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When you took dive lessons you learned to perform specific skills to make you safe and comfortable underwater and at the surface. One of those skills was buoyancy control. Once you start diving for fun you use your buoyancy control devise constantly throughout the dive. Your Octopus or Alternate Air Source devise on the other hand is never used unless there is an Emergency Out of Air Situation. Reacting properly in an Out of Air Situation can make the difference between an eventful dive and a tragedy. If your alternate air source and your BCD inflator devise are one and the same you will always know where to find it in an emergency. The Air XS 2 is two devises in one - an extra second stage and a power inflator. Since it's at the end of your BCD inflator hose, it's always easy to find. Using the Air XS 2 is simple. Pressing the oblong blue button inflates your BC; pressing the round blue purge button expels water from the extra second stage so you can breathe from it. To inflate or deflate the BCD manually, use the button at the very end of the unit. Weighing 7.9 ounces, the Air Xs has a compact yet sturdy housing less than four inches in diameter. It can be used with nitrox mixtures up to 40 percent.
Customers most agreed on the following attributes:
from Tulsa, OK on 4/28/2011
Comments about Oceanic Oceanic Air XS regulator/inflator combination Complete:
First of all, this is a non-standard piece of gear in several ways; blue and not yellow. Okay maybe no big deal but may take slightly longer to locate (you are supposed to hand it to the diver, not let them grab it, but it happens) and once you do, the hose is MUCH shorter than a normal dedicated octo so the divers have to be right up close to each other, also the out of air diver has control of your inflator, not good. My LP hose failed catastrophically on the 28th dive. I dealt with it, and when I got back to the dive shop I tried to replace the low pressure hose with another one ... no dice. It's a non-standard special order and no dive shop carries it. Also it has a free flow problem which you need to learn to deal with. Also, the buttons ARE more cumbersome to use, practice or no practice. Regarding drag saved, phooey, no noticeable difference. I've gone back to by factory Inflator and standard octo. If you're are worried about your octo flopping around then do as you should have been taught and secure it.
from denver on 12/7/2009
Comments about Oceanic Oceanic Air XS regulator/inflator combination Complete:
in need of constant repair,plunger corrodes and causes free flow and inflator will not work, needs ultrasonic cleaning after every dive.
[0 of 1 customers found this review helpful]
from Gillette, WY on 4/11/2009
Comments about Oceanic Oceanic Air XS regulator/inflator combination Complete:
I didn't like having the octo hanging down that I had to make sure was secured the whole time...the Air XS eliminated that problem. It takes a little getting used to the buttons for the BC, but it was cake after that. In open water testing I did with it, it was a whole lot easier(for me)to hand my primary off and use this to get to surface. You also have the comfort of knowing that your backup is right there. I would reccommend having a dive shop install it; it seems pretty easy, but I had problems until my local shop spent a minute on it for a VERY nominal fee.As with almost everything, let the experts save you time and trouble!!!
from Lubbock TX on 3/24/2009
Comments about Oceanic Oceanic Air XS regulator/inflator combination Complete:
Master Diver. Wife and I both have on our BCDs. Safety convenient and eliminates the additional drag of octopus hose. Very easy to install and recommend adding a DiveAlert to it.
from Cocoa, FL on 9/24/2008
Comments about Oceanic Oceanic Air XS regulator/inflator combination Complete:
It takes a little getting used to, but after you figure out your hand placement it's a piece of cake.
[3 of 3 customers found this review helpful]
from Northern VA on 7/17/2008
Comments about Oceanic Oceanic Air XS regulator/inflator combination Complete:
Great idea, and work's great for the most part. The only problem I have with the unit is the button placement. I wear 7mm gloves in the local quarry and often found myself hitting both the release and inflate buttons at the same time. It's hard to tell form the picture but the buttons are on the same side of the unit facing the same direction as the mouth piece, separated only by the mouth piece. It was really easy to grab and find but also easy to press the inflate button with the palm or another finger. I just got used to pulling the hose to dump and it worked perfectly. I also did some buddy breathing tests and the unit breathes well at around 30 feet. Keep in mind that with no spare octo you have to give up your primary if someone is out of air.
excellent as always
[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]
Comments about Oceanic Oceanic Air XS regulator/inflator combination Complete:
I bought this with my package years ago and have had a lot of mechanical problems with it. While it is convenient to have the combination, the regulator leaks air frequently and it has nearly ruined a couple of my vacation dives. Despite having it worked on it continues to happen.
from Springfield Missouri on 5/29/2008
Comments about Oceanic Oceanic Air XS regulator/inflator combination Complete:
I use it for recreational diving so I can't comment on extreme depths. It's easy to find and there when you need it . No extra hose to mess with and get hung up on something while diving.I like the product and will recommend it to my friends.
from Destin, FL on 5/15/2008
Comments about Oceanic Oceanic Air XS regulator/inflator combination Complete:
Great recomendation from Charlie. I have over 80 dives with this item. It helps streamline things. Lays flat against BCD. Easy self install, but will not be in same position as original inflator. Remember this is not an octo, its ment for you and you hand your primary secondstage to your buddy in need. I would buy this very same unit again.
from san pedro, ca on 3/6/2008
Comments about Oceanic Oceanic Air XS regulator/inflator combination Complete:
great to have octopus and inflator in one, good quality, but the only way to oraly inflate, like when your storing it, is to cover the exhaust valve with your hand before you blow into it, otherwise perfect
from Destin, FL on 11/9/2007
Comments about Oceanic Oceanic Air XS regulator/inflator combination Complete:
You must put your bc on blow some air into it so you can get it positioned correctly if ever needed. Easy to breath. I made a minor adjustment to make it less sensitive, but just personal preference. This item recomended by Sam over one I was trying to order and I am glad, functions, looks beter, more compact than one I had inquired about.
from S. Florida on 11/8/2007
Comments about Oceanic Oceanic Air XS regulator/inflator combination Complete:
I bought the 14in. hose, not enough hose to be comfortable. But oher then that, it's awesome, I love having one less hose to worry about.
from Houston, TX on 10/23/2007
Comments about Oceanic Oceanic Air XS regulator/inflator combination Complete:
It stream lines your gear. These things should come with every BC. It's rarely used, but if you need it, you can surface with it, and that is what is important.
from Pensacola, FL on 9/25/2007
Comments about Oceanic Oceanic Air XS regulator/inflator combination Complete:
I doesn't breath as good as my main regulator, but I don't plan on using much (I hope not to). I like having one less hose.