Do you remove your 7' hose?

[all4scuba05]

Does there NEED to be a 7' hose between the other diver and myself or would a 5' hose give us enough room? In OW they said to hold onto their BC. That's not the case with the tech dives. The 7' hose was for 2 divers to be able to follow each other through "openings". I am looking at the 5' so that the diver and myself don't have to hug each other while he's breathing off mine.

 

[Blackwood]

Here's the scenario. Boat dive. 80 ft wreck dive. No penetration. No deco. Warm waters. Do you swap your 7' hose for a shorter hose or do you keep the 7' hose on? If you swap the hose, which length do you pick? If you don't swap, state reason.

I'd only change gear configurations if there was a reason to do so. Otherwise, I dive with the system I know best (and I know that system by diving it).

 

[PerroneFord]

Ok, use what works for you.

 

[Rainer]

I'm 5'4". Is that petite? Almost everything I wear is size small.

Actually, 7' MIGHT be too long. My gf is about your height (maybe 0.5" shorter), and 7' was a poor fit. She went with a 6' hose that routes the way a 7' hose would (under her shears/light, not under her arm).

 

[El Orans]

I just got back from a trip to Cuba, all single tank, no penetration dives, and I left my 7 foot hose on simply because I'm used to it, and it was less of a hassle that way. Just pack up the reg and go. I don't find it gets in the way at all.

I couldn't agree more. It's what I trained with, what I'm used to. Why would I change?

 

[TSandM]

I'm 5'4" and small framed. I dive a 7' hose for all my diving. Of course, I'm addicted to my can light, and I take it to the tropics with me, so there's no problem with routing.

I have several friends who dive the 5' hoses. I think they're a little easier to manage if you're diving a traditional BC.

Changing hoses is easy enough to do, but it very quickly becomes a PITA and you just don't do it. And once you get used to the long hose, there's no motivation to change it, because it just isn't a problem to manage.

 

[grazie42]

I´d keep the 7´ hose.
For me it is the best solution for all the diving I do, it may not be for you.

I suggest you "try before you buy" if at all possible.

 

[H2Andy]

no swapping for me

a 7-foot hose is a plus in any OOA situation, no matter what the environment, so i just dive with it

so far, i have not encountered a dive where the long hose was a problem

 

[Carribeandiver]

I don't know. That's why I'm asking. I'm in the process of buying a long hose but am nowhere near doing penetration dives or overhead dives. I understand the 7' hose is needed on penetrations. For the types of diving I do now, I'm probably going to get a 5' hose and keep it on. It will be a couple years before I get into penetrations.

Really? I just so happen to have a 5 foot hose - used for approximately 3 hours doing practice dives in a pool. I will give you a good deal if you are interested.
Stick with the 7, if it is good in the worst case scenarios, why would it not be good for the best case scenarios?

 

[matts1w]

I switch back to the short hose when spearfishing as it gets in the way and there is really no one to share it with anyway.