BP/W & Rental Regs

[Wijbrandus]

I use a bp/w. I don't own my own regulators yet. When renting regulators from the LDS, they are not set up for a clip off. Also, an LDS regulator isn't set up for a necklace.

What is the best way to hook rental regulator's octo to my bp/w? The primary isn't really so much of a concern as the secondary is. I've got one of those little enclosed horseshoe octo keepers, but it really sucks. Doesn't hold onto the octo for long at all.

Is anyone else in this situation?

 

[Wendy]

Why don't you just bring a bungee necklace with you and slip it over the mouth piece of the back up reg?

 

[detroit diver]

Actually, you want to breathe off the longer of the two hoses, as that will be the one that you are donating. So what WAS the primary is now your backup regulator under your chin.

I would keep a set of zip ties and bungee cord with you. You can then put together a necklace setup and just cut it off when you're done with their equipment. Zip ties are really cheap, so cost really isn't a factor here.

There isn't a lot of attention paid to the quality of "octo's", so be careful. It will be your primary source of air.

 

[Wijbrandus]

Well, the hoses are usually too long, aren't they? Or are they the same length on a necklace? If they are, well, damn. I'm still new to this, and it honestly never occured to me.

I planned to use a necklace on my own regs, but since I hadn't purchased them yet, it never occured to me to use one on a rental. [beats head on wall]

 

[cornfed]

Well, the hoses are usually too long, aren't they? Or are they the same length on a necklace? If they are, well, damn. I'm still new to this, and it honestly never occured to me.

When I got a long hose I switched the original primary hose to my backup. It's a little longer then it should be but it's manageable.

As others have mentioned, I would make a necklass you can remove and carry some zip ties and a bolt snap for the spg. Besides, what kinda of diver doesn't have a bunch of zip ties in there gear bag anyway!

 

[Wijbrandus]

The spg on a rental reg is usually a brick console. Though most usually have a loop you can zip a bolt snap onto. That would work just as easy. Hmm, maybe this isn't so tough after all...

 

[simbrooks]

How long til you can save up around $3-500 to buy some decent regs and forget the rental stuff?? The cost of rentals is typically around $10-15 a day so that pays itself back in about 20-50 dives of paying out rental costs - it is well worth it, i bought my various bits of gear for about $1400 total, i have already done more than 15 days of diving on it since february, so only another 55 diving days to go (essentially this time next year i reckon) to pay all that off. Currently working on building up capital to pay for tanks and then it gets a bit cheaper for a little while!!!

I know not everyone has a ton of money to spend on diving, but sometimes false economies have to be evaluated in the cold light of day and as long as you know what you would like, a bit of cash upfront will make it cheaper in the long run.

 

[Wijbrandus]

Simbrooks,

Cash upfront isn't always easy. I'm a no credit card kind of person. If I don't have the cash, I don't have a purchase.

Oh, and I've been certified for less than 9 months. 11 dives under my belt. I'm not ready to lay down cash on something like this that I haven't had the time and experience to evaluate and make up my mind over.

I agree that owning my own gear is the best. I am going that way. I would like to try several different kinds of regulators before I slap down a very large portion of my disposable income on something I will be using for many years.

 

[simbrooks]

I guess it is easier around here, you can get 0% financing, or of course use cards (i think most do for scuba due to the high expense and delayed payment). I am around the same place as you (diving-wise), half of it is a leap of faith as most places only let you try out in a pool anyway - which is hardly deep enough to really test a good reg, or your friends actually want to use their own regs rather than you borrowing them - cheek of it!! I know this stuff aint cheap, hopefully you will have the cash aside to do so when you know what you want. Just trying to be helpful, although i cant help on your bungee thing or short "long hose" with rental gear.

 

[Wijbrandus]

No worries. Being in Colorado, my options are limited to cold mud lakes or Carib vacations. Done a few of the first, and one of the second. Not as lucky as you Florida pukes are in this regard. Sorry, did the envy show there a bit?

I did price out today a good regulator at my LDS. They have a layaway plan that might fit the bill. I've got a few months until my next planned trip, but I'm always looking for a way to get wet locally and for as little as possible. That means rentals, which I find is also a good way to try out different regs. Any chance to dive is good at this point for me.