When is it time to switch to a long hose setup?

[growcurlyhair]

Hi everyone,

I'm currently diving with a standard recreational setup; Octopus on a short hose clipped to my BPW, standard length primary, etc. I’ve been reading up on long hose configurations (5–7ft hose for primary donate and bungee backup) and I’m curious when divers typically make that transition.

I'm not tech diving (yet), and most of my dives are recreational, within 25m depth, with decent visibility and usually with a regular buddy or guided group. However, I am thinking more about streamlining, ease of gas sharing, and just having a cleaner setup that works well in emergencies.

So my question is:

At what point does it make sense to switch to a long hose configuration?

Was there a specific dive scenario or training progression (e.g., Rescue, Cavern, or Intro to Tech) that made it worthwhile for you?

I'm also curious if any of you made the switch early in your dive journey; Do you need to get some training for it?

Appreciate any insights, especially from those who started recreational and later moved into more advanced diving.

Thanks!

Best
Garrett

 

[tursiops]

My bad. I did mean EN250A. I bought one set from my LDS and believe they are XS Scuba and the other set I purchased online and they are Halcyon.

No problem. Reputable hoses. Good hoses available from Piranha, too.

 

[rhwestfall]

It is "interesting" being a diver who started in the late 80's when the Air2 had big popularity, and now scorn, that utilizing one used/developed the concept of primary donate... Now championed....

 

[rhwestfall]

My hose is longer than your hose.

I use a 96"....

 

[Nick_Radov]

Can you use a 7 ft in open water? Of course. Its disadvantage is there is more hose to manage, which (hopefully) you will never need; also, it make handing up your rig when exiting the water to a small boat rather difficult...easy entanglement of all that extra hose.

After doffing your rig at the surface you're supposed to coil the long hose and clip it off to the right chest D-ring in order to prevent entanglement.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I use a 96"....

WOW! I think you have the longest hose of all of us. But if I recall, you are REALLY tall correct? A 96" makes a ton of sense for you. I've gone to a 60" as I am no longer tech diving.

 

[tursiops]

It is "interesting" being a diver who started in the late 80's when the Air2 had big popularity, and now scorn, that utilizing one used/developed the concept of primary donate... Now championed....

Mixed lineage. Primary donate was necessary with an Air2, but was in existence in cave diving long before the Air2.
Primary donate is still good (you and the OOG diver know exactly where it is, and you both know it is working).
Air2 still has the problems it always had (mainly hard to exhaust excess gas while ascending, plus making one's inflator much more expensive to maintain).

 

[tursiops]

After doffing your rig at the surface you're supposed to coil the long hose and clip it off to the right chest D-ring in order to prevent entanglement.

Yep, that is what you are supposed to do. I hope to see somebody actually do that someday.....

 

[Jai Bar]

It makes sense whenever you are ready, regardless of whether you do tech or recreational diving. Been diving with a longhose since forever- it just made more sense to me.

When I just met my wife, she grabbed my BP, wing and long hose reg "just to try" and told me to go find a new set for myself as she isn't giving it back to me.

Our kids don't like it and prefer a shorter hose under the arm, so I am considering offering them for adoption

But really, bear in mind diving from boat/dinghy/tender etc. quite often when they pull up your rig into the boat you have to take care the reg does not get caught on something while they pull. Or, if theyncarry place your gear on the bench that it is not dragged on the floor.

Also, you may have to explain/show your buddy how it works in case you need to share air with him. It a no brainer, but yet...

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

"When is it time to switch to a long hose"?
Yesterday.

 

[hammet]

It might be good to clarify what is being meant by "long hose" by the various posters. Traditionally, that means 7 ft, primary donate, neck-bungeed secondary. Some today say 5 ft. Some say 40 inches or even a bit shorter; these are sometimes called "recreational" or "Florida" long hoses. Depending on the length, the hose goes around your neck to use up length, or jsut under your arm.

The key (as BoulderJohn said) is the primary donate. This is the BIG advantage of "long hose," whatever the length.

The useful hose length is mainly determined by what kind of gas-sharing is intended; the 7 ft is needed for single-file exits from (say) a cave. The 5 ft is probably not long enough to do this for most people. The 40 or 36 inch is just fine for open water, side-by-side or face-to-face gas-sharing, depending on your preference and training.

Can you use a 7 ft in open water? Of course. Its disadvantage is there is more hose to manage, which (hopefully) you will never need; also, it make handing up your rig when exiting the water to a small boat rather difficult...easy entanglement of all that extra hose.

For someone not intending to cave dive (or other situations demanding single-file gas-sharing) the 7 foot hose is unnecessary, and perha[ps disadvantageous, no matter how cool it makes you look.

The 40-inch under the arm version retains the primary-donate benefit and is an easy transition to a longer hose should you ever need one.

One thing to consider for the 40" or so hose setup is that because the hose is coming from below (under your arm) rather than the side as in a traditional rec setup, you may wish to get a 70 or 90 degree swivel where it connects to your second stage to alleviate the reg pulling on your jaw in an uncomfortable way.