Announcing the most exciting new piece of SCUBA gear
to be introduced this year.
The Air Buddy
The world's smallest alternate air source
to be used only for emergency breathing.
to be used only for emergency breathing.
What is it?
.
The Air Buddy is a miniature alternate air source from which all the complicated and delicate mechanisms have been
removed, leaving only one moving part, the tilt valve. In a normal second stage, inhaling causes the diaphragm to
move inward, pressing a series of levers which activate the needle valve. The needle valve is what releases the air
from the low pressure hose to enter the regulator chamber and flow into your mouth.
We replaced the needle valve with a heavy duty tilt valve in the Air Buddy. To activate the tilt valve in the Air Buddy, you simply squeeze the mouthpiece with a biting movement of your mouth. That releases the air from the low pressure hose, giving you a PPAS. Positive Pressure Air Source means that your mouth will be flooded with air under a higher pressure than that of the water around you, no matter what your depth may be. You stop the air by relaxing your pressure on the mouthpiece.
Do you need to learn new skills?
.
Sure. You have to bite it to make it work. You have to exhale around it instead of through it like you do with a standard regulator. It will take only a few minutes practice until you feel comfortable with it. Learning new skills is what makes us better divers. And, you are only going to use it as an air source during that short amount of time that it takes to get you back safely to the surface.
* It's available on a standard regulator 2nd stage hose (above)
or on a quick connect
assembly to snap onto your BCD hose (below).
.
The Air Buddy mounted on the BCD-T mount, on your buoyancy compensator, turns and swivels in all directions.
It can be used equally well upside down or backwards.
You are already using a standard 2nd stage for an octopus?
Here is why you should upgrade to an Air Buddy now.
.
Up until now, every safe diver carried an extra regulator 2nd stage hanging from his first stage, to be used by his
buddy if he ran out of air. It was a good idea when it first started.
The double hose regulator was a good idea, originally, but it was replaced by the single hose regulator.
The horse collar life vest with the little C02 cartridge was a good idea, but it was replaced by the buoyancy
compensator. The C02 cartridge was eliminated because it was actually a safety hazard.
Using an extra 2nd stage as an octopus was a good idea at the time because there was nothing else.
You can put your extra 2nd stage regulator in a safe place and use it when your regular breathing source gets worn
out or needs repair. It will not only make you a safer diver, it will save you a lot of money.
Here's what's wrong with using an extra regulator 2nd stage as an octopus:
It's expensive.
It has to be cleared before you can breathe from it.
If you carry it attached to your BCD it is cumbersome and gets in the way.
If you tuck it inside your pocket, it is a real nuisance because of its size, and it is not easy to get out in a hurry.
If you leave it hanging behind you, it can get hung up on coral, monofiliment line, nets, various underwater ubstructions
It can get filled with mud or sand.
It will free flow going in through surf or at other inconvenient times.
It is an inconvenient source of air for filling other flotation gear.
It is difficult to supply air to someone trapped behind some kind of obstruction.
It needs periodic maintenance by a trained technician to keep it operating.
Recent serious accidents were the result of the divers mistakenly submerging with the second stage from their pony bottle in their
mouth instead of the one from their primary air tank.
The Air Buddy solves all that because:
It is virtually the same size as the hose on which it is mounted.
It is a Positive Pressure Air Supply (PPAS). As soon as you bite it you are supplied with all the air you need.
It won't get hung up on fishing line, coral, nets, anchor lines, other divers, etc.
It does not need any more maintenance than your dive knife.
It doesn't take up any room in your BCD pocket.
It can be tucked into almost anyplace on your gear.
It only takes a squeeze of your fingers to use it to fill lift bags.
It can be used to easily put air into the BCD of a diver who is out of air.
It can not free flow.
It can be used safely to any depth because the pressure is regulated by your first stage.
It can be passed through an opening almost as small as the hose, to get air to a trapped victim.
It is the safest source of emergency air now available.
It has a silicone mouthpiece and internal valve seat and O-ring making it safe for normal
40% nitrox mix diving.
Since the Air Buddy mouthpiece is so different from the normal 2nd stage, a diver could never get the wrong one in his/her mouth.
The Air Buddy comes complete with it's own low pressure hose, ready to be installed into
a standard, low pressure outlet on your regulator first stage, exactly as you now see that extra second stage
is attached. You have a choice of either a black 2nd stage hose or a yellow hose.
If you want to keep it tucked away close to your body, we suggest the black hose. If you like to have it out and easy to see
and grab by your dive buddy, we suggest the yellow hose.
Or, you can get the Air Buddy mounted on a Quick Connect coupling that will snap onto any standard Buoyancy Compensater Quick
Connect hose, eliminating one hose from your rig. (Note) Using it on your BCD requires removing the tiny valve in your BCD
quick connect hose. The BCD-T mount Air Buddy has its own tiny valve on its downstream side so your BCD will continue to function
normally. The tiny valve has to be moved to avoid restricting the air flow for your breathing needs. We can supply you with a
simple tool to remove the valve if you don't know how. It is just a tire valve in there.
If you are not comfortable with installing it yourself, you might ask your local diveshop to do it for you. It is so
simple, I don't think they would mind.
Better still, if they don't carry the Air Buddy yet (it is a brand new item) send us their name and phone number and we'll
try to get them to stock it for you. Use our Email link at the
bottom of the page to notify us or ask questions.
If you are a dive shop owner or certified instructor, and are interested in dealing with the Air Buddy, call us toll free at (888) 925-6789 or use the Email link
at the bottom of the page to tell us. We'll see that you get in on it.
The Air Buddy comes with a lifetime limited warranty.
The Air Buddy is now on sale for $49.95 (reg. $59.95) + $10 s/h
with your choice of black or yellow octopus hose or with the BCD-T mount.
Optional Extras:
These are available only with the purchase of an Air Buddy.
A double hose clip (pictured at right) for your BCD if you like to keep your Air Buddy clipped in to your body, is only $1.50.
Hose protecters (retail value $2.00) for $1 each.
We'll install the one on your Air Buddy.
We will give one free hose protector with each tenth Air Buddy sold. If you order one and you are a tenth customer,
we will not charge you for one you have ordered. If you have not ordered one, you may get a free one anyway.
Click here to access the special subsidized regulator offer.
If you would like to order the above product with a secure credit card transaction, just click on the "Add to Cart" button below. You may also select any options or add-ons if appropriate.
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