Looking for regulator/hose/octo advice for my first regulator setup
- Thread starter purbeast
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OP
purbeast
Contributor
Thank you for that pic @Zef. I really like the look of the 40" hose. And the longer hose doesn't really look that bad in that picture at all, and I see what is meant by how it will stay right by you if it's kicked out. I do prefer the 40' from the pics partially due to it not wrapping around the neck.
I think that I'm going to do is order a 40" hose and a 2' hose for the necklace, and then I will also have the 2 hoses that come with my regulators, and I can play around with it.
I think I may order a 40" braided hose though to give that a try, and may do the same for the necklace hose. Then the 2 that come with the regs are going to be black rubber hoses. I know there is some debate about braided versus rubber as well lol.
I think that I'm going to do is order a 40" hose and a 2' hose for the necklace, and then I will also have the 2 hoses that come with my regulators, and I can play around with it.
I think I may order a 40" braided hose though to give that a try, and may do the same for the necklace hose. Then the 2 that come with the regs are going to be black rubber hoses. I know there is some debate about braided versus rubber as well lol.
Dive gear express (DGX) has good prices on hoses...braided or rubber. And it looks like they have some new neat colors:
Regulator Hoses {40 in | 102 cm} (Select Color) | Dive Gear Express®
Here is a link to 24 inch hose...the DGX brand for this length only comes in black:
Regulator Double Braided Flex Hoses | Dive Gear Express®
90 degree adapter:
DGX 90 Degree Swivel Adapter, LP 2nd Stage: 9/16-Inch M x 9/16-Inch F | Dive Gear Express®
70 degree adapter:
DGX 70 Degree Swivel Adapter, LP 2nd Stage: 9/16-Inch M x 9/16-Inch F | Dive Gear Express®
(you only need 1 adapter and only for the 40" hose....I have used both 90 and 70 degree adapters and can't really feel much difference between the two, but some say the 70 degree adapter is more comfortable.)
-Z
Regulator Hoses {40 in | 102 cm} (Select Color) | Dive Gear Express®
Here is a link to 24 inch hose...the DGX brand for this length only comes in black:
Regulator Double Braided Flex Hoses | Dive Gear Express®
90 degree adapter:
DGX 90 Degree Swivel Adapter, LP 2nd Stage: 9/16-Inch M x 9/16-Inch F | Dive Gear Express®
70 degree adapter:
DGX 70 Degree Swivel Adapter, LP 2nd Stage: 9/16-Inch M x 9/16-Inch F | Dive Gear Express®
(you only need 1 adapter and only for the 40" hose....I have used both 90 and 70 degree adapters and can't really feel much difference between the two, but some say the 70 degree adapter is more comfortable.)
-Z
OP
purbeast
Contributor
FezUSA
Contributor
Been through exactly your scenario recently! Under 100 dives, always rented BCD's and regs. We are only doing recreational warm water diving, some swim throughs, no real overheads. My wife doesn't like change. I went with Deep 6 Signature regs.
For hoses I got her the standard rec set up - 40" black primary and 40" yellow secondary, but with swivels. Her Deep 6 regs are black for primary and orange for secondary. I actually had all of the hoses except for the yellow wrapped in pink, just because that's her colour!
For me, I went with a 40" orange hose with swivel to orange reg. This will be my primary AND donate. My secondary is their dark blue reg on a black 24" hose on a necklace, again with a swivel. I will breathe from the secondary a couple of times each dive, probably at the SS and once during the dive. I bought a boltsnap and tied it a hands-width from the swivel to clip it off to my right shoulder d-ring for this, and for topside. The short hose reg will go in a 'keeper' on the right d-ring while I'm topside. Switching regs during the dives will keep me familiar with finding it and as well as making sure it's functioning properly.
We have discussed that if she needs air from me, she's taking it from my mouth if I don't see her coming and have already removed it for hand-off. I know how strongly she dislikes removing her regulator from her mouth so I will go for her yellow secondary.
The good news with this purchasing process is that the expensive parts don't need to change if you want to route your hoses differently. If you decide to go from a short hose to a long hose, you go get a hose and install it. The big $ is in the regs!
For hoses I got her the standard rec set up - 40" black primary and 40" yellow secondary, but with swivels. Her Deep 6 regs are black for primary and orange for secondary. I actually had all of the hoses except for the yellow wrapped in pink, just because that's her colour!
For me, I went with a 40" orange hose with swivel to orange reg. This will be my primary AND donate. My secondary is their dark blue reg on a black 24" hose on a necklace, again with a swivel. I will breathe from the secondary a couple of times each dive, probably at the SS and once during the dive. I bought a boltsnap and tied it a hands-width from the swivel to clip it off to my right shoulder d-ring for this, and for topside. The short hose reg will go in a 'keeper' on the right d-ring while I'm topside. Switching regs during the dives will keep me familiar with finding it and as well as making sure it's functioning properly.
We have discussed that if she needs air from me, she's taking it from my mouth if I don't see her coming and have already removed it for hand-off. I know how strongly she dislikes removing her regulator from her mouth so I will go for her yellow secondary.
The good news with this purchasing process is that the expensive parts don't need to change if you want to route your hoses differently. If you decide to go from a short hose to a long hose, you go get a hose and install it. The big $ is in the regs!
Not saying not to use a "keeper", but it is not really necessary...one can simply use the bolt snap on the primary 2nd stage hose to clip the bungee necklace of the octo onto the d-ring the longer hose is clipped to...or just drape the necklace over the tank valve.
To each their own though.
-Z
OP
purbeast
Contributor
I like that idea about a bolt snap on the primary hose to just keep it clipped to something when not using the gear so it's not just dangling. What size bolt snap is best for that?
LOL one thing I've noticed buying SCUBA gear is that damn, EVERYTHING comes in like 100 different sizes and I have no CLUE what to get size wise most of the time.
LOL one thing I've noticed buying SCUBA gear is that damn, EVERYTHING comes in like 100 different sizes and I have no CLUE what to get size wise most of the time.
markmud
Self Reliant Diver--On All Dives.
Hi Purbeast,
I use a 60' primary that is hog looped. My redundant second stage is on a necklace. It is the only way to go (and variations of the same strategy are all better than yellow/octo/triangle set-up).
Five foot hog looped or 40" with swivel is all good. The only question is what do you like better?
The swivel joint is another failure point; however, they are vary reliable.
markm
I use a 60' primary that is hog looped. My redundant second stage is on a necklace. It is the only way to go (and variations of the same strategy are all better than yellow/octo/triangle set-up).
Five foot hog looped or 40" with swivel is all good. The only question is what do you like better?
The swivel joint is another failure point; however, they are vary reliable.
markm
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