Reg exhaust dispersal

[wader]

I have not been wearing a hood, but do wear a Scuba-doo rag for UV protection as the hair on top is getting thinner every day.
I will give a beannie of some sort a try on the next dive. I don't need warmth as we dive tropical mostly and I run hot anyway.
The problem did not start developing until later in the week, after about 10 dives or so. My ear was getting more tender so the exhaust bubbles were vibrating the ear as they went by my head. The hood sounds like a good idea, cheaper than a new reg for sure. If that doesn't help, is their a reg that is know for dispersing bubbles better, or are they pretty much the same?

 

[CPH]

Apeks XTX50 can change the length of the exhausts I belive.

 

[beanojones]

As others have mentioned a hood is your cheapest easiset bet.

Since you are diving in warm water, you might be able skip the neoprene hoods and just get a lycra one. I wear a lycra 'hood' for the back of the neck sun protection. I have a friendly neighborhood alteration shop sew the lycra hood into a Lycra rash guard and I can get by without sunscreen on many days.

Of course cold water is a different matter.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

My experience has been that anything less than a 3mm hood won't help as a lycra or 1.5mm hood is too flexible and just functions as a diaphragm and still transmits the vibrations of the passing bubbles.

 

[beanojones]

My experience has been that anything less than a 3mm hood won't help as a lycra or 1.5mm hood is too flexible and just functions as a diaphragm and still transmits the vibrations of the passing bubbles.

How widespread is the bubble sensitivity in your experience? Does a wider exhaust T help at all?

Is it a noise issue or a physical sensitivity issue?

(First time I have heard of this, but maybe it's because my customers are either tourists so they are gone quick, or ocean experienced locals so they don't notice new water problems, or just Japanese who believe in the whole ' sho ga nai, gaman suru' thing.)

 

[ajduplessis]

+1 for using a hoodie.

 

[tbone1004]

switching to an xtx with long ports or a poseidon may help. I know switching to them helped me from having the same problem. The hood doesn't help a whole lot for me but the longer exhaust ports and side exhausted helped a lot

 

[wader]

switching to an xtx with long ports or a poseidon may help. I know switching to them helped me from having the same problem. The hood doesn't help a whole lot for me but the longer exhaust ports and side exhausted helped a lot

Did you have the same problem? Which reg did you switch to?


It is definitely a physical pain problem, not just bothersome noise. It was only when my head was turned slightly to the left and exhaled. The exhaust bubbles would flow over my ear (into the canal?) and the disturbing pressure would cause intense pain. Are there other regs with dispersal that would help? Over the weekend I was looking at some Sherwoods, and they claimed to have two different exhaust ports; compact and ultra wide, but I do not know what exactly they mean by that.

 

[tbone1004]

I have multiple sets of both, depends on what I'm doing. Right now the set I use is mixed between poseidon first stages and xtx seconds.
The bubble thing is the venturi effect caused by the bubbles going across your ear. They create a low pressure zone which sucks your ear drum out causing the pain. Basically a reverse squeeze.
The extended ports and side exhaust push it away from the ear which is good.
You also need to make sure you flood your ear canals at the beginning of the dive. When I descend to like 5-10 feet I will rock all the way over to each side. Confuses the new students but I flood my hood then flood my ear canals to prevent that

 

[SoBay Jim]

Of course a scuba diver cannot use earplugs---RIGHT---

Not necessarily - These are vented. I've used them and been very happy, but I was solving a different problem. Check out Doc's Proplugs: The Doctor's Choice for Ear Protection