Long hose with jacket-style BCD- good or bad idea?

[LG Diver]

Hi again (I'm just in a question-asking mood today) :help:

I have a couple of questions regarding hose lengths. I'm in the process of buying my first set of gear. Eventually I want to get into a full DIR setup (long-term goal is tech diving). I just bought a reg and am debating what length hoses to get, since I'm still renting a jacket-style BCD until I can buy a bp/w (probably a few months off). Is there anything wrong with going with the 7' primary and bungeed backup while using a jacket-style BCD? I'd really like to avoid the expense of getting "traditional" OW length hoses and then replacing them all in a few months when I buy the bp/w. If I do go with the DIR length hoses now, what do you suggest I loop the long hose under on my right side to stow it in the short-term? I don't mind looking like a "stroke" in the short-term eyebrow (just kidding- no offense intended to anyone that dives this setup)... I just want to make sure I'm not overlooking some hidden danger associated with this setup.

Secondly, those of you that dive a DIR setup.. how much do you "tailor" your hose lengths from the default recommended lengths? Since I don't have my bp/w yet, if I were to just buy the "standard" lengths for the SPG (24") and backup reg (22") do I run the risk of finding that they're off by a few inches and having to replace them when I do buy my bp/w, or do the default lengths work for 99% of the people? I could conceivably go to the trouble of trying on a bp/w at the LDS and taking measurements to set proper hose lengths, but if this isn't necessary I won't exercise them needlessly.

Thanks,
John

 

[cool_hardware52]

Hi again (I'm just in a question-asking mood today) :help:

I have a couple of questions regarding hose lengths. I'm in the process of buying my first set of gear. Eventually I want to get into a full DIR setup (long-term goal is tech diving). I just bought a reg and am debating what length hoses to get, since I'm still renting a jacket-style BCD until I can buy a bp/w (probably a few months off). Is there anything wrong with going with the 7' primary and bungeed backup while using a jacket-style BCD? I'd really like to avoid the expense of getting "traditional" OW length hoses and then replacing them all in a few months when I buy the bp/w. If I do go with the DIR length hoses now, what do you suggest I loop the long hose under on my right side to stow it in the short-term? I don't mind looking like a "stroke" in the short-term eyebrow (just kidding- no offense intended to anyone that dives this setup)... I just want to make sure I'm not overlooking some hidden danger associated with this setup.

Secondly, those of you that dive a DIR setup.. how much do you "tailor" your hose lengths from the default recommended lengths? Since I don't have my bp/w yet, if I were to just buy the "standard" lengths for the SPG (24") and backup reg (22") do I run the risk of finding that they're off by a few inches and having to replace them when I do buy my bp/w, or do the default lengths work for 99% of the people? I could conceivably go to the trouble of trying on a bp/w at the LDS and taking measurements to set proper hose lengths, but if this isn't necessary I won't exercise them needlessly.

Thanks,
John

John,

The default lenghts work for almost everybody, and that's because the hose lenghts are really dictated by the dimensions of the backplate, and not the diver.

Classic long routing is down from the right post, under the canister light, up across the chest and around your neck.

The distance from the regulator to the waist strap isn't going to vary much, maybe a few inches at most, based on the size of the back plate, and the position of the tank.

Same thing for the SPG, here again it's the distance from the regulator to the waist strap of the BP, not the height of the diver.

Same thing for the BU reg, you could be 7 ft tall and the distance from the left post to your mouth won't vary much.

I see no problem using a Bungeed BU with a jacket. You will need something to secure the 7 ft hose. In a pinch I've hooked the hose under a block weight on a weight belt. You might be able to stuff a loop under a weight belt. Whatever you do make sure you can deploy the hose, restow the hose, and that it not drift away from your body when stowed.

You'd be well served to try and find a local who can walk you through using a long hose.

Don't fret too much about the stock lenght hoses that you might get with a reg. The 40 inch "octo" hose maybe useful in the future for a stage bottle. The short primary hose is kinda useless....


Good luck,


Tobin

 

[TSandM]

You can tuck the excess hose into your waistband (which is what you do with a BP/W, if you don't have a can light or knife or pocket to trap it on your right hip) if you have a waistband that's amenable to that. My husband's Seaquest Balance and my Libra both do, but some of the full jacket style BCs would render that somewhat difficult. In that case, the 5' hose, which simply passes under the arm but still wraps around the back of the neck, would be easier to manage. The biggest issue I had with the friend I was helping the other day was that the shoulder D rings on her BC are set up so high they are virtually unusable to clip off the primary when not in use.

Hoses are pretty cheap -- run between 25 and 40 dollars -- and you can exchange them pretty easily yourself.

Standard lengths will work for the majority of people, and a lot depends on how fussy you want to be about getting lengths exactly right. A 24" hose on the SPG was a little long for me, because I'm very short, whereas 22" is just about right; on the other hand, I just went to a 22" hose on my secondary and the jury is out about whether I'll keep that or move up another 2" for a little more play.

 

[Vayu]

Like everyone else said it would be ok to do it. You might get a few strange looks, but who cares about that? The problem with some of the suggestions is that you begin to compromise things. For example if you put a knife all the way on your right side to tuck the hose under, suddenly you can't reach the knife with your left hand... you need to be able to reach it with both hands. Just tuck the longhose under something like your cumberbund or weight belt. Chances are after diving like this you will switch to a backplate anyway. Good luck and let us know how it works.

You may have to re-route your hoses on the first stage. If you are diving a normal setup chances are your backup regulator is connected to the first stage on the far right and the primary is probably to the left of that. You will want your primary regulator at the outermost point on the right so the hoses do not cross.

-V

 

[ZzzKing]

Hoses are pretty cheap -- run between 25 and 40 dollars -- and you can exchange them pretty easily yourself.

Standard lengths will work for the majority of people, and a lot depends on how fussy you want to be about getting lengths exactly right. A 24" hose on the SPG was a little long for me, because I'm very short, whereas 22" is just about right; on the other hand, I just went to a 22" hose on my secondary and the jury is out about whether I'll keep that or move up another 2" for a little more play.

Also, the LDS where you get the reg set may swap out the hoses for whatever length you want for just the difference in cost of the hoses. I got my reg at Scubatoys and the sales guy swapped out the standard length second stage hose for a 5' one at no additional cost and he did it while I finished shopping. (I've gotta quit going in there. It's a minimum of $100/visit.)

 

[LG Diver]

Like everyone else said it would be ok to do it. You might get a few strange looks, but who cares about that? The problem with some of the suggestions is that you begin to compromise things. For example if you put a knife all the way on your right side to tuck the hose under, suddenly you can't reach the knife with your left hand... you need to be able to reach it with both hands. Just tuck the longhose under something like your cumberbund or weight belt. Chances are after diving like this you will switch to a backplate anyway. Good luck and let us know how it works.

I agree that it's a compromise solution until I can buy the bp/w. This is definitely in the plans, but the budget will not permit buying everything at the same time.

You may have to re-route your hoses on the first stage. If you are diving a normal setup chances are your backup regulator is connected to the first stage on the far right and the primary is probably to the left of that. You will want your primary regulator at the outermost point on the right so the hoses do not cross.

-V

The reg is an Apeks ATX200, and based on other threads I've read here the consensus seems to be to use the 1/2" port for the bungeed backup and the 3/8" port for the long hose to address exactly the issue you just mentioned- so this is my plan.

 

[Vayu]

Also, the LDS where you get the reg set may swap out the hoses for whatever length you want for just the difference in cost of the hoses. I got my reg at Scubatoys and the sales guy swapped out the standard length second stage hose for a 5' one at no additional cost and he did it while I finished shopping. (I've gotta quit going in there. It's a minimum of $100/visit.)

That worried me for awhile too... but all you realy need is an allen wrench and a normal wrench to swap them out. Its a good oppurtunity to remove the hose protectors too.

-V

 

[LG Diver]

Also, the LDS where you get the reg set may swap out the hoses for whatever length you want for just the difference in cost of the hoses. I got my reg at Scubatoys and the sales guy swapped out the standard length second stage hose for a 5' one at no additional cost and he did it while I finished shopping. (I've gotta quit going in there. It's a minimum of $100/visit.)

Unfortunately, I bought the reg from a friend not the LDS (though he does work at the LDS) so that's not an option. However, I do know that this LDS doesn't do that. I had bought a pony bottle and reg from them a while back and needed a longer hose since I was tank-mounting the bottle upside-down and wearing the pony reg bungeed around my neck. They charged me full price for the longer hose and said they couldn't swap hoses- the factory one was mine. It's not a total loss, though. I ended up having to go with a 40" hose on the pony to wear it bungeed, so now that I'm going to bungee the backup off the primary reg I'll sling the pony bottle like a stage bottle and the 40" hose is perfect for that.

 

[LG Diver]

John,

The default lenghts work for almost everybody, and that's because the hose lenghts are really dictated by the dimensions of the backplate, and not the diver.

Classic long routing is down from the right post, under the canister light, up across the chest and around your neck.

The distance from the regulator to the waist strap isn't going to vary much, maybe a few inches at most, based on the size of the back plate, and the position of the tank.

Same thing for the SPG, here again it's the distance from the regulator to the waist strap of the BP, not the height of the diver.

Same thing for the BU reg, you could be 7 ft tall and the distance from the left post to your mouth won't vary much.

I see no problem using a Bungeed BU with a jacket. You will need something to secure the 7 ft hose. In a pinch I've hooked the hose under a block weight on a weight belt. You might be able to stuff a loop under a weight belt. Whatever you do make sure you can deploy the hose, restow the hose, and that it not drift away from your body when stowed.

You'd be well served to try and find a local who can walk you through using a long hose.

Don't fret too much about the stock lenght hoses that you might get with a reg. The 40 inch "octo" hose maybe useful in the future for a stage bottle. The short primary hose is kinda useless....


Good luck,


Tobin

Thanks Tobin. Very informative reply! To clarify one point since you referred to routing from the left and right post a couple of times in your reply- I'm running a single tank at the moment and probably will for a while. How does this affect hose lengths, if at all? Should I add 2" to the SPG hose and backup hose to compensate for this?

Also, I totally agree about getting some training on long hose deployment. I've watched the GUE video's of s-drills and all that good stuff, but I'll definitely get in the pool and practice for a while before I take the training wheels off and get in the ocean.

Thanks again,
John

 

[cool_hardware52]

Thanks Tobin. Very informative reply! To clarify one point since you referred to routing from the left and right post a couple of times in your reply- I'm running a single tank at the moment and probably will for a while. How does this affect hose lengths, if at all? Should I add 2" to the SPG hose and backup hose to compensate for this?

Also, I totally agree about getting some training on long hose deployment. I've watched the GUE video's of s-drills and all that good stuff, but I'll definitely get in the pool and practice for a while before I take the training wheels off and get in the ocean.

Thanks again,
John

Sorry about the right post left post references. A single first stage will slightly affect the hose lenghts as will differences in how a specific regulator routes. With a single first stage the SPG will be slightly further from the hip Dring, but only very slightly. If it seems too short to clip easily make sure your bolt snap is right at the guage.

The Backup might seem a little long, again depending on your reg. Usually not a problem.

The long hose will again seem just slightly shorter, but not enough to matter for most.

I can take my doubles regs and rob the hoses off them and build up a single tank setup and have no trouble with hose lenght.


Tobin