Anyone gag alot first starting out? Especially above water?

[Jim Lapenta]

I keep regular mouthpieces on the bench for servicing regs because of this. Nothing worse for me than to get a reg in with one of those long bite Sea Cures in. I won't even test breathe it with that on there.
No shop should have any issue at all with you getting him something like a comfo bite and swapping it on the regs.
It takes less than 2 minutes to do and the only cost is a zip tie. If they won't do that, swap it yourself and tell them to deal with it.
In today's environment it's better anyway from a health and safety standpoint if you are not 100% they are sanitizing their regs for every class.

 

[Street_Remote6105]

I had some problems like that when I was first starting out. I had been talked into buying a "seacure" custom mouthpiece. It turned out that this wasn't a good fit for the shape of my mouth.

I solved my problem with a generic "long" mouthpiece. They're $3 and very soft material so I keep a bunch on hand in case I tear one. Since the material is so soft, it's very easy to tear or bite through.

Maybe try ordering a variety of the inexpensive mouthpieces and see if you can find one that fits better. Mouthpieces

Yeah I'm not sure if longer mouthpieces are the answer to gagging, but I can order a couple of different ones and see which ones he likes. I've never used the long ones or the comfobites, honestly always just been happy with the slightly chunkier twin bite type ones.

 

[happy-diver]

Most of his solutions are like that
The squishy soft DGX comfo mouthpieces were an alternative advertised as such, they were just wrong unusable
Yes the Aqualunga comfo is best!

 

[JMBL]

In case a new mouth piece doesn't help, I'd suggest ericksonian hypnosis. I know at least 2 divers (one's a relative of mine, the other one a former dive buddy) you had that gag problem. It was so annoying that both of them considered giving up diving. After 2 sessions, the problem was solved for both of them.

 

[Subcooled]

DGX C-Bite+ Firm Mouthpiece

The C-Bite+ mouthpiece design, molded from high durometer FIRM hypoallergenic silicone, fits across the upper palate and holds easily in place, reducing the jaw fatigue some divers experience when holding the regulator in their mouths for extended periods.

www.divegearexpress.com

These are great. Mine are APEKS branded but identical.

No need for "wings".
At least I can hold modern regs with my lips only. No need to bite. No need to use chins as a support.

 

[johndiver999]

Perhaps buy him a few mouth pieces, find the one he hates the least and let him keep it in his mouth for a while while walking around the house etc. He would presumably grow accustomed to it and gain familiarity and hopefully, the gagging issue would be completely resolved.

Gagging while on the surface in open water is a serious safety concern (if he gets in challenging conditions). I think it would be worth the effort to attempt to resolve the issue.

As others have said, when renting just bring your own mouthpiece and zip tie. If the shop says anything, just laugh and tell them the old mouth piece needs a new zip tie.

 

[Marie13]

These are great. Mine are APEKS branded but identical.

No need for "wings".
At least I can hold modern regs with my lips only. No need to bite. No need to use chins as a support.

The DGX and Apeks ones are NOT identical. I’ve used both. DGX wins hands down. The AquaLung comes second.

 

[happy-diver]

Or he could do a degree and go into doctoring and never ever gag at anything ever never again

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Another vote for the comfobite mouthpiece. These are awesome and will most likely resolve his gagging issue.

Also consider hygiene. If I had to use a rental reg I’d never use the mouthpiece that is on it. Yuck! I keep a spare mouthpiece and zip ties in my save-a-dive kit. Swapping mouthpieces is quick and easy.

 

[jadairiii]

Another question, is he wearing a wet suit? Back zip wet suits without a little zipper in the front at the neck line can cause that too. I know because I gag like crazy with a suit like that. I've been diving over 40 years, I get on the surface with any kind of neck seal and I'm a gag machine. I was up cave diving in Tally 2 weeks ago, surface and gag with my drysuit.

And second vote for the comfobites (?) from Aqualung/Apeks. Have them on all my regs.