In search of octo holder that actually works

[tbone1004]

The long hose primary donate system is necessary in cave diving and in limited space where one diver has to be behind the other. For rec diving the secondary donate offers some advantages. 1. You avoid the issues of wrapping around a long hose 2. The buddy can pull out my octo without asking me and without me swapping regulators 3. For non emergency and for practice you don't had the hygiene issue of pulling a mouthpiece from one mouth and donating to another.

long hose is necessary when single file exits are required. Primary donate is not. BSAC is adamant about this and you can stow a long hose quite easily along a tank, or a myriad of other ways.

1. a 36" hose with no elbow is perfectly sufficient for primary use. A 40" with an elbow or swivel is very popular and perfectly functional for donation with the added benefit of less hose strain during an AAS scenario

2. I don't want someone taking my gas without my knowing, and more importantly, in a real scenario, they are far more likely to grab a regulator from your mouth than just casually grab one from somewhere on your side

3. I'll yield on that one, but I don't think that outweighs the pros of the primary donate system. The hygiene issue isn't that big of a deal though considering what is in the water that we are diving in anyway

 

[HantsDiver]

long hose is necessary when single file exits are required. Primary donate is not. BSAC is adamant about this and you can stow a long hose quite easily along a tank, or a myriad of other ways.

That's out of date now. Can be taught if the instructor has the training to do so. They could always use it in clubs - just couldn't teach it.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

These animals were from a single cup of water taken from Redondo Beach. I would rather take a reg from someone's mouth than from their octo holder.
http://vid35.photobucket.com/albums/d152/PacificCoast101/Ciliatedprotozoa.mp4

Video by Phil Garner

Video by Phil Garner

Video by Phil Garner

 

[MichaelMc]

Instructor did not specifically say no to necklace, but to keep things as they have been and no changes, to quit fussing with my gear.

When not in the water, I can do my work or mess with my gear? Hmm. Give me a minute, I can figure this out. Really. Let me think about it...

Well, reading my emergency procedures, etc, etc, comes to mind as well, but never mind.

 

[stuartv]

Your first stages are a lot better. Hindsight is a great thing - I just don't want to spend the cash to change.

Out of interest what made you run the spg over the shoulder as opposed to just clipping it off at the waist? I'm just interested. I've seen them run under the arm onto a d ring for easy peaking before - but not over the shoulder so much.

I started with clipping it to my waist. With a deco bottle clipped to the same D-ring, I didn't like how difficult it was to reach it, unclip it, look at it, and re-clip it. Plus the chance of messing up and unclipping the bottom of my deco bottle by accident.

So then I added rings to my shoulder straps. First I tried clipping it to my right shoulder strap, so it was running across my chest. I didn't like how far down it hung. It seemed too "dangly". I also didn't like having to unclip it to get out of my rig. Some rescue scenarios require quickly doffing and having to detach a drysuit inflator and pull a bungee necklace off seems like enough to do.

Next I tried clipping it to my left shoulder strap. I have a Hogarthian harness and kind of big chest so the shoulder straps disappear around my sides pretty quickly. To be able to see the SPG, it had to have a decent length of hose after the bolt snap in order to stick forward enough to see it. Again, it just felt "dangly".

I read a post here by someone who mentioned the setup I'm using now. It sounded good, so I bought a short hose and am trying it. I've only done a couple of dives with it, so far. So far, I like it the best, but I am still working on exactly how to route the hose and secure the SPG.

I got a 21" hose, which I think is too long. But the next shortest option was 9" and I think that would be too short. So, it's still a work in progress.

 

[diver0008]

You are literally discounting every reasonable suggestion for ridiculous and spurious reasons.

It's a pattern.

 

[doctormike]

This seems relevant to the meta-discussion in this thread.

You're not going to believe what I'm about to tell you - The Oatmeal

 

[DON-PNW]

Whatever you decide I offer to make sure that it is able to break away for quick and easy access in case of an OOA need. I too dive with a long hose primary and a bungee necklace, the next best option (my opinion) is a bolt snap with bungee loop. The bungee loop is about 1.5" diameter and goes around the octopus mouthpiece so just with a quick pull it releases.

 

[diver0008]

Speaking of bolt-snaps, have any of you found much difference between stainless steel and marine-grade stainless steel?

 

[FinnMom]

In your shoes I would try a plastic clip like those in your photos (better yet for durability and usability: a small metal trigger clip) and secure the octo to the clip with a single loop of string/a rubber band/ small strip of velco that would generally hold for multiple dives, but could be ripped free by someone who wanted to rip it free.

Whether you have caught the octo on something, are too stressed to remember the clip, or it's been grabbed by someone whose tunnel vision sees no clip, it's nice to have the octo break free from its holder under appropriately great force.

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You haven't shown an interest in these, but for safety's sake I'll mention that you might want to avoid an octo holder model that covers, entirely engulfs the mouthpiece.
Amazon.com : Promate Round Mouthpiece Holder for Regulator Octopus Octo with Clip Holder for Scuba Diving Divers Dive Gear Clip - Neon Yellow : Diving Regulator Accessories : Sports & Outdoors
We had an accident in the Gulf of Finland (a Russian woman I think it was) where a sharp yank dislodged the octo 2nd stage w/ this kind of cover still attached to the mouthpiece. The OOA diver couldn't get the cover off and panicked completely. I haven't been able to find the accident report but as I recall the accident ended badly.
There are other models like these that go inside the mouthpiece and would come free better, but I can image someone under stress manhandling the thing and pulling off the entire mouthpiece. Losing the mouthpiece isn't actually a huge problem, but a stressed diver probably won't see things that way.