Stage bottle

[aquaregia]

I was playing around in the pool today and thought that, for laughs, I'd see what it was like to wear a stage. Strangely, I had everything except the 6" HP hose, so I just knocked one up real quick using the dir-diver/frogkick directions.

I'd sort of expected it to hang on my side, although considering gravity/buoyancy I'm not entirely sure why I thought that. As it was, at 3000psi it hung directly under me, almost against my thighs. By 2200-2400 it sort of moved to the side a bit as it got floatier. All the literature I found indicated that the rigging should hold it snug at the shoulder and loose at the waist, so is it really supposed to hang under you while full? I also found that it rocked with every kick, which seemed... incorrect.

I was surprised how easy it was to wear, just as I was the first time I threw on double 100s. Walking on land, giant stride, and ladder exit all were fairly easy, with the exception of the handrail on the ladder that was now narrower than my gear. Backkick was slightly harder (making it almost impossible rather than nearly-almost impossible), but other than that I didn't notice any huge trim problems.

To preempt "you're gonna die" responses: I don't really plan on using this outside of a supervised pool without proper instruction. I'm just a curious guy.

 

[TSandM]

What were you using for a stage bottle? One of the reasons Luxfer Al80s are popular for stages is that they ride well, although they do hang down a little when full. How much it hangs down depends on how long the "leashes" on the boltsnaps are; if the bottom one is a bit long, you can run it around the handle to shorten it.

The tank will slosh a bit as you kick, because there is some slack in the attachments. And back kicking gets harder and harder, the more mass you are carrying -- AND you have to be very careful that the additional tanks haven't ruined your trim.

It was amazing to me that even two bottles largely disappear when you are diving, except for the slosh and the additional kicking effort. But next time you play with this, try taking the bottle off and putting it down, and then picking it up and clipping it in again -- great buoyancy fun!

 

[aquaregia]

Yup, Luxfer 80. I'll try rolling it around the handle next time.

I'm also using some enormous brass boltsnaps (which cut up my fingers) that are almost more comical than my dive knife (but easy to use with 5mm gloves). I'm thinking that's contributing to some of the play as well.

 

[rhlee]

There are many variables that affect how the stage will ride, so without seeing it in the water, it is hard to say. Things that can affect the bottle position include:

- harness fit
- d-ring positioning
- stage-kit construction/placement
- tank selection

This is one area where a knowledgeable set of eyes would help alot

I was playing around in the pool today and thought that, for laughs, I'd see what it was like to wear a stage. Strangely, I had everything except the 6" HP hose, so I just knocked one up real quick using the dir-diver/frogkick directions.

I'd sort of expected it to hang on my side, although considering gravity/buoyancy I'm not entirely sure why I thought that. As it was, at 3000psi it hung directly under me, almost against my thighs. By 2200-2400 it sort of moved to the side a bit as it got floatier. All the literature I found indicated that the rigging should hold it snug at the shoulder and loose at the waist, so is it really supposed to hang under you while full? I also found that it rocked with every kick, which seemed... incorrect.

I was surprised how easy it was to wear, just as I was the first time I threw on double 100s. Walking on land, giant stride, and ladder exit all were fairly easy, with the exception of the handrail on the ladder that was now narrower than my gear. Backkick was slightly harder (making it almost impossible rather than nearly-almost impossible), but other than that I didn't notice any huge trim problems.

To preempt "you're gonna die" responses: I don't really plan on using this outside of a supervised pool without proper instruction. I'm just a curious guy.

 

[aquaregia]

- harness fit
- d-ring positioning
- stage-kit construction/placement
- tank selection

I can almost guarantee at least the first three need significant work I actually did move my hip d-ring back an inch and a half after my first attempt, and now I see why people use shorter HP hoses than I do.

 

[LiteHedded]

with nitrox in it it's going to hang like a boat anchor in the beginning.
throw some 18/45 in there if you have the cash lying around and check out the difference

 

[DA Aquamaster]

A couple thoughts...

1. I use brass bolt snaps in part due to cost (lots of tanks), in part due to ready availability, and in part as I dive mostly freshwater (caves). I have noted that what cuts your fingers up with barss bolt snaps are the edges of the slot where the bolt rides (play with it a bit and you'll see exactly where the problem is. A little work with a file to round the edges off will eliminate the sharpe edges and the cuts. Due to how they are made, stainles steel snaps don't have the same sharp edges.

2. As Lynn notes, the slop in the stage strap causes the tank to rock back and forth as you swim. You can use a choker around the valve and through the loop on the bolt snap to eliminate the slop. You can also use shorter bolt snaps and play with the length between upper and lower snaps to reduce movement of the tank.

 

[LiteHedded]

A couple thoughts...

1. I use brass bolt snaps in part due to cost (lots of tanks), in part due to ready availability, and in part as I dive mostly freshwater (caves). I have noted that what cuts your fingers up with barss bolt snaps are the edges of the slot where the bolt rides (play with it a bit and you'll see exactly where the problem is. A little work with a file to round the edges off will eliminate the sharpe edges and the cuts. Due to how they are made, stainles steel snaps don't have the same sharp edges.

2. As Lynn notes, the slop in the stage strap causes the tank to rock back and forth as you swim. You can use a choker around the valve and through the loop on the bolt snap to eliminate the slop. You can also use shorter bolt snaps and play with the length between upper and lower snaps to reduce movement of the tank.

oh man. i have a few rogue stanless bolt snaps in the fleet that cut my thumbs up pretty good. I think that part of the brass vs stainless argument is a bit overplayed

 

[Blackwood]

oh man. i have a few rogue stanless bolt snaps in the fleet that cut my thumbs up pretty good. I think that part of the brass vs stainless argument is a bit overplayed

I have brass snaps in my garage I use for hanging up gear. They routinely cut my fingers dry.

I was surprised how easy it was to wear

Yup, and like almost anything dive related, it's easier in the water when you have that buoyancy to help carry it for you.

There are a ton of things you can do to change how a stage rides. Clipping the tail to your front crotchstrap d-ring (i.e. the scooter ring), for example, really help to bring it in and flatten it out when that's desired. The vast majority of my diving is external, so I just let them ride where they want which as you've learned varies depending on where in the dive I am (full/partial/empty) and as Litehedded noted what's in them.

In this frame, you're seeing two full 40s (one of EAN50 and one of Oxygen):

Putting the O2 on top would make them both sit flatter when full, but makes cleaning up the 70 bottle more of a pain.


In this one, you're seeing an empty 80 with a 40 on top of it (not sure how full at this point but it doesn't really matter when it's on top of that empty 80):

Here's just a[edit]n O2 bottle:

In this one, I'm to the right of the frame and by buddy Tobias is in the foreground. We have the same gases, but his 70 bottle is riding a little higher. Could be because of how my left arm is positioned, could be in the leash length.

So anyway, I guess what I'm trying to say is: if it doesn't matter (e.g. you aren't penetrating or swimming through a bunch of line or something), just let them do what they want to do. It's a dynamic situation.

 

[LiteHedded]

I have brass snaps in my garage I use for hanging up gear. They routinely cut my fingers dry.

stroke