any one heard of an AIRBUDDY

[scuba pup]

Dive Shop

does this work ?
any good ?
thoughts and opinions ?

[navyhmc]

Not having one in front of nor one to try out, my first impression no NFW! The add itself seem so full of holes that it is far too good to be true.

First introduced to the market in 1997, this was the single most popular new piece of gear at the 1998 DEMA (Diving Equipment Marketing Association) Convention.

Never heard of it before you posted this, if it was so popular, why haven't we seen it in a significant number of dive shops and plastered all over the internet as the pancea for all diving woes?

The air comes to you as slightly above ambient pressure no matter what your depth. You stop the air by relaxing your pressure on the mouthpiece.

Normally, a LP hose is at around 30-70 psi depending on make, model and type. Sorry, but even 30 psi (2180 kpa/2.180 Bar) is too much to try to breath against. The seconds stage usually reduces the LP pressure to about 4-5 psi which is manageable. I can't see this thing doing it.

Methinks that at first glance and without seeing one, it's a gimmick toy and at 79.00 USN, an expensive gimmick.

ETA: read the rest of the info on "The Air buddy" and it screams Junk Science marketing all over the place. amongst the claims is:

The use of the Air Buddy as an alternate air source will increase the breathing time you will have on any given air source up to 20% more than you would have if you use any other alternate air source available at this time .

It goes on to explain that since TAB has no exhaust mainfold that you don't have as much dead air space that will accumulate carbon dioxide on the next inhalation. Given a dead air space of around 150ml in the normal person, the usual 20ml-30 ml of dead air space in a regualtor is not going to make that much difference. This 20ml-30ml dead space reduction is not going to affect your breathing in anyway. Since the actual CO2 concentration in exhaled air is only 3%-4%, that extra 1ml of additional inhaled CO2 from the regulators dead air space is not going to cause a 20% decrease in respiration. They are also not telling the whole truth about the respiratory drive. There is also sensors so to speak in the body that detect low O2 levels and these also drive respirations as well.

I will admit I usually look at new technology with a critical eye until I can fully evaluate it, and the TAB definitely needs to be put under an independant microscope. I have an unproven theory that the more salesmanship and "slanted education" a product advertisement gives, the more cautious one should look at that product.

[scuba pup]

wow thanks for your quick reply
...errr a little more reading by me and i would of found out that the world hates it any way

[FyVe]

looks like a cheesy solution to a problem that does not exist....
the octos we use now a days work fine, there is no need for that think...

[captain]

A dive buddy of mine has one and he loves it. He said it is not difficult to use. The pressure in an LP hose is in the 120 to 134 range.
The girls who do the underwater show at Weeki Wachi Springs breathe from an open ended hose with no mask on. Most divers should wish they were half as good as those girls are underwater.

[navyhmc]

Originally Posted by scuba pup

wow thanks for your quick reply
...errr a little more reading by me and i would of found out that the world hates it any way

Where did you find that info? I never got beyond the companies ad for it.

Welcome to ST mate! (noticed you joined about 2 weeks ago.)

[FishFood]

Read this thread:

"Air Buddy" Alternate Air Source - ScubaBoard

It's a crazy rip off. Yes, it works, sorta. However, a REAL octo can be bought for the same (or less) money.

[Crimediver]

I've read the SB posts and agree with a lot of the criticism, BUT, I actually used one unlike the majority of those who criticized it. I mastered it immediately but can see why some don't feel comfortable with it. A lot of folks still feel uncomfortable with mask clearing. They would not like the Airbuddy either.

I bought one to use while kayaking. I had an onboard pony bottle that I put an Airbuddy on for use in an emergency pin situation. I liked it as it was very low profile. I have dove with it and burned an entire 80 cf tank in water as deep as 70 feet without a hitch.

I might add that I have also used a simple attachment like a party ballon filler-upper thingie that I made to fill lift bags. I dove with it and it did the same job. Not sure how it would deliver under extreme breathing demands as it is on a BC hose. It works on the same principle as the Airbuddy , which is a tilt-valve design like many older regs used. I inserted it into a BC inflator hose. I used it to squirt air into my mouth with each breath and it worked well. The Airbuddy works even easier. It will not replace a good octopus, but some folks will find it usefull in certain applications. One vintage diver I am aware of uses an Airbuddy when diving with a Phoenix double hose reg as it does not detract from the classic lines of this minimalist rig and most observers never see the Airbuddy octopus. You can always use it to startle and amaze your friends.

[scuba pup]

thanks "navy"
been reading this forum for quite a while now ,just decided to join ..never joined a forum before,
simply to thank you guys for advice on zeagle bc's
but now cant keep away
love updating my self with fresh ideas new equipment ,different opinnions
some times ill be right some times ill be wrong ...but all good

their was another post about this device that i found later !!

i think like anything you could learn to get use to it
could be a great way to slim down a travel rig
and better than a combo
easy to inflate smb.
you wouldnt continue a dive with it but would get you out
very expensive (i might pay $40 )

regards
australian scuba pup

[newways]

I gotta say that I wouldn't put my money on that item. It isn't mainstream. I know, a lot of stuff being used isn't exactly mainstream. However, you can at least get some info from a magazine, convention, or forums. I think the consensus is correct here. not a very good product.