Regulator configuration changes to relieve mouth/hose fatigue?

[wgw04024]

So I am heading to Bonaire in September. I remember the last time I went there after a few days, I began thinking the regulator pull on my mouth was starting to bug me. Not to the point of not diving, but more of an irritation. Today, I pulled out my regs (and the kids) to have serviced before we go (it's been a while since we dove last), and thought now might be a good time to think about alleviating this irritation.

So, what are people doing to help this?

1. Hose length of primary regulator? Mine seems to be 30" on a scubapro mk25/s600.
2. Routing the hose underneath arm back to tank?
3. Using elbows from various routing positions?

We are all AOW, diving warm water, reefs, wrecks in Key Largo, etc. Just trying to be able to do more dives without thinking about the mouth fatigue as days wear on one after the other.

TIA!
Bill

 

[Marie13]

What kind of hose are you using? Rubber or MiFlex? What kind of mouthpiece?

The MiFlex hoses are lighter. I love these mouthpieces.

DGX C-Bite+ Firm Mouthpiece

The C-Bite+ mouthpiece design, molded from high durometer FIRM hypoallergenic silicone, fits across the upper palate and holds easily in place, reducing the jaw fatigue some divers experience when holding the regulator in their mouths for extended periods.

www.divegearexpress.com

 

[inquis]

+1 on the mouthpiece. Made a huge difference for me with a traditional hose routing.

 

[crofrog]

So I am heading to Bonaire in September. I remember the last time I went there after a few days, I began thinking the regulator pull on my mouth was starting to bug me. Not to the point of not diving, but more of an irritation. Today, I pulled out my regs (and the kids) to have serviced before we go (it's been a while since we dove last), and thought now might be a good time to think about alleviating this irritation.

So, what are people doing to help this?

1. Hose length of primary regulator? Mine seems to be 30" on a scubapro mk25/s600.
2. Routing the hose underneath arm back to tank?
3. Using elbows from various routing positions?

We are all AOW, diving warm water, reefs, wrecks in Key Largo, etc. Just trying to be able to do more dives without thinking about the mouth fatigue as days wear on one after the other.

TIA!
Bill

Switch to a long hose / DIR setup and you’ll have a cleaner hose routing and solve this problem

 

[inquis]

For OW, I use either a 5 ft (or 7 ft if my son grabs the 5 ft) rubber hose around the back of the neck. My feeling is that may help support the hose a bit. (I also think primary donate makes more sense, but that would be a side benefit from the standpoint of this thread.)

 

[NorCalDM]

+2 on the mouthpiece I use them on all my regs. I use a 90 deg swivel on my second stage and run the hose under my arm and this helps but you will need at least a 40" hose unless you are very small. You could also use an OMNI swivel on your second stage with the 30" hose and that could help relieve the pull. I also use the braided hoses from DGX they are lighter than straight rubber hoses.

 

[sea_ledford]

My wife has pretty bad TMJ issues with regs. I recently got her a new reg and after spending a week in the Caymans, diving twice a day, she had no issues at all.

Reg type is probably meaningless, but the DiveRite "advanced openwater" configuration seemed to be the trick. DGX Custom - Dive Rite XT1/XT4 Streamlined OW Reg Package
Necklaced secondary with a 40" primary on a 45 degree swivel, primary routed under the arm, but no cross chest/around the head like a 5 or 7 foot hose.

 

[wgw04024]

Thanks for the replies so far. I'll digest these this evening and place some orders to try some of these out.

 

[saxman242]

I run a longer flex hose under my arm to a 360 swivel and have one of those mouth pieces that you heat up and bite down on. Works great for preventing any pull.

 

[hedonist222]

scuba pro mouth pieces - i find very comfortable