Long hose coming over my head?

[Scott M]

You have to try it to know for sure because it'll depend on your size. As far as fit, I could probably get by with a 6 but for function while sharing gas (and that's what it's fore) I just stick with a 7.

Well then before I order the 7' maybe it would be prudent to suit up and route my 5' in the area of a future can and see about how much I would need. Maybe a 6' would do the trick. I don't see myself cave diving anytime in the near futrue so the actual need for the 7' is not there. Thats the reason I went with the 5' to begin with. I had read that for OW on a single a 5' was sufficient.

It felt OK it. If it hadn't been for the photos I would have never known it was doing it.

 

[Northeastwrecks]

I have used a 5 foot hose in the dim, dark, pre-BP, pre-canlight past.

The routing for a 5 foot hose is under the right arm, across the chest, around the back of the neck and to the mouth, with the hose coming in from the right.

If the five footer is a little long for the diver's girth, it could balloon outward.

The routing for the 7 footer is down to the right hip, anchored under something (can light or BP Pocket is nice) or tucked into the waist strap, diagonally across the torso to the left side of the neck, across the back and to the mouth, with the hose routing off the right side

IMHO, it is easier to deal with slack in a seven footer because you can vary the "tautness" (for lack of a better term) of the hose as it routes to your right hip and the slack across your chest.

Note that you don't absolutely need a can light to use a seven footer. Other attachments, especially a BP Pocket, work just fine. I've seen people use their knives as attachment points, but I don't like it personally.

I would also agree with MikeFerrara that you may need to vary the length of the hose to account for differences in height. I've seen lengths that go from six to eight feet.

If you provide height and weight, we may be able to guestimate whether a seven will work.

 

[Scott M]

I have used a 5 foot hose in the dim, dark, pre-BP, pre-canlight past.

The routing for a 5 foot hose is under the right arm, across the chest, around the back of the neck and to the mouth, with the hose coming in from the right.

If the five footer is a little long for the diver's girth, it could balloon outward.

That sounds exactly what what was happening. The hose seemd to be well away from chest. Is there any way to remedy this with out going to the 7' hose? Maybe I could staple it to my chest before I go in.

The routing for the 7 footer is down to the right hip, anchored under something (can light or BP Pocket is nice) or tucked into the waist strap, diagonally across the torso to the left side of the neck, across the back and to the mouth, with the hose routing off the right side

IMHO, it is easier to deal with slack in a seven footer because you can vary the "tautness" (for lack of a better term) of the hose as it routes to your right hip and the slack across your chest.

Note that you don't absolutely need a can light to use a seven footer. Other attachments, especially a BP Pocket, work just fine. I've seen people use their knives as attachment points, but I don't like it personally.

Thanks for the input.

 

[Scott M]

If you provide height and weight, we may be able to guestimate whether a seven will work.

whoops missed that part.
I am 5'6" around 185 lbs large chest area.

 

[Northeastwrecks]

A seven will probably work, although there will be a bit of slack.

What do other people who've fitted divers with long hoses think?

 

[Scubaroo]

Only problems I've had with the hose floating above my head is when doing backwards roll entries off a boat - I always have to restow the 7' hose, it stays under the canister but pulls from behind the back of my head. Easily fixed and it stays in place. Never a problem with stride or shore entries.

Unless you're a midget, personally I wish I'd just gone straight to the 7' hose and tucked it in my waistbelt when I didn't have a canister light, rather than buying a 6' I ended up dumping. Doesn't help much with your floaty problem though...

 

[kalvyn]

A seven will probably work, although there will be a bit of slack.

What do other people who've fitted divers with long hoses think?

I bought the 6' primary hose for my wife's regulator set. First off, the hose is more like 6' 5" (I'm 6' 1" and it goes over my head) which is sort of annoying. Also, my wife is strictly a warm water diver (so far) and will probably never have a cannister light so the 7' hose was never a consideration for her.

My wife is 5' 8", and when we were in Bonaire recently we discovered the 6' 5" hose was WAY too long for her. It had a lot of "slop" and kept coming over her head, etc. I bought a 5' hose and I have a feeling it will be just perfect for her (I've not yet converted the hoses).

Jimmie

 

[MarcHall]

I'm not DIR but have borrowed a few gear configurations. I use a 5' primary. It felt fine while diving with no problems but while reviewing a few of my buddies pictures of me I see the hose is lifting over my head. Again I did not feel this and it in no way bothered me but seemed unusual. What am I doing wrong here?

The problem with the 5 foot hose is that there is no way to adjust the length of the hose that comes across the chest and around your neck. If it fits, it fits, if it doesn't, there is not much you can do about and the hose will tend to form the loop above your head as you mention.

A 7 foot hose will work. If you have a canister you run it down
from the right post reg, between the cannister and the body up across the chest and around your neck. Once in place, look to the left with the reg in your mouth and push the excess hose behind the canister.

If you have no canister form a loop of hose and stuff it under your waiststrap at some location where the canister would mount. You can increase the size of this loop to take up any slack on the hose.

For most people the 6 foot hose is too short to run behind a canister or loop under the waiststrap so it ends up with a
huge loop aboue the head.

I did have one student in this past weekend's DIRF course where the 6 foot hose worked - he was able to route it under the canister and it fit him. I would still recommend a 7' foot
hose for cave or wreck diving.

Marc Hall
www.enjoythedive.com
www.sdue.org

 

[Scott M]

Thanks for all the help everyone. At least by some of the replies I see I'm not alone. Looks like it is going to be a trial and error thing. I think the 7' will work out as it seems it leaves enough to tuck the unneeded portion out of the way which the five foot does not allow.

 

[DepartureDiver]

I'm not DIR but have borrowed a few gear configurations. I use a 5' primary. It felt fine while diving with no problems but while reviewing a few of my buddies pictures of me I see the hose is lifting over my head. Again I did not feel this and it in no way bothered me but seemed unusual. What am I doing wrong here?

nothing ... it seems like it worked .. who cares what it looks like ... as long as it's not "way" over your head where it creates an entanglement issue or drag.