grit. This seems to be the larger problem....although, I am pretty sure there is a design flaw somewhere that propagates the problem.
An example of the later could be represented by my atmos pro reg on my pony bottle. The rubber "du-hiccchi' on the exhaust port reguarly "folds over" and I have to check it all the time before use. Great reg as long as you know what is causing it to breath water, but a flaw.

It has been my impression that most of the units available are comparable to low end octos and that if you compare them to something comparably priced, the performance and reliability is about the same. The ScubaPro Air2 is a bit pricier and compares to a mid-range reg, but still not to a high performance reg. Are you comparing these units to similar quality conventional units? I've also felt that these units suffer from unfair comparisons when they are typically designed to replace cheap octo units, but are then compared to more expensive regulators. If you have the budget for a higher quality regulator then you'll only find conventional regs to choose from.

Getting slow leaks from the Schrader valve area is common with an inflator, so if the slow leaks are from there, that's independent of the reg. Is this what you are seeing, or are you seeing leaks elsewhere?

As far as picking up grit, I would expect the necklace arrangement to be most protected, with a typical octo or Air2 style about the same as each other.

I completely agree with you about the quality and performance issues. Most of the leaks are from the air2 itself, but as you have already pointed out they are compable to low end octos.

[Geek]

I think there has been a lot of confusion around the quality issue. The issue of quality is a matter of the individual make and model, not the style. There is also a big difference between the Air2 and most of the copycats in both price and quality. The Air2 gets tarred by all the others, which is why I ask whether you're talking about the ScubaPro model or other models.

I once got into a discussion about this with some DIR guys, essentially responding to "they are all junk" comments. My point was that nobody was making one aimed at the tech crowd and that they were no better or worse than comparably priced recreational octos. I also think the Air2 (the ScubaPro model, not the copycats) is the best inflator I've ever used, albeit I haven't popped for an inflator with stainless steel buttons. You can imagine how that went over with the Halcyon crowd!

This was one instance of getting the "I don't think" response from the DIR cult.

[captsteve]

I think there has been a lot of confusion around the quality issue. The issue of quality is a matter of the individual make and model, not the style. There is also a big difference between the Air2 and most of the copycats in both price and quality. The Air2 gets tarred by all the others, which is why I ask whether you're talking about the ScubaPro model or other models.

I once got into a discussion about this with some DIR guys, essentially responding to "they are all junk" comments. My point was that nobody was making one aimed at the tech crowd and that they were no better or worse than comparably priced recreational octos. I also think the Air2 (the ScubaPro model, not the copycats) is the best inflator I've ever used, albeit I haven't popped for an inflator with stainless steel buttons. You can imagine how that went over with the Halcyon crowd!

This was one instance of getting the "I don't think" response from the DIR cult.

To be fair, I havent really paid much attention to the different brands. Some may be much better than others., and I probably tend to group them all together...... not everyone does the same diving either. If I was drift diving in cozumel all the time, I would probably own one again.
As for the Dir crowd, the best conclusion I have come to after working on a dive boat for a year is that whatever works for someone is fine with me as long as they come back alive.