Gear list for your thoughts.

[MichaelMc]

As far as the regulator goes. Is it mandatory to use long hoses with the BP/w?

No. BP/W does not necessitate using a long hose.

The regulator to BC interface is mostly 1) is the inflator hose the right length (and those are mostly standard), 2) where do I clip off my SPG hose, 3) and where do you attach your octo (or for primary donate your primary when not in use on the surface).

For an octo type setup, you would just attach whatever quick release method you use to a D ring on the right shoulder strap.

As mentioned, you might look at the 'streamlined open water regulator' setup. It is primary donate but with a shorter hose routed under your shoulder. Several threads on here discuss primary donate, it has a few advantages. For the diver themself and any diver they need to assist. Primary donate will work with any reg set, though one with a turret and fifth port makes the hose routing easier.

ETA: with the fifth port pointing down at an angle to your right side to go under your arm. Secondary and LP inflator come off opposite sides of the turret, with a slight angle forward.

 

[lexvil]

I've never been fond of the Flatheads' hose routing, and from the pictures I've seen the F8 isn't any different.


Not at all, although primary donate makes good sense no matter what the hose length. I'm fairly small, so a 5' hose works for me in recreational settings.

For back mount I have found anything amiss with the hose routing, I’ve grown to dislike the constant hose flopping about as I handle regs with turrets, I find each hose lays exactly where I want it, I do find the fifth port to be a bit silly pointing right at the back of the head but I’ve yet to need a fifth port.

 

[Lifter]

No. BP/W does not necessitate using a long hose.

The regulator to BC interface is mostly 1) is the inflator hose the right length (and those are mostly standard), 2) where do I clip off my SPG hose, 3) and where do you attach your octo (or for primary donate your primary when not in use on the surface).

For an octo type setup, you would just attach whatever quick release method you use to a D ring on the right shoulder strap.

As mentioned, you might look at the 'streamlined open water regulator' setup. It is primary donate but with a shorter hose routed under your shoulder. Several threads on here discuss primary donate, it has a few advantages. For the diver themself and any diver they need to assist. Primary donate will work with any reg set, though one with a turret and fifth port makes the hose routing easier.

ETA: with the fifth port pointing down at an angle to your right side to go under your arm. Secondary and LP inflator come off opposite sides of the turret, with a slight angle forward.

Thank you for taking the time to respond. This was very helpful. I will go a head and purchase BP/w with all this info.

 

[Lifter]

For back mount I have found anything amiss with the hose routing, I’ve grown to dislike the constant hose flopping about as I handle regs with turrets, I find each hose lays exactly where I want it, I do find the fifth port to be a bit silly pointing right at the back of the head but I’ve yet to need a fifth port.

Lex what do you mean by turrets?

 

[Lifter]

Nope. You can set it up however you like. Long hoses are more of a technical diver thing than what most recreational divers will run into, so if you have no need for that set-up, just do what you're comfortable with. From what I've seen and have been taught by others, long primary hoses are to 1) route under your arm and therefore minimize the amount of things jutting out from your profile that could get caught or entangled, and 2) provide backup air to a buddy if you're working in single file spaces like a cave or wreck. The short necklace style backup reg is again to reduce your profile and entanglement points and so you know that your back-up air is always right by your mouth in case of emergency. Depending on what regulators you go with, it can be pretty easy to buy just a hose if you want to change the length later on or have different configurations to swap out on for different types of dives. If you don't really have a need for long hose set-up, just do what you're comfortable with and what your muscle memory will remember in a pinch. I personally like the long hose set-up and I switched to it and a backup necklace when I bought my own gear, but my diving now is for work in high fishing areas and I often carry a few extra pieces of gear, so minimizing entanglement and snags is a big plus. It also gives me a bit of peace of mind being able to watch my secondary for any issues and know that if I run into a problem with my primary, I can just lower my face and pick it up with my teeth and I have air. I've had a lot of friends who have the more common set-up with their octo clipped off onto their BCD who have unknowingly snagged and detached their octo, then when it started to free-flow or when they looked for it just couldn't find it.

Apologies, I'm very wordy, but I hope this helps

Would you happen to have a link to good examples to visually look at?

 

[lexvil]

Lex what do you mean by turrets?

Rotating turrets for the low pressure hoses, like a scubapro MK 25.

 

[DBPacific]

Would you happen to have a link to good examples to visually look

I don't have a good picture of my primary donate-long hose set-up, perhaps someone else can upload one. This is one of my buddies who has the more 'normal' set-up with the bright yellow octo hose clipped off onto the BCD which is donated in an out of air situation. The primary hose is a little shorter and goes over the shoulder, but both stick out quite a bit from her silhouette. The way my hoses are set up, first of all there's no difference in the type or quality of my second stage regulators between octo and my primary. They're the exact same, so my octo is clunkier than most. I kept my octo's hose black instead of the normal yellow and it's just short enough to route over my right shoulder and for the mouthpiece to be attached to a bungee necklace and hang right at my throat. My primary hose is considerably longer and goes underneath my right arm up to my mouth. I think normally there's enough hose for it to be crossing my side at my waist, and the join between the regulator and the hose has a swivel so the hose doesn't stick out and bulge in front of me. I hope that helps you visualize.

 

[MichaelMc]

A DiveRite video explaining primary donate 'steamlined openwater' from the front at least. Ignore the 'techy' flavor bit. It's about the functionality. Also most would not put a yellow cover on the necklaced secondary as it is for the diver themself, not the OOA diver, so drawing attention to it is not desired.

 

[Lifter]

A DiveRite video explaining primary donate 'steamlined openwater' from the front at least. Ignore the 'techy' flavor bit. It's about the functionality. Also most would not put a yellow cover on the necklaced secondary as it is for the diver themself, not the OOA diver, so drawing attention to it is not desired.

Thanks for sharing this.