Can I use shorter hose for primary reg?

[dlwalke]

>>Why would you want to do it this way? I wouldn't recommend an overly short hose for your primary since it will restrict your head movement. And what better way to stow an "octo" on a long hose than to keep it routed across your body and in your mouth?

The long hose system really works fantastically. Keep the short hose for the regulator bungeed around your neck.

Why do you want your primary to be on a short hose?<<

Well, I don't want an overly short hose either, just a shorter hose, and if the standard DIR length is so short as to restrict head movement, I don't want to get that length (even for a necklaced backup reg). I think, however, that I have enough length in my current default hose for unrestricted head mobility and then some, and all I want to get rid of is the "and then some."

 

[chrispete]

>>what are you going to do when you have to share air ?<<

Use the backup regulator which is still on a relatively long hose.

In theory a good idea... What happens when someone grabs your primary from you as will more than likely happen in a real-world scenario and starts running into you and dragging you around on a short leash while you are trying to find your octo to get your next breath off of?

(Geez, the DIR setup makes more and more sense to me every day...must...resist...)

 

[nicodaemos]

dlwalke once bubbled...
>>But I seem to recall a skill in OW class about removing and donning your bc at depth while breathing off of your reg. With a short primary, will you still be able to do this effectively?<<

Good point. I would most likely use the backup with its relatively long hose. Both are good regulators.
Dave

I currently dive a long primary/bungeed backup and there are only two instances in which I'll switch from primary to backup. One is if I donate my primary to an ooa diver and the second is if my primary fails -- either way, the dive is over and I'm headed up.

If I become entangled in something, then I can remove my bp/harness, untangle and don my equipment again. Ask yourself this question, if you become entangled underwater, on top of the task loading of trying to untangle yourself do you want the added risk of trying to see if your backup regulator works?

The reason hoggarthian recommends donating your primary reg is because it is a known entity that works. No matter how good your backup is, since you have not been breathing it recently you don't know if it will work or not.

I had the problem you're having with the extra hose length on the primary. This was during my ow class and first few dives. Since then I've gone to the long hose and never looked back. It seems counterintuitive, but the long hose actually is more streamlined as it hugs your body. I feel there is less dangling now than before.

Check out the pic of the DIR diver over at extreme-exposure. I don't have the link right now or I'd post it, but you can see how streamlined his hoses are.