DIR Hoses

[Super Noob 1258]

Food for thought. Rub a miflex hose on your BC's corrugate hose very vigorously. You're not going to like what you see. Rub a traditional rubber hose against the corrugated BC hose and you'll be pretty indifferent about the results.

What happens? I don't want to try this and shred my inflator.

---------- Post Merged at 04:19 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 04:19 PM ----------

Food for thought. Rub a miflex hose on your BC's corrugate hose very vigorously. You're not going to like what you see. Rub a traditional rubber hose against the corrugated BC hose and you'll be pretty indifferent about the results.

What happens? I don't want to try this and shred my inflator.

 

[g1138]

What happens? I don't want to try this and shred my inflator.

Exactly.
Now think how that long hose will work chaffing against your neck seal.

 

[HenrikBP]

What happens? I don't want to try this and shred my inflator.

I've been using a Miflex LP inflator hose for about 2 years ~ 100+ dives - with no adverse effect. I use 3 inner tube rubber bands to secure the LP inflator hose to the corrugated hose; 1 wider band up by the elbow and 2 slimmer bands distributed along the length of the hoses. This keeps the hoses neat, aligned and well routed. I honestly don't think there's any movement or rubbing between the two.

 

[decompression]

Interesting to see a lot of discussion about hoses. I think the answer to the OPs question is there is no official stance on braided hoses for DIR (maybe we can stop using that term one day). As to their value, I hope the advice given is from people's actual use of the hoses and not mere hypothesis. I've used them for 3 years (about 200+ dives), in backmount doubles, singles, sidemount doubles, singles, wetsuit, dry suit, recreational, traveling, technical and instructional dives. In some cases they have advantages, in some they don't.

 

[g1138]

I've been using a Miflex LP inflator hose for about 2 years ~ 100+ dives - with no adverse effect. I use 3 inner tube rubber bands to secure the LP inflator hose to the corrugated hose; 1 wider band up by the elbow and 2 slimmer bands distributed along the length of the hoses. This keeps the hoses neat, aligned and well routed. I honestly don't think there's any movement or rubbing between the two.

There would be minimal movement in that case, it's true. But that wasn't my point. My point is between a rubber and miflex hose, the miflex is more abrasive and more durable to abrasions to it's hose. This however isn't a good trade off in my books. I don't want something that abrasive rubbing against my wetsuits neckline, wouldn't want it rubbing on a neckseal (if I had a drysuit) and often my inflator hose is rubbing on the corrugated hose when I insert it through the inner tubes before connecting it.

I personally would rather not have to take an extra precaution to avoid minor abrasions over time. I feel my diving habits are already gentle enough on rubber hoses, so getting a more durable hose isn't a need for myself.

 

[PfcAJ]

I've seen some of these hoses fray a bit and end up with pokey plastic bits sticking out of them. That's reason enough for me not to use them.