| When divers choose an alternate inflator regulator, it's often with the thought of streamlining their gear, a laudable goal. What they may overlook is how well the combination of a BC power inflator and backup regulator performs all its critical functions when you need it most— an unplanned air-sharing situation. As a backup breather, your inflator reg's breathing performance should be a prime consideration. After all, standard practice with these units is to hand your primary reg off to the diver in need while you switch to the backup. As with any air-sharing situation, you will also need to abort the dive by making a safe, controlled ascent, so the second thing to consider is how well the inflator reg allows you to control buoyancy both in normal circumstances and when you are breathing from it. Good news: Our most recent test of alternate inflator regs (or octo-inflators as they are often called) shows that all of the following models can be counted on to perform at recreational dive depths and breathing rates. But we also found distinct differences, including two inflator regs that could handle the most extreme breathing tests we threw at them. |