long hose + bungeed octo for rec diving

[String]

And 5' seems like it would fulfill the need of giving some room to maneuver while keeping the entanglement hazards to a minimum. So what would the advantage of a 7' hose over a 5' hose be for the average non-tech diver?

If you're a very big built person the 5ft MAY be a little tight to use (as its routed under the right arm). Most people its fine but some large shoulder/chest people could possibly find it a bit tight. Other than that i cant think of any real reason.

7ft is designed so people can exit a wreck or cave in single file - if that isnt an issue then really 5ft is fine.

 

[boat sju]

Do you really believe this?

As a relatively inexperienced diver myself if I were to find myself on group trust me dive, I might be a bit concerned that the rookie tech wannabe that I'm instabuddied with may look the part but nothing more. If I have an issue I have to get his attention and hope he reacts appropriately. Let's not always assume that the guy with the long hose and bungied reg has his act together all the time either.

 

[=C=]

...If the config is fine for expedition type cave/wreck diving, it is clearly fine for rec. diving...

Anyone else have a problem with this logic?

 

[ianr33]

And 5' seems like it would fulfill the need of giving some room to maneuver while keeping the entanglement hazards to a minimum. So what would the advantage of a 7' hose over a 5' hose be for the average non-tech diver?

I prefer the way that a 7 foot hose routes. Done properly it lies very close to the body,no entanglement hazard.
Used a 5 footer for a while and never really got on with it.

 

[verybaddiver]

My point was in terms of the regulators performing perfectly fine at much more extreme depths, nothing else. If the 7ft hose works fine at 120 metres, then it's surely adequate at <40m...

 

[HowardE]

Hi there!

Our LDS encourages the long hose + bungeed octo for all divers, not just their "tech" divers. The arguments for using this set up seem valid and I'm basically sold on it.

Here's my question: is there any reason NOT to use this setup for recreational diving? I have no plans to do any tech diving and always dive in nice warm reef environments. I also always dive with the same buddy (my SO) and he'd have the same reg config and be familiar with the setup if either of us had an OOA situation.

I plan on getting my own reg/octo within the next few weeks for my 35th birthday--yea! Since this means I am a Libra, I need to weigh all options a trillion times before I can make a decision, so your input would be greatly appreciated!

P-Cod

I have been diving the long hose / bungeed setup for a few hundred dives now. Even though I always dive with my same buddy; there are times when other divers will be

1. on the same wreck
2. on the same dive
3. within eyesight of me

The reality of the situation is... that an OOG diver (even one who isn't my buddy per-se) who sees me will think, "LOOK - GAS!" and swim toward me. (it happens)

They in a panic... grab my primary reg (on a long hose) because they need gas. (it happens)

Instead of having to look for my octo, or "deploy it" - it's already deployed, and right around my neck. Nice and simple.

Not to mention that the long hose is more streamlined than a short hose.

 

[tstormdiver]

Very well stated.

 

[Randy43068]

I think it's a bad idea to bungee the thing and stuff it someplace. It really makes no sense to me whatsoever. Dress the primary around the BACK of your neck, not around it. Use the primary, have your backup on a necklace ready for use and so you can see if you have a free-flow.

I've also watched folks try to re-stow the thing after deploying it. Not a pretty sight.

 

[redacted]

I went to a long (5') hose because I got tired of things grabbing my std hose that stuck out over my right shoulder. If the currents in Cozumel flowed the other way, I might have passed on this great rig. I've shared air a number of time with this rig, either because of a LOA or just part of our gas management plan, and the dive simply proceeds with no crowding problems.

 

[potato cod]

Wow! Thanks for all the great input so far. This is pretty much reinforcing all the reasons I heard from my LDS for why to use the long hose + bungee config.

The thing that struck me was the issue with the hose potentially getting tangled in the snorkel. My SO and I always wear our snorkels on our masks. It wouldn't be a big deal for me to get one that stores in a pocket because I always surface with plenty of air, but my SO/dive buddy goes through his air a LOT more quickly than me, so he will generally use his snorkel on the surface predive while we are waiting for other divers and the DM to get into the water and set to descend if we are in a group on a led dive. Thoughts on how big of a problem this might be?

P-cod