Question Dry suit sidemounters, how do you route your suit inflation?

[drakcheslav]

I've seen different ways of people doing it. So I wanted to ask.

Me personally I run a single baldder wing, and route it from the right tank, along my long hose, on a short inflator hose, 90deg to the tank.

My reasining for this is that I have my chest unobstructed, and I can easily disconnect either of the tanks, but I have my wing always attached. I don the left tank first always, and attach my wing before entering the water, or if I'm donning in water, I inflate it orally. On top of it, when traveling I can dive monkey style with one tank on the left, with the long hose attached for donating.

But I've seen people run it criss crossed over their chests, and similar...

So what's your preference and why?

 

[Marie13]

Right tank (long hose) for drysuit. Left tank (necklaced reg) for wing (corrugated inflator hose diagonally across torso).

Both my inflator hoses come from fifth port.

 

[drakcheslav]

Right tank (long hose) for drysuit. Left tank (necklaced reg) for wing (corrugated inflator hose diagonally across torso).

Both my inflator hoses come from fifth port.

That's how I mount mine. So in the summer when I dive warm I don't need to change that much, and the muscle memory is there.

 

[inquis]

I think the routing of the corrugated hose will pretty much dictate how the wing inflator hose runs. Suit from the other. Those with a 5th LP port probably use a short suit hose, otherwise a bit longer. Trimix mandates a separate bottle.

 

[drakcheslav]

I think the routing of the corrugated hose will pretty much dictate how the inflator hose runs.

Corrugated hoses can be swapped, and I see a lot of people swapping their hose to right side, and drysuit to the left side.

 

[Marie13]

Corrugated hoses can be swapped, and I see a lot of people swapping their hose to right side, and drysuit to the left side.

Since my rig is set up for OW and cave diving, my corrugated hose comes from bottom left of wing. I’ve seen people run the corrugated hose over their left shoulder, just like if they were diving backmount, and the hose routing just looks wonky to me. Have to admit, though, I was running the corrugated inflator hose from the bottom left long before I even considered cave diving.

Both my inflator hoses are 15”.

 

[drakcheslav]

Most of my muscle memeory came from diving backmount, so I still keep everything on my right hand, while only having my light on my left, and I use minimal movement with my right hand to inflate my wing or suit. While I dump air with my left hand. So it was logical to have it split between left and right like that to a (primary and secondary cylinder). since I donate the right tank (secondary), my primary buoyancy is my wing, so I figured it's supposed to be on my primary tank which will never be donated. And I can attach both my drysuit and my wing as needed if I have to donate my left tank.

 

[Guille G]

I don’t dive dry myself, but the standard for Mexico cave divers that I was taught was to hook up the wing to the left tank if diving wet. If dry, swap the wing hose to the other side and connect to the right tank, with the dry suit connected to the left.

The reasoning is that your right tank is the one you might donate to an OOA teammate or dismount to go through a restriction, while the left tank is yours and yours alone - so that is what the dry suit connects to.

 

[drakcheslav]

But then, if your inflator is from the right side, you cant attach it to the left tank, if your inflator is on the left, and dry suit on the right, you can always attach the drysuit on the left tank, and switch if needed.
That's what I don't get with the recommendation to swap out the inflator.

 

[Guille G]

But then, if your inflator is from the right side, you cant attach it to the left tank, if your inflator is on the left, and dry suit on the right, you can always attach the drysuit on the left tank, and switch if needed.
That's what I don't get with the recommendation to swap out the inflator.

That makes sense. I’m assuming the other way implies that you don’t plan to switch hose connections, and prioritize that over the flexibility.

It’s a good question though, I’ll ask the next time I’m down there (or someone who uses it that way will chime in) - I dive wet so never gave it that much thought.