Replacing hoses - braided or rubber?

[tbone1004]

yes, but when you order I would SERIOUSLY consider looking at the streamlined OW hose lengths and order those ones instead of the standard recreational setup. It is a much more streamlined/safer way of diving.... You can see the regulator package below.

https://www.divegearexpress.com/dgx-custom-dive-rite-xt-streamlined-ow-reg-package

 

[Lopez116]

yes, but when you order I would SERIOUSLY consider looking at the streamlined OW hose lengths and order those ones instead of the standard recreational setup. It is a much more streamlined/safer way of diving.... You can see the regulator package below.

https://www.divegearexpress.com/dgx-custom-dive-rite-xt-streamlined-ow-reg-package

My only concern with donating the longer primary and switching to the shorter secondary on a necklace is that to divers who aren't trained under this setup, it's counter-intuitive to what PADI/NAUI teach. Most vacation divers are only familiar with PADI or NAUI standards and I'm afraid an OOA diver might try to grab the necklaced secondary...

What are your thoughts on this? I can honestly see both sides of the argument. Having a secondary right under your mouth is pretty much as convenient as it gets...

 

[divad]

The nice thing about rubber hoses is that they remember where they were even when you forget where they are.

 

[Carlos Danger]

I generally prefer high quality rubber ones for their predictable reliability, etc. I think the Miflex style braided hoses are probably fine for general low-pressure applications, but I would not use them on the high-pressure side.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I have braided hose on my primary and on my inflator, too I think. I use an old, heavy second stgae regulator made of brass, and the addition of a soft braided hose, makes use of the regulator much more comfortable for me. I can turn my head easily and I think the braided hoses, negate the need/benefit for a swiveling first stage.

A braided hose on the inflator might be better, but I don't think I can tell the difference.

 

[KevinNM]

I found the myflex type long hose was too floaty, went back to rubber.

 

[Nemrod]

I have come to really like the Miflex and similar braided hoses. My favorite Titan XL and best SP109 and my wife's Legend all wear full sets of Miflex hoses as does my Argonaut where applicable. Especially if you are a travel diver they make a ton of sense. If you do a lot of local and drive and dive trips then less so. I think, limited experience, traditional rubber hoses are tougher and longer lasting and in some ways can be easier to handle. I think you will like the braided hoses.

In critical wear areas, I have covered them with race bicycle inner tubes, especially for my wife where her primary rubs on the AL Zuma and wears holes in it (the BC, not the hoses).

N

---------- Post added July 8th, 2015 at 07:04 PM ----------

My only concern with donating the longer primary and switching to the shorter secondary on a necklace is that to divers who aren't trained under this setup, it's counter-intuitive to what PADI/NAUI teach. Most vacation divers are only familiar with PADI or NAUI standards and I'm afraid an OOA diver might try to grab the necklaced secondary...

What are your thoughts on this? I can honestly see both sides of the argument. Having a secondary right under your mouth is pretty much as convenient as it gets...

You are about to take your thread down a rabbit hole. I tend to agree with you and after having used a long hose rig for a few years have reverted back to traditional rigging to be consistent with my wife and 95% of the diving world. Since I dive double hose most of the time, I already donate the secondary thus reverting back to this rigging on my sh rigs makes sense to me. But I do generally necklace my octopus and use a fisherman slip knots to allow easy and quick release for any OOA diver.

Nobody is going to come at me out of air and me not already have the donated second stage in hand and ready to shove it in their mouth and hit the purge and grab them at the same time to control and stabilize them. I want them close.

But, see what you went and did!

N

 

[tbone1004]

My only concern with donating the longer primary and switching to the shorter secondary on a necklace is that to divers who aren't trained under this setup, it's counter-intuitive to what PADI/NAUI teach. Most vacation divers are only familiar with PADI or NAUI standards and I'm afraid an OOA diver might try to grab the necklaced secondary...

What are your thoughts on this? I can honestly see both sides of the argument. Having a secondary right under your mouth is pretty much as convenient as it gets...

I see no argument for staying with the standard hose configuration. An OOA diver is going to rip what's out of your mouth if they are that panicked or they are going to take whatever you present to them. The difference is if they take what is in your mouth with this setup, it's already the one they're supposed to have and its also guaranteed to be functioning at the time they take it; conversely if you donate it to them, it is much easier to present your primary and know 100% where your secondary is instead of fumbling around to find it.

 

[C P]

My only concern with donating the longer primary and switching to the shorter secondary on a necklace is that to divers who aren't trained under this setup, it's counter-intuitive to what PADI/NAUI teach. Most vacation divers are only familiar with PADI or NAUI standards and I'm afraid an OOA diver might try to grab the necklaced secondary... Posted by Lope116

In the two OOA instances that I have been present during the OOA diver swam up to the "donor" and simply grabbed their primary out of their mouth. They both saw bubbles and knew that meant air and went for it.

If the OOA diver reacts like trained they will swim up and give you the out of air then share air signs and you will hand them a working regulator, give them either one you want, they're not going to argue.

SSI (and probably others) are teaching divers to donate the primary and they go to their "octopus" as the primary response. The reasoning behind this is it works with most gear configurations in use now. Divers who use a long hose on their primary are set up to donate that one and go to a necklaced second stage. Think cave and wreck divers. Also if a diver swims up and grabs your primary from your mouth, you are already in the mindset to go for the octopus. For divers using an inflator/second stage combo the common method is to donate the primary and you go to the combo. The hose is too short to donate and you do not want to give control of your buoyancy to someone else, especially someone in distress. If they do grab your necklaced octopus you are never without a working reg in your mouth. If they go for the bubbles, you're already in the mindset of how to react.

 

[The Laconic]

I suspect that if rubber hoses had been invented after braided hoses, everybody would be talking up the advantages of the new technology. No chafing! No floating!