Opinions on new divers with technical setups?

[Caveeagle]

I was just down in W.Palm for some recreational diving. Here is my single tank, ow setup. Nothing special.. just a steel backplate with a Dive Rite harness and a basic wing. I like a pair of trim pockets on the waist and another on the upper tank band. I am 6’2” and 270.. and with a 5/6mm suit, I was just about perfect with steel 85 tank and 8# of lead.

 

[doctormike]

6’3 here, looking at a 60 inch primary

I need a dive with my buddy to let the webbing stretch and re adjust my new setup for BP/W anyway, so it’s a great chance for us to practice donate, mask removal, buoyancy, etc.

I'm not a cave diver, so correct me if I'm wrong, but i believe that the 7' hose was designed for single file exit of an air sharing buddy team from a cave. Some people feel that if you aren't likely to have to do that, then 7' is too much and just use 5'. I have no interest in the wet rocks myself, but I use 7'. You do need something on your right hip to route it around if you aren't carrying a can light, but these things work well or you can make your own.

I like the idea of being able to put plenty of distance between me and whatever is happening at the other end of that hose, even if I eventually have to get behind that diver and control the situation. One of the reasons why I don't like a conventional short octopus or one of those Air II things.

And as was mentioned upthread, it's best to have this discussion with your buddy ahead of time, especially if he or she is an octopus fan. From what I have read, in real panic situations, the inadvertent freediver on your team may well head straight for your primary anyway, so plan A might as well be letting them have it.

 

[Badger W.]

I'm not a cave diver, so correct me if I'm wrong, but i believe that the 7' hose was designed for single file exit of an air sharing buddy team from a cave. Some people feel that if you aren't likely to have to do that, then 7' is too much and just use 5'. I have no interest in the wet rocks myself, but I use 7'. You do need something on your right hip to route it around if you aren't carrying a can light, but these things work well or you can make your own.

I like the idea of being able to put plenty of distance between me and whatever is happening at the other end of that hose, even if I eventually have to get behind that diver and control the situation. One of the reasons why I don't like a conventional short octopus or one of those Air II things.

And as was mentioned upthread, it's best to have this discussion with your buddy ahead of time, especially if he or she is an octopus fan. From what I have read, in real panic situations, the inadvertent freediver on your team may well head straight for your primary anyway, so plan A might as well be letting them have it.

My plan for routing is to tuck it behind a DIR style knife in its sheath to keep it streamlined. I’ll keep trauma shears on the left side for the back up.

 

[Badger W.]

I'm not a cave diver, so correct me if I'm wrong, but i believe that the 7' hose was designed for single file exit of an air sharing buddy team from a cave. Some people feel that if you aren't likely to have to do that, then 7' is too much and just use 5'. I have no interest in the wet rocks myself, but I use 7'. You do need something on your right hip to route it around if you aren't carrying a can light, but these things work well or you can make your own.

I like the idea of being able to put plenty of distance between me and whatever is happening at the other end of that hose, even if I eventually have to get behind that diver and control the situation. One of the reasons why I don't like a conventional short octopus or one of those Air II things.

And as was mentioned upthread, it's best to have this discussion with your buddy ahead of time, especially if he or she is an octopus fan. From what I have read, in real panic situations, the inadvertent freediver on your team may well head straight for your primary anyway, so plan A might as well be letting them have it.

Also yeah, my main reasoning for wanting a longer hose is to put distance between me and a panicked diver. Especially being early in my diving it makes more sense to give people space if there is the out of air emergency to contend with. Just trying to hedge my own bets while maintaining the responsibility as a basic OW buddy

 

[doctormike]

My plan for routing is to tuck it behind a DIR style knife in its sheath to keep it streamlined. I’ll keep trauma shears on the left side for the back up.

That's probably a bit short for the standard 7' long hose, you may find that it flips out. On the other hand, if you are going with 60", and you are 6'3", the hose probably won't be long enough to loop around something on your right hip like the traditional long hose. Also, why tuck your hose behind something that you are possibly going to remove and use? If you don't have a can light and don't want to buy that halcyone thing, you can just cut a piece of PVC pipe to length to make a fake canister.

Trauma shears on your waist strap where you can get them, they are the handiest tool in diving. I know that some people like a knife for prying, killing fish, whatever. But I don't see the point of those blunt DIR knives if you have shears. A good backup cutting device is a trilobyte, which I wear on my dive computer writs strap, but you can put one of those anywhere...

 

[bradymsu]

Not sure why you seem to be making this an “US vs Europe” thing.. but I know there are several US based divers here that are probably doing 2-5+ technical dives in a typical week.. so if you were poking at someone specific.. it sure seemed like too much of a general snipe.

Not a poke at anyone specific and I'm an American diver myself. What I'm referring to is American diving customs that tend to be dominant on internet forums like Scubaboard that often aren't the same as other regions of the world.

Taken in the context of the entire statement, the American & European thing is just an example that in the wider world of diving, there is no orthodoxy. This is something I've been reminded of a number of times when assuming our (American) conventions are universal and then learning from very experienced divers overseas that they're definitely not.

This is in reference to the OP's statement that he's "worried about having to defend that decision to people that really know their stuff. Maybe I’ve been on SB too long."

He shouldn't need to worry about defending his decisions to anyone online.

 

[Caveeagle]

Not a poke at anyone specific and I'm an American diver myself. What I'm referring to is American diving customs that tend to be dominant on internet forums like Scubaboard that often aren't the same as other regions of the world.

Taken in the context of the entire statement, the American & European thing is just an example that in the wider world of diving, there is no orthodoxy. This is something I've been reminded of a number of times when assuming our (American) conventions are universal and then learning from very experienced divers overseas that they're definitely not.

This is in reference to the OP's statement that he's "worried about having to defend that decision to people that really know their stuff. Maybe I’ve been on SB too long."

He shouldn't need to worry about defending his decisions to anyone online.

I hear your point, But will point your that Hogarthian cave configuration was adapted into what is now taught as DIR / GUE and seems to be the most recognized international standard for technical diving. In fact, I have seen a few US based instructors that have sort of “converted” to teaching GUE (in part) because of the demand of visiting international students.

I agree that in general, people shouldn’t worry too much about people being overly critical of your gear. ...but.. it’s not a bad idea to keep an open mind and learn from people who have spent years refining their gear setup.

 

[Badger W.]

That's probably a bit short for the standard 7' long hose, you may find that it flips out. On the other hand, if you are going with 60", and you are 6'3", the hose probably won't be long enough to loop around something on your right hip like the traditional long hose. Also, why tuck your hose behind something that you are possibly going to remove and use? If you don't have a can light and don't want to buy that halcyone thing, you can just cut a piece of PVC pipe to length to make a fake canister.

Trauma shears on your waist strap where you can get them, they are the handiest tool in diving. I know that some people like a knife for prying, killing fish, whatever. But I don't see the point of those blunt DIR knives if you have shears. A good backup cutting device is a trilobyte, which I wear on my dive computer writs strap, but you can put one of those anywhere...

Solid. Thanks for the advice!

 

[Dish]

That's probably a bit short for the standard 7' long hose, you may find that it flips out. On the other hand, if you are going with 60", and you are 6'3", the hose probably won't be long enough to loop around something on your right hip like the traditional long hose. Also, why tuck your hose behind something that you are possibly going to remove and use? If you don't have a can light and don't want to buy that halcyone thing, you can just cut a piece of PVC pipe to length to make a fake canister.

@Badger W. I agree with @doctormike . I’m 6’6” and have used a 60” hose for my primary. I’m switching to a 72” hose because the 60” is a bit of a tight wrap. It’s doable and will work, but it is a bit snug.

 

[Coztick]

my bad. Struggle isn’t the right word, but in a situation where my buddy is out of gas id wanna handle that immediately with primary donate and then work out the back-up situation. I’ll stuff the octo in my waist band sometimes or my D-ring other times. I know I should be consistent, but it floats away or shifts sometimes.

Your octo goes on a short hose and hangs from a necklace just below your chin.