Sidemount hose routing

[Doby45]

I have probably 80ish dives in sidemount with dual gray transmitters and have not had any issue at all.

 

[tbone1004]

Are they both grey SW tx’s. I was looking to add the yellow tx and noticed SW put out a voluntary recall back in November due to it having the same frequency as the gray ones. Wasn’t sure if that’s been resolved yet. Anyhow thanks again. It seems like the best configuration. Not sure why some people put their tx’s on a hose under the reg band. Like you said just into the 1st down. Easy. Nice.

I have one of each and didn't have any issues with them, but am currently computerless that will read them, long story, so they're sitting in the bin and I'm back to SPG's for the next couple of weeks. I only had one dive on them in sidemount config since I was doing everything on rebreather last year. The rack has both xmitters behind my head and way out to the side and didn't have an issue with them

 

[Mike1967]

I have probably 80ish dives in sidemount with dual gray transmitters and have not had any issue at all.

Ditto, except for the 80 dives part lol

 

[stretchthepenn]

I have one of each [gray transmitters] and didn't have any issues with them, but am currently computerless that will read them, long story, so they're sitting in the bin and I'm back to SPG's for the next couple of weeks. I only had one dive on them in sidemount config since I was doing everything on rebreather last year. The rack has both xmitters behind my head and way out to the side and didn't have an issue with them

I had an issue with my Perdix AI losing contact with two gray transmitters, but the source of the problem wasn't entirely clear. Shearwater replaced the computer's circuit board, but the matching transmitters might've been a contributing factor, too. Of course, now I'm stuck waiting for the replacement yellow transmitter to arrive...

 

[mafi]

@lermontov my issue with long hose left is that in a single file exit, the long hose is crossing under one of the divers. Even with a swivel on the second stage it can cause the regulator to get twisted and pulled out of the divers mouth as well as increasing the risk of it getting caught on something on the floor of a cave or wreck. In addition, it shortens the effective length of the hose which at 6'4" and my buddy at 6'6" isn't going to work. You can get around this with a left-handed second stage, but then it has to come straight up to the mouth.

I've had a roll-off on my right tank I was breathing from during no-viz "crawl" through a restriction. Having that experience in the back of my head every time doing similar stuff again, I'd probably freak out doing it while on the long hose from the right sight of my buddy. Not saying your reasoning does not make sense, but in my head, the roll-off is more dangerous than the "diagonal hose".

But I'd love to hear your take on this.

 

[RayfromTX]

Turret firsts, SPG's down (that curb feeler sh*t pisses me off to no end), inflators on 5th ports, left goes to wing inflator, right to drysuit, long hose on the turret can spin freely, short hose on the turret spins for best routing. 90 on the short hose for comfort.

Running an xDeep.

I haven't had any problems pushing bottles out in front of me with either, and if I'm in a restriction tight enough that I have to extend the bottle so far out that it would tug on the drysuit inflator, I'm uncoupling the drysuit inflator to prevent inadvertent inflation.

This is the setup I am starting out with except I'm using transmitters and button SPGs on the first stages. I'm starting with this configuration but time will tell where I end up.

 

[Mike1967]

transmitters and button SPGs

I started with that too but with TXs pointing down it put the SPGs into my armpits, very annoying.

 

[tbone1004]

@stretchthepenn I've had mine intermittently lose signal when sidemounting. I.e. lost the left one with computer on my right arm while it is doing something where my entire body is interfering with the signal etc, but never had it lose both of them at the same time and have always been able to regain it.

@Marcellus and that may be a difference in how your valves are set up compared to mine. The Razor/xDeep setups have the tank valves set WAY lower than I do which may be an issue. My valves have never rubbed with my setup, would be very difficult for a rolloff and I've gone through plenty of crawling restrictions, though not nearly as many as someone like Edd who does it almost every day with the same setup.
In terms of dangerous or not. You shouldn't be going through tiny restrictions like that while sharing gas, hell you shouldn't ever have to share gas while in sidemount. Through restrictions, your buddy goes back to their own gas. On the dangerous side, I'd argue that your buddy experiencing the rolloff is more dangerous because they can't tell you that they're out of gas and they can't do anything about it. You can reach down and open it back up, they can't.
I'm 6'4" and my main dive buddy is 6'6". Having it cross under the diver removes 3 inches from the effective length of a 7' hose and if you do not have a swivel or elbow on the long hose, as most divers do not, and you lose another 4-6" in effective length from the bend on the regulator so you lose a significant amount of distance between you and your buddy to negotiate those restrictions. Add in the increased risk of the hose getting caught on any protrusions that are immediately underneath you if you're in this restriction that you're talking about where you and your buddy may or may not be able to reach up to free it, and I'd say that crossing is much more dangerous than the risk of you having a rolloff.

 

[mafi]

Through restrictions, your buddy goes back to their own gas. On the dangerous side, I'd argue that your buddy experiencing the rolloff is more dangerous because they can't tell you that they're out of gas and they can't do anything about it. You can reach down and open it back up, they can't.

Exactly what I am saying. I'd avoid any setup that could cause rollofff donated tank. But your other point also makes sense.

hell you shouldn't ever have to share gas while in sidemount

Amen. I think if you need to share air in SM, there were many mistakes already made.

 

[tbone1004]

@Marcellus sorry, the rolloff on the right tank makes sense if you have your SPG's up, knobs out, and tank necks down like the xDeep/Razor crowd *i.e. have the "lefty valve" on the right side tank and have it more exposed than if the necks were higher. I was thinking on mine where the SPG's are lollipopped and having those roll off is nearly impossible.
I keep a long hose because of diving in or around mixed teams and the chance that you'd have to share gas is increased when diving around people with doubles. Still small, but much larger than sidemount. If you're going through tiny restrictions, you aren't going to be sharing gas with your buddy. If you have a concern with that, then consider long hose on the left but with a left handed regulator. That's a lot less ideal for normal diving in terms of hose routing, but my main objection to donating from the left is the crossing. It's immensely uncomfortable with the closer proximity to each other as well as the pull from the mouthpiece. Add in the increase risk of the hose catching on things and it's just a bad idea.