Tamas:I have had my SPG clipped to the hid d-ring for a few dives with stages and found it to be more then a hassle to get to it, granted it doesn't get looked at much since I am aware of the gas consumption, but I do make a conscious effort to clip and un-clip once in a while to practice.....whenever I had stages there I had the hardest time, with thick gloves and multiple clips there for the tanks and spg.
Then I took that spg, and clipped it to my chest d-ring, now it's just a matter of looking down and seeing the pressure if I want to, and clipping and un-clipping stages in longer an issue.
Also, why not keep a high pressure device that can end your dive for good if busted out of harms way.....take that SPG off the waist d-ring and clip it to where it makes more sense, no-one ever said that the only location for it is on your waist. After all we are all diving for our own and think for our own right? You do what works for you and not what works some other guy.
Also to help with the shoulder d-ring congestion, I have added a second d-ring to both sides of my harness for misc clips.....and you know what, it works like a charm.
I've tried it both ways too and I found that that clutter bugged me, so I keep it out of the way. You must be less sensitive to the clutter than I am and I certainly don't have an issue with you find your own way for this. There's clearly more than one way to skin this cat. I think the point being made by JimC was just about the feeling of clutter, not so much what's "right" and "wrong". I think with SPG placement most the arguments about right and wrong are pretty pointless except in certain specific contexts.
BTW, the spg can be kept from being damaged by the stages if you clip it off right on the bottom of the D ring ("under" all the clips for the stages) and don't attach the bolt-snap right beside the meter.
But now we're drifting quite a way from the question Xanthro was asking.
R..