5' or 7' long hose for open water?

[Bigd2722]

I dove with both and preferred the 7'. I have miflex and love it

 

[buddhasummer]

Another option:

I use a bungeed backup on a 22" hose and use a 44" primary routed under my arm with a 90degree adapter. I like this configuration. I tried the 5ft hose and found it a little short and I'm a small guy. Haven't tried a 7ft. I only dive rec OW. Good luck.

 

[TSandM]

The only problem with the 40+ inch hose is that it's not nearly as comfortable to swim side by side. Even the 5' hose is a bit short for comfort, but it isn't bad. If all you ever intend to do is share gas and immediately ascend, the 40 inch hose works fine for a head-to-head ascent, but not so well if you have to do it side by side (in current, for example). Of course, if you ascend vertically, it isn't an issue.

 

[eelnoraa]

If you have bp/w, you should go with 7' hose even you dont' have a canister. Just stuff the extra hose under waist harness. It is out of the way and you won't even know it is there. When you need to donate, the extra 2' come in quite handy. So there isn't really any down side to 7" here.

Now, if you have a jacket, you are not likely to be able to stuff the hose under the cumberbum depending on your jacket. In that case, go with a shorter hose so nothing will dangle. I say shorter hose, not necessary 5". It really depend on your physique, exposure suit, 1st stage routing, tank height, etc. It is better to test it out before tho choose one.

 

[Ulfhedinn]

I first purchased a 5'.. then I chose a 7'... I have never looked back. The 5' is in a box in my garage.

 

[idive2]

They do make a 6 foot hose but you have to look around a bit. I found the 5 ft really a bit short when routed
and the 7 ft more than I needed for recreational stuff so went with a 6 ft. I'll recheck my length and try to figure
out where I ordered it from. The reg is in for service right now or I would measure it to be sure it was 6 ft. but
I'm pretty sure it is.

 

[danvolker]

You guys are forgetting that he's going to be using a jacket which probably means no way to slide a can light (even if he had one) or a dive knife on a waistbelt, there is no 2" waistbelt, just a big cloth pocket I'm guessing since it's a jacket.

Weight belt? Knife sheath for routing? Or pocket. I now this is less ideal than the waist belt of a harness, but considering the compromise of a vest bc, this compromise should be insignificant....

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Weight belt? Knife sheath for routing? Or pocket. I now this is less ideal than the waist belt of a harness, but considering the compromise of a vest bc, this compromise should be insignificant....

Every one of those jackets I see hanging in a dive shop appear to me to be weight integrated, so no weightbelt.
And knife sheaths, I don't know of one that will have a sheath attachment point down on the lower right side on the pocket or weight integration pouch where the hose needs to route. I see sheath attachment points sideways on the front somewhere usually.
But then I'm not totally up on the latest jacket BC because I haven't used one in 13 years so maybe there are ways to secure routed a 7' hose using one? I don't know.
Maybe someone could come up with a special adapter that attaches somehow so people can use a 7' hose with a jacket, but then when it's all said and done and all the hassle involved and fabrication time why not just get the real thing?

 

[danvolker]

Every one of those jackets I see hanging in a dive shop appear to me to be weight integrated, so no weightbelt.
And knife sheaths, I don't know of one that will have a sheath attachment point down on the lower right side on the pocket or weight integration pouch where the hose needs to route. I see sheath attachment points sideways on the front somewhere usually.
But then I'm not totally up on the latest jacket BC because I haven't used one in 13 years so maybe there are ways to secure routed a 7' hose using one? I don't know.
Maybe someone could come up with a special adapter that attaches somehow so people can use a 7' hose with a jacket, but then when it's all said and done and all the hassle involved and fabrication time why not just get the real thing?

What I meant was the jacket BC owner just buys an old fashioned weight belt ( $8 max) and a knife with sheath can slide on the right side...or, a pocket can go on it. Just because the guy has a weight integrated bc, does not mean that he can't have a weight belt on.... And I personally hate the stupid soft weight weight belts any way. The old styles are cheap and better, and last forever. The slicker version is the freedive weight belt version, which is made from rubber so the belt stretches, and it has a nice quick release on the buckle....( freediver insurance for if they are afraid they stayed down too long/worked too hard, and that shallow water blackout is a threat--in which case they instantly drop their weightbelt so they are buoyant). These belts are also very comfortable, and much better than the nasty soft weightbelt concept of the scuba industry.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Yeah that is a good point that a regular weightbelt could be used, however many of the newer jacket designs are built lower and longer to accomodate weight integration so using a weightbelt may interfere with the bottom part of the BC unit. I remember starting with a Black Diamond way back and that was one of the reasons I got rid of it (amongst others) was because I couldn't use a weightbelt with it very well.
The older original jackets before weight integration were designed to use weightbelts but they didn't go down as far either, they stopped more around the navel area which still left room for a weightbelt to be properly placed.
I don't even know if a non integrated jacket can still be found? Maybe somebody who knows can chime in.
But I guess it could be done in a pinch. I'm still seeing a problem with the weight pocket/storage pocket interfering with a knife and sheath on a weightbelt. It seems to me that the lower part of a modern jacket will either cover over the knife and sheath or hang up on it.