Reg Configuration - Thoughts?

[tbone1004]

isn't this discussed/worked out pre-dive?

yes, however we have to recognize Thorndikes learning laws. Despite being worked out pre-dive, calling on the Law of Recency, that is fighting the Laws of Primacy and Intensity. It is almost impossible for me to work with secondary donate because both the law of primacy and intensity have me reaching to pass and slide. In an emergency situation, I will never look for the golden triangle, I will always go for the regulator in my mouth because in my head, that is the regulator that should be moved.

If you try to combine the two reg configurations you generate a significant amount of confusion for both yourself and the other divers, so you really need to commit to one or the other.

 

[StefinSB]

Agreed . There is really no advantage and a greater risk of confusion by adding an unusual element to donation as the op has proposed.

Go with the primary donate with a 40 inch hose routed under right arm with angled or swivel adaptor and alternate on short hose bungeed. Streamlined, dependable and takes about 2 seconds to demo to new/instabuddy.

I found the 40" routed under your arm with 70 or 90 degree adaptor extremely annoying. The hose always had a tendency to " bow out" sticking out to the side. I then went to a 7 foot primary like I dive on my doubles and haven't looked back since.

 

[tbone1004]

I found the 40" routed under your arm with 70 or 90 degree adaptor extremely annoying. The hose always had a tendency to " bow out" sticking out to the side. I then went to a 7 foot primary like I dive on my doubles and haven't looked back since.

I find this to be the case on non-turret regulators. If you are in a drysuit you have to run the primary down the bottom of the turret, but the best way if in a wetsuit is to rotate the first stage flat and have the primary and inflator come down on the side of the turret and secondary out the bottom similar to the left post of doubles. This prevents the bowing of the primary hose and provides a really sleek hose routing for singles.

 

[uncfnp]

I found the 40" routed under your arm with 70 or 90 degree adaptor extremely annoying. The hose always had a tendency to " bow out" sticking out to the side. I then went to a 7 foot primary like I dive on my doubles and haven't looked back since.

I have had this happen too and find its less annoying then dealing with the 7 foot hose for recreational diving for me but then again I am 5'2 and the longer hoses are just overkill. I think it's worse with a braided hose and swivels.

 

[rhwestfall]

yes, however we have to recognize Thorndikes learning laws. Despite being worked out pre-dive, calling on the Law of Recency, that is fighting the Laws of Primacy and Intensity. It is almost impossible for me to work with secondary donate because both the law of primacy and intensity have me reaching to pass and slide. In an emergency situation, I will never look for the golden triangle, I will always go for the regulator in my mouth because in my head, that is the regulator that should be moved.

If you try to combine the two reg configurations you generate a significant amount of confusion for both yourself and the other divers, so you really need to commit to one or the other.

T:

I'm not advocating the hybrid bastardization, but addressing the "mugged by a buddy" that everyone keeps "fear mongering" over. FWIW, someone new to me as a dive buddy is told that the regulator in my mouth is the one they will have access to in the event of something going sideways, and will be presented to them mimicking the "buddy breathing share/controlled pass". I have also told them that if, for some reason, there is more "urgency", they may take it from me as I have my octo (for me) attached under my chin. My drop of chin to retrieve it will allow the long hose loop to "self deploy"....

 

[rhwestfall]

I have had this happen too and find its less annoying then dealing with the 7 foot hose for recreational diving for me but then again I am 5'2 and the longer hoses are just overkill. I think it's worse with a braided hose and swivels.

yes, my wife at 5'-2" is just not putting up with a long hose for the recreational diving she does. For me, at 6'-7", I use a 7' hose a majority of the time...

 

[StefinSB]

I find this to be the case on non-turret regulators. If you are in a drysuit you have to run the primary down the bottom of the turret, but the best way if in a wetsuit is to rotate the first stage flat and have the primary and inflator come down on the side of the turret and secondary out the bottom similar to the left post of doubles. This prevents the bowing of the primary hose and provides a really sleek hose routing for singles.

Yeah, unfortunately I have a none-turret reg on my singles (rubber hoses, no swivels)

 

[eelnoraa]

I found the 40" routed under your arm with 70 or 90 degree adaptor extremely annoying. The hose always had a tendency to " bow out" sticking out to the side. I then went to a 7 foot primary like I dive on my doubles and haven't looked back since.

Same experience here. I tried to save weight and packing on a dive trip by switching from 7" to 40"Byron stage kit. I couldn't stand it with a week of diving. I see no advantage whatsoever, just annoying. Switched back to 7" once I got home. The 40" should just be used where it belongs, the stage kit

 

[dbulmer]

Neil,
What reservations do you have regarding the 5-7foot long hose?
What reservations do you have regarding the PADI "standard" system?

Reason I'm asking these questions is that both systems work well provided they are practiced and briefed pre-dive.

I don't like the idea of a very short hose around your neck. A fishermans knot is usually quite secure so someone pulling it is really going to have to pull it pretty hard (unless it's very loose) to use the reg. If it's loose and your climbing up a ladder it can get caught. If there's a little current and the octo is lying low there's a greater chance of freeflow.

If someone needs gas they need it within 2 to 3 seconds - if they spend longer than that trying to yank the hose, chances are they'll go for what you are breathing - thing is: can you rely on the octo being where you think it should be? You'll be fumbling for that octo and it may not be where it should be.

 

[Neilwood]

Neil,
What reservations do you have regarding the 5-7foot long hose?
What reservations do you have regarding the PADI "standard" system?

Virtually no reservations about either - both have their place and are (in theory at least) perfectly good systems if both divers are aware of, are trained and use them. I can see that both have advantages and disadvantages depending on circumstances. training (of both divers) etc.

One of my concerns with long hose is that, for the vast majority of recreational divers, they haven't seen it and are not familiar with the concept of primary donate/ take (which we all know was originally a technical diving concept to allow air sharing in tight spaces). With that thought, pushing primary donate on a rec diver with no experience or training might increase stress levels in an emergency

One of my concerns with the PADI (recreational) system is that if a diver is panicked and makes a grab for my primary as some suggest would happen (and I have no doubt it might in some cases), I then have to unclip the reg for use (minor issue I know). Another is that being clipped or stuffed the regs tend to hang out of a streamlined profile.

I guess I was trying to find a solution that I thought provided the best of both:
1) more streamlined than dangling from a pocket/d ring as it would be under my chin
2) both regs available and visible for take or donate with the remaining one readily available for me.