Removing my 6' long hose for open rec diving- ideal length for open water?

[Caveeagle]

But then you don't look cool. And looking cool is the first rule. Ahead of "always wear black" and "don't die."

#1. Always look good. (Wearing black helps most of us)
#2. Don't die... (nuff said)
#3. If you must die, try to at least look good doing it! (Still, again back to wearing as much black as possible)

 

[aquacat8]

Funny I just went the opposite way. I went up to a five footer from an old standard length (32? 36?) on a recommendation from Cave Country. They said they put all their open water students on five foot hoses. I went in thinking I’d buy a 40” with a 70 degree non swivel angle (heard the swivels can fail) but they showed me how to wrap the five footer, suggested I try it first without the angle adaptor, and we shall see underwater. They said 40” was too short to tuck, not long enough to wrap around behind the neck, and therefore made a big dangly loop.

 

[Marie13]

I just put a new rubber hose (switched from the braided) on my secondary. Had it on a 22" braided, but it seemed too short and was always pulling to the side. Put a 90 degree adapter on it, just like with my primary. That did the trick.

 

[aquacat8]

It takes so much fiddling to get gear dialed in...

 

[Marie13]

It takes so much fiddling to get gear dialed in...

SM is the gold standard for “it takes so much fiddling.”

 

[aquacat8]

Well we might as well fiddle while Rome (Ameri-cough-cough-ca) burns.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Funny I just went the opposite way. I went up to a five footer from an old standard length (32? 36?) on a recommendation from Cave Country. They said they put all their open water students on five foot hoses. I went in thinking I’d buy a 40” with a 70 degree non swivel angle (heard the swivels can fail) but they showed me how to wrap the five footer, suggested I try it first without the angle adaptor, and we shall see underwater. They said 40” was too short to tuck, not long enough to wrap around behind the neck, and therefore made a big dangly loop.

5 footer even with a dry suit? (I'm assuming people dive dry suits in Cave Country). I and others in my corner of the country have found them to be just too short.

 

[aquacat8]

5 footer even with a dry suit? (I'm assuming people dive dry suits in Cave Country). I and others in my corner of the country have found them to be just too short.

No I think for a wet suit. OW training at Ginnie is usually in 5 mil rentals, then they go dive the warm salty coasts, only a few go on to cave, then it’s a 7 foot hose usually and a dry suit too. I go to Ginnie to practice, try gear, hang out with cave divers who are so great to learn from, buy gear, camp with Scubaboard, but for diving I prefer the ocean. Both ocean and cave divers train in the springs!
They showed wrapping but not tucking a 5 foot hose, a 7 would give more so you could tuck it in the waist or behind a cannister or whatever. I think the 5 is a compromise for OW diver who don’t want to deal with 7.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Thanks for the clarification.

I had hoped to put ow students in 5 foot hoses so that there would be no need to tuck in the waist belt or have a “stick” to trap the hose, but for dry suits, it is just not quite there. So I’m switching to 7.

No I think for a wet suit. OW training at Ginnie is usually in 5 mil rentals, then they go dive the warm salty coasts, only a few go on to cave, then it’s a 7 foot hose usually and a dry suit too. I go to Ginnie to practice, try gear, hang out with cave divers who are so great to learn from, buy gear, camp with Scubaboard, but for diving I prefer the ocean. Both ocean and cave divers train in the springs!
They showed wrapping but not tucking a 5 foot hose, a 7 would give more so you could tuck it in the waist or behind a cannister or whatever. I think the 5 is a compromise for OW diver who don’t want to deal with 7.

anks

 

[aquacat8]

I am also diving (shocking!) an air 2 I’ve been diving with for 17 years, so I’ve always been primary donate, but with a short hose, so the longer hose is for my new buddies. My ex bf/buddy and I could swim intimately together through the kelp forest sharing air on identical rigs but them days are gone, sigh.