Stage Rigging (Valve or Handle Facing You)

[Michael Guerrero]

So I was diving with a buddy's deco bottle and I noticed that his rigging has the valve opening facing me when it's clipped off whereas mine has the valve handle facing me.

Any thoughts on this?

I think I rigged mine after looking at some sidemount setups, but can't really remember.

 

[karstdvr]

So I was diving with a buddy's deco bottle and I noticed that his rigging has the valve opening facing me when it's clipped off whereas mine has the valve handle facing me.

Any thoughts on this?

I think I rigged mine after looking at some sidemount setups, but can't really remember.

The true hogarthian method calls for valve facing you,and I've never done it any other way. For my purpose for a tank that will be dangling below me I sure don't want to expose the first stage to bumping and banging. Also,if in the rare event I had to swap first stages because of a failure,my preference would be having the tank valve facing me to work from a frontal aspect.

 

[Michael Guerrero]

My tank is bungeed up under my armpit, so it doesn't come in contact with anything.

Thanks for the info.

 

[tursiops]

I interpreted your OP as being about stage rigging, "slinging" a deco bottle.
However, if you are bungeeing it into your armpit, a la sidemount, then you'll find more variability in what people do. I like my tank handles facing mostly outboard, a bit toward down, some like them facing up or down, at least no one seem to like them in toward their bodies! If the handles are outward, then the regs can be on top or on bottom; I like mine on the bottom so they are not trying to get into my armpit too. That means, for me, a standard RH tank valve works on my right side, and I need a LH valve on my left side. Others reverse them.