Octopus, or no Octopus?

[kevtegr8]

I never breath my tanks to empty! True I keep shallow usually 20ft or less. Aluminum tanks change bouyancy drastically which helps give a sense of fill. Also the sound of the air expanding out the first stage changes pitch at different pressures. That last 150psi or so has a distinctive moisture taste if you really push your dive.

Low profile is the way to go. Especially in the kelp forests of the west coast here, too much to get tangled up in.

[Tyson Brown]

Originally Posted by kevtegr8

...... True I keep shallow usually 20ft or less. ......

Ah hah! And at those depths you can dive an AL80 for "hours and hours," anyways.

[OBLIGATED]

Both my rigs have octo's.Cheap insurance to me.I have never had to use except during training and hope not to.Pony bottle isnt off the list either.

[Tyson Brown]

My regs have octos (and gauges, and inflator connections - hah). My buddy used my octo last year, because he descended to 65' on a tank with 300 PSI. Gauges are nice to have, when you look at them.

[Water Boy76]

Originally Posted by Tyson Brown

My regs have octos (and gauges, and inflator connections - hah). My buddy used my octo last year, because he descended to 65' on a tank with 300 PSI. Gauges are nice to have, when you look at them.

That's why I prefer unbalanced Regs. They teach you to look at your SPG when your sucking harder than an escort during fleet week.

I like Octopus - It's delicous

[waterpirate]

No matter wha he choice for a back up reg, be it air 2 or a puss, I would reccomend geing on it at depth and ake it for a spin. Getting on one of those crappY yellow puss hings a 60 fsw convinced me o ge a puss reg, or pony reg of equal or BETTER qualiy than your primary. When it goes south you do not want to bail to sucking a golf ball through a hose. just my .02
Eric

[speargunnoob]

Originally Posted by FredT

It depends a lot on who you are diving with, and the local conditions.

Diving Solo a pony is a better answer.

In an entanglement situation with low vis there is a high possibility of the thing becoming a liability. Same in high current or heavy surge. If your buddy is one you trust to give your air back and he KNOWS buddy breathing it's redundant too, especially if both were trained in the blow and go techniques taught before the the PADI lawyers decided students were too stupid to learn it... much better a drowned diver than a lawsuit any day.

Diving with recently trained divers on a reef they do no harm, but it may not be much help either. Especially if the buddy panics as they are wont to do when the world turns brown. I REALLY hate seeing that vacant eyes like pie plates stare in a buddy, an indication that there is going to be a really bad day ahead of you. Don't depend on the gear to be a crutch to get you home.

I dive with one where the charter requires it, the buddy of the day requires it due to lack of training, and when diving a Hogarthian rig. Otherwise it stays in the bag on deck.

I think now the blow and go is called SCESA.

[johndoelman]

absolutely yes, not only for a buddy but if your reg fails. the octo shouldnt ever break, and if you think the octo will get in the way get an octo inflator, its an inflator you can breath off of.

[speargunnoob]

Originally Posted by johndoelman

absolutely yes, not only for a buddy but if your reg fails. the octo shouldnt ever break, and if you think the octo will get in the way get an octo inflator, its an inflator you can breath off of.

Ive seen a couple of those online for around 45 dollars on sale. Me personally i dont mind the longer hose so ill stick with an octo and allow my buddy if he ever needs it a few feet of room instead of him right in front of me making it a little difficult to swim.

[AndrewK]

Originally Posted by speargunnoob

Ive seen a couple of those online for around 45 dollars on sale. Me personally i dont mind the longer hose so ill stick with an octo and allow my buddy if he ever needs it a few feet of room instead of him right in front of me making it a little difficult to swim.

Thats not how the octo/inflators are intended to be used... in an emergency you donate your primary reg and breathe off your octo/inflator.

[johndoelman]

Originally Posted by andrewk

thats not how the octo/inflators are intended to be used... In an emergency you donate your primary reg and breathe off your octo/inflator.

x2

[gcracker89]

A little different angle your diving by your self but there are other divers in the area. Maybe someone you know and have made many dives with or they could be from a different boat and you think your all alone. Someone rushes from your side and rips the regulator out of your mouth. Unknown to you they have run out of air in a panic they see you and rather than bolt to the surface they swim over to you and take your regulator. now your options are, take your octopus and calm the other person down and surface together, or you get in a life and death struggle with a totally panicked person trying to get your air back while trying to bolt to the surface.
Sounds unlikely but to the person it happens to it can end???????????

[skinneej]

An octo is not JUST for your buddy. Your primary reg could malfunction and you can switch over to your octo. I've got a pony bottle as well with it's own reg.

Redundancy = fault tolerance...

[FredT]

Please note the panicked diver is going to rip the reg out of YOUR mouth! The octo, if any, is for YOU not "THEM." If diving solo a full redundant system is better than just a spare second. This requires two tanks or a "Y" valve with two full regulators. Otherwise a slightly modified Hogarthian rig is the correct setup for most diving.

[lemke]

My primary reg is on a 40" hose, under my arm with a 90 deg. fitting at the reg itself. Secondary is an Air2. SPG on my hip. Nice and streamlined...