Banging my head on the first stage

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dyandiver

Registered
Messages
41
Reaction score
9
Location
Canyon Lake, TX
# of dives
200 - 499
Does anyone else have this problem - while diving if I have to look up, and just a few days ago when I did a giant stride off the dock, my first stage bangs me in the back of the head. Ouch! Any suggestions on how I can avoid this? My head has a good size lump!!
 
Your tank might be too high up... try lowering it.

With my head fully back, I can't reach my first stage when I try to.

But then again, I use a MK25 pointed downward, so I have extra clearance there too.
 
Some description of what you are diving with could help.. it sounds like your tank is way too high though. But you should never look "up" when doing an entry anyway.
 
Many modern double band BCs and wing/BPs place the tank excessively high. Some reason for this are so people can reach the valve for whatever reason they think they need to do this. You cannot lower the tank without the upper band falling off the shoulder of the tank. This then positions the tank very high, too high for many people, especially smaller divers.

In the good old days, we centered the valve between the shoulder blades, I still do. The tank never hits my head and I do whatever modifications or equipment purchases needed to place the valve between my shoulder blades. If you look, you will find your tank, when underwater and level, probably sitting with the valve centered at your lower neck, thus when you raise your head, you hit it on your reg.

N
 
It's also possible that your BC doesn't fit you correctly and that it's floating up on you. A BP/W with crotch strap is a good cure for that one.

Just be sure that whatever you do you can reach the valve in the water in case you need to turn it.
 
I have to set my strap higher on the tank to avoid this, almost to the curve.
 
Your bio reads female. If you are vertically challenged like myself, it's a problem. Tank lower, hits legs. Tank higher, hits head. Plus my small BC with one band was less secure higher on the tank. I solved this with HP 80's. Don't know if this is an option for you...
 
I'm vertically challenged and I've had a few goose eggs from the valve hitting my head during a giant stride - just looking straight ahead. If the valve is only a little off, it lifts my mask strap off my head, causing full floods or leaks.

If you have 2 cam bands, place the top cam band right at the shoulder of the tank. Once upon a time, I used to place the top cam band just above the shoulder, not really using the top cam band. Not everyone has 2 cam bands, so it doesn't really matter. I did that to make sure the valve would not hit my head, but then people think the tank's falling out.

Does your BC fit correctly and not ride up? An ill-fitting BC can do it. As mentioned, a crotch strap helps with that. Even with a crotch strap though, if the BC is too low on the tank, even by a half inch, the valve will hit my head.
 
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