Replacing hoses - braided or rubber?

[Lopez116]

I purchased a new reg and it came standard with a braided hose. I'm now making my old primary reg (an AL Titan) my octo. I figured I would lengthen the existing hose on the Titan before making it my new octo (it's 22" currently).

I'm thinking about replacing it and my inflator hose with braided hoses as well. My questions:

1) braided hose vs rubber - are the braided hoses prone to bursting more than rubber? How big of an issue is the "chafing" if I'm not using particularly long hoses?

Or, Should I just stick with rubber?

2) I'm looking at the DGX brand of braided hose, but is there a difference between the DGX brand and Miflex? DGX rep on the phone (unsurprisingly) says no difference.

Thanks

 

[tbone1004]

Cave Adventurers - Hoses - Regulators - Marianna, Florida USA - Never Undersold!

only have experience with these, love them, highly recommend them.

1. no they aren't more prone to bursting, they are rated for significantly higher pressure, so quite the opposite, not sure where you heard/read that, but it's wrong.
Chafing has nothing to do with the length of the hose but with how it is routed. With a long hose setup, the hose is laying on your neck, it can abrade neck seals and the back of your neck. Other issue is the braided hoses are quite a bit more floaty than normal rubber hoses so they make it a bit interesting in air sharing.

2, no experience per above, but likely no significant difference.

 

[Lopez116]

Cave Adventurers - Hoses - Regulators - Marianna, Florida USA - Never Undersold!

only have experience with these, love them, highly recommend them.

1. no they aren't more prone to bursting, they are rated for significantly higher pressure, so quite the opposite, not sure where you heard/read that, but it's wrong.
Chafing has nothing to do with the length of the hose but with how it is routed. With a long hose setup, the hose is laying on your neck, it can abrade neck seals and the back of your neck. Other issue is the braided hoses are quite a bit more floaty than normal rubber hoses so they make it a bit interesting in air sharing.

2, no experience per above, but likely no significant difference.

Thanks for your reply.

I read about the recalls on the Miflex braided hoses a few years ago. I think they were HP hoses only. But, I have also read posts here on SB where divers say even LP have bursted on them. Maybe that is a rarity.

Yes, Dive Gear Express states on their website that they are rated stronger and they are flat out superior to rubber. Just wasn't sure if that is a sales tactic and not reality.

Thanks for your response. I value your opinion.

 

[buddhasummer]

Thanks for your reply.

I read about the recalls on the Miflex braided hoses a few years ago. I think they were HP hoses only. But, I have also read posts here on SB where divers say even LP have bursted on them. Maybe that is a rarity.

Yes, Dive Gear Express states on their website that they are rated stronger and they are flat out superior to rubber. Just wasn't sure if that is a sales tactic and not reality.

Thanks for your response. I value your opinion.

Ive used miflex and the generic braided hoses as sold by DGX. Quality wise visually I can't tell the difference between them. I've had no issues with either. Yes, you are correct a few years ago there was a recall on the Miflex HP hoses.

I use the braided for all except when diving a 7' hose as the braided are a little floaty and willful. For all other lengths I like them.

 

[Lopez116]

Ive used miflex and the generic braided hoses as sold by DGX. Quality wise visually I can't tell the difference between them. I've had no issues with either. Yes, you are correct a few years ago there was a recall on the Miflex HP hoses.

I use the braided for all except when diving a 7' hose as the braided are a little floaty and willful. For all other lengths I like them.

Thanks. That's also what I've gathered. Not good for long hoses.

 

[doctormike]

Thanks. That's also what I've gathered. Not good for long hoses.

My primary reg is on a 7 foot Miflex hose. Haven't had any problems with deployment or air sharing.

 

[tbone1004]

you won't have any problems, but when you are single file in a cave and the hose is floating excessively it can get in the way. of your knees and get caught on stuff.

 

[kelemvor]

My primary reg is on a 7 foot Miflex hose. Haven't had any problems with deployment or air sharing.

I had a problem with my long hose during air sharing drills in cave class. Test it on land, you can kink the long miflex hoses by just pulling them at a weird angle from the first stage. It's actually not difficult to do at all. I was bummed, but replaced that one with rubber. The rest of my hoses are braided.

 

[doctormike]

Got it. Will take another look at that the next time I'm diving... worth replacing? I guess I'll see, but no caves for me! Didn't notice it in the wreck version of this exercise, but I could be missing something.

 

[Lopez116]

I'm just a lowly rec/sport diver - no intentions of any cave diving, GUE, UTD, DIR, etc. If a buddy has an OOA situation, I will donate my octo (which I keep on a standard 40" hose) and not my primary. So, my hose lengths are all relatively standard lengths (28" primary, 40" secondary). I wasn't planning on replacing my HP hose, though, because of the previous failure issues with the Miflex HPs.

With my max hose length being 40", it seems like I should be fine with braided hoses, then.