Doubles/cave style hose routing with single tank

[AlexL]

wife and i also use a 7' with a single tank rig. have ran through the 'streamlined OW' rig with a 40", as well as a 5', but like the 7' best by far. personally like the canister analogs considerably more than stuffing the loop into the waist strap.

Downsides to the 7' hose:
1: Dealing with the added hose length in the boat.

if its not in your mouth, its clipped off to the right shoulder d-ring. after doffing the rig, i take the excess and loop it over the tank valve so that it lays nicely on the plate without sharp bends when the rig is laid down. though it won't prevent DMs from some good natured ribbing.

Are there people who actually let "dive masters" take their gear down to the boat and set it up?

setting up your own gear was the exception on every single day charter i've been on that was not a live aboard. when we went diving off a cruise ship, nobody else brought their own gear.

 

[divad]

I have never let anyone set up my gear, although I did once have a DM turn OFF my gas just before I jumped off the boat.

 

[RyanT]

This configuration is outstanding for single tank recreational diving. Although I normally dive doubles, I retain this configuration for my travel (single tank) diving. In fact on my recent dives, my buddy and I had to share air. Doing an ascent and safety stop is wonderful when you buddy isn't stuck in your face.

 

[stuartv]

I use a 7' hose for doubles and the 40" hose under my arm and up to my mouth for single tank.

I tried a 5' hose on my doubles setup and I didn't like it because the hose ran right over my drysuit inflator. That made me have to feel for the inflator a little more than with a 7' hose.

I keep meaning to try the 5' hose on my single tank setup. I don't normally dive single tank in a drysuit, so the 5' hose might be really nice for that. The only thing I don't like about having my primary on a 40" hose run under my arm is that if I spit out my reg, it drops straight down to the full length of the hose. With a 5' or 7' hose, looped behind my head, I can spit out my reg and it will just fall to my chest.

When I have just climbed a ladder onto a pitching boat and I'm using both hands to hold on, being able to just spit out my reg is nice.

 

[rongoodman]

I've settled on the 5' hose for single tank diving.

 

[Lorenzoid]

. . .
I'm wondering if there are people here who use this style also with single tanks? Or just in general what people think about this, are there things to know about it? Are there downsides to it?

As others have said, yes, it is very popular with single tanks. Some people who do not use a long hose will argue that the long hose is inconvenient and unnecessary. Once you get accustomed to it, it does not feel "long" at all--it just feels normal. I am in this configuration in my avatar picture.

 

[Jerome O'Neil]

I dive that setup with a single tank, with a 5' hose. The only downside I can see is while traveling and the DMs having no clue how to handle it or set it up for you. So unlike the other people you can't really say "yes, take my gear down to the boat and set it up for me".

I handle that by saying "Please don't touch my gear" to whichever DM is trying to touch my gear.

I dive a 7' primary for most of the reasons already given here. I've thought about going to a 5' but can't convince myself it's going to save me all that much. The 7' is easy to route, out of the way, and gives the donee a good amount of space to get their head together without involving me in their confusion.

 

[seeker242]

I handle that by saying "Please don't touch my gear" to whichever DM is trying to touch my gear.

I would much prefer to have someone else schlepping around my gear, especially so when I'm paying $150 for a measly 2 tank dive, on a crappy old boat... not including tip.... But I don't let them because they're normally clueless.

 

[Jerome O'Neil]

I would much prefer to have someone else schlepping around my gear, especially so when I'm paying $150 for a measly 2 tank dive, on a crappy old boat... not including tip.... But I don't let them because they're normally clueless.

If there were a certification for "Divegear Schlepper" I'd be perfectly OK with that.

 

[Froggle]

Since I dive in the UK and it's usually dark with poor vis, I usually have my canister light with me and use a 7' primary hose with bungeed backup regardless of cylinder config. If I'm in the pool then I just tuck the hose into the waistband.