Having an alternate air source as part of your regulator system is mandatory. Most divers (hopefully) will never need to use their secondary air system; however, it will be the most important part of your gear if you ever run into a situation where your buddy runs low on or out of gas, or something happens to malfunction on your primary regulator. If this ever happens to you, you will be thankful to have a well working alternate air source.
You do, however, have a couple of choices when it comes to which type of alternate air source you can have. We've listed the two basic choices here for you and the pros and cons of each:
Octopus
An 'octopus' is the common term used to describe your secondary air source regulator. This is the most common regulator used and is usually yellow, with a yellow colored hose to make it stand out in the unlikely event of an emergency.
Octopus Pros:
1. More Affordable
Essentially, the octopus is just a second stage regulator. Since the octopus is only used in the event of an emergency, most of them are very basic regulators. You can purchase some that have more features than the basic ones, but most octopus' don't come with any bells and whistles and, therefore, are very affordable. A basic octopus can start around only $150.00.
2. More Visible
Since a traditional octos comes in the bright color of yellow along with a yellow hose it is very visible on the divers body and, therefore, should be easy to find by another diver in an emergency.
Octopus Cons:
1. More Hoses
An octopus is another hose that could possibly dangle from your regulator if not secured, causing it to get damaged or tangled up on something.
2. Possibly harder to find in an emergency
If there is an emergency and you are in a hurry to find your secondary air source, the octopus can be more difficult to find than a breathable power inflator, especially if it is not secured to the diver.
Breathable Power Inflator
Breathable power inflators are newer to the world of diving than octopus'. If you've never seen one before, it is basically a regulator incorporated into the bottom of your power inflator.
Breathable Power Inflator Pros:
1. Always close and available
Since the breathable power inflator is attached to your power inflator, you know where it is at all times so you don't have to go searching for it in an emergency.
2. You breath from it, not your buddy
In an emergency, YOU, the air-giver, pass your primary regulator to the buddy in need and put the breathable power inflator in your mouth. This allows you to better control the situation AND get air to your buddy faster.
Breathable Power Inflator Cons:
1. More expensive
But only slightly. They do run a little more than your basic octopus but it is usually a nicer regulator inside and well worth the money in our opinion.
2. Don't forget to service it!
You do need to remember, as it's easy to forget since it's part of your power inflator, that this is also a regulator, therefore, it needs annual servicing just as your primary regulator does.
Note: Some argue that an integrated octo/inflator can add to your dive buddies confusion in an out-of-air situation. Others argue that a panicking diver is more likely to grab your primary regulator anyway, therefore the integrated inflator/octo, which is always close at hand, is safer. Before every dive, you should discuss emergency procedures, including what kind of alternate air you carry..
![SS1-usage-white_T[1]](https://underseas.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SS1-usage-white_T1.png)
Air sharing with an integrated Octo/Inflator: Buddy takes primary regulator and diver switches to alternate airsource. -photo by Atomic Aquatics
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Air sharing with standard octopus: Buddy takes primary regulator and diver switches to alternate airsource. -photo by Atomic Aquatics
We hope this list of the pros and cons of both Octopus and Breathable Power Inflators helps you to better understand the workings of each and which set up will be most beneficial to you. In either case, make sure you rinse your gear well by soaking the regulators after every dive in fresh water and getting them annually serviced by an authorized dealer. Happy Diving!
