Suicide strap for recreational diver

[stuartv]

I have always bought identical 2nd stages for my primary and alternate simply because I don't care to spend money on a "lesser" reg. If I'm buying a reg, I want to buy the best one I can. Even if I'm only carrying it in case of emergencies (normally). Sometimes, stuff happens and a "backup" reg gets put in service as a primary.

 

[Andrew Dawson]

I have identical 2 stages...and I prefer that as I can swap them at times...even during the dive. It also makes DIY service much easier

 

[stretchthepenn]

A fisherman's knot is simpler.

And if my buddy for some reason grabs my secondary (or if my necklace gets tangled), the knot will slip given enough pull.

Can you please describe/define where you would place the knot(s)?

 

[rongoodman]

You actually end up with a fisherman's knot on each side, with a loop in the middle. Think of tying the piece of bungee into a loop with a double fisherman's knot, then slide the two knots apart a little to form a smaller loop between them. This is what goes over the mouthpiece.

How to Tie a Double Fisherman’s Knot

(You don't pull the knots close together as shown in step 6.)

 

[stretchthepenn]

You actually end up with a fisherman's knot on each side, with a loop in the middle. Think of tying the piece of bungee into a loop with a double fisherman's knot, then slide the two knots apart a little to form a smaller loop between them. This is what goes over the mouthpiece.

How to Tie a Double Fisherman’s Knot

(You don't pull the knots close together as shown in step 6.)

Ah, I see what you mean...but I don't like the knots, for two reasons.

One, on the ziptie-based setup, the loop around the mouthpiece stem is symmetrical, with both sides coming up (or down, depending on the orientation you prefer), whereas the knotted solution has one end up and one end down. I want my necklace totally symmetrical.

Two, the zipties let me adjust the necklace loop length at a whim, whereas the knotted solution demands untying and re-tying one of the mouthpiece knots. In the end, there's less work involved in the ziptie method.

 

[TrimixToo]

Ah, I see what you mean...but I don't like the knots, for two reasons.

One, on the ziptie-based setup, the loop around the mouthpiece stem is symmetrical, with both sides coming up (or down, depending on the orientation you prefer), whereas the knotted solution has one end up and one end down. I want my necklace totally symmetrical.

Two, the zipties let me adjust the necklace loop length at a whim, whereas the knotted solution demands untying and re-tying one of the mouthpiece knots. In the end, there's less work involved in the ziptie method.

In my opinion, knots are faster, simpler, and less bulky. The neck loop length is easily adjusted with another knot, which is how mine is adjusted. Nothing prevents you from tying both bends in the same direction (both "up" or both "down"), either, since they will never be drawn together.

That said, this is definitely one of those questions for which there is more than one "right answer."

 

[tursiops]

Yes, double fisherman's knot at the mouthpiece, AND behind the head. Easily adjustable, but nothing to prevent removal from the necklace if needed.
The biggest problem I had initially was sizing the bungee length.....how long to cut it so once it was tied around the mouthpiece it hung where I wanted it, over both a naked neck and a thick hood.
The additional double fisherman's knot behind the neck solves that problem.

 

[stuartv]

Yes, double fisherman's know at the mouthpiece, AND behind the head. Easily adjustable, but nothing to prevent removal from the necklace if needed.
The biggest problem I had initially was sizing the bungee length.....how long to cut it so once it was tied around the mouthpiece it hung where I wanted it, over both a naked neck and a thick hood.
The additional double fisherman's knot behind the neck solves that problem.

I'm thinking you use 2 pieces of bungee for that, yes? Not just one.

Just making sure there's not some clever way of tying one to do it all that I can't think of.

I like that. Very clever.

 

[tursiops]

I'm thinking you use 2 pieces of bungee for that, yes? Not just one.

Just making sure there's not some clever way of tying one to do it all that I can't think of.

I like that. Very clever.

Yep. Two pieces. The topology of doing it with one piece defeats me....and other than the pure elegance of it, I'm not sure of the value!

 

[CT-Rich]

This is slightly off topic, but I'm curious ... why are alternate seconds (even within the same model regulator) so much more inexpensive? What I mean is ... it does make sense that you'd want your primary and secondary to be the same, especially if you're in a primary donate situation.* Using Apeks as an example, their website lists the MSRP for a primary XTX50 at $599 while the MSRP of a secondary (yellow, otherwise identical from what I can tell) at $270. The same is true with the AquaLung Legend Glacia: $855 for primary and $275 for secondary.

I get the desire for a less expensive secondary since, for all intents and purposes, it seems as though the secondary will be used less frequently by comparison.

*The implications of this statement are that, in a primary donate situation, you want to make sure you're secondary regulator (the reg you're now breathing off) is "as good" as the one you just donated but in a secondary donate situation, it's okay for that poor schmuck out of air can breathe from a sub-par reg. That wasn't my intention, but its a bit of an interesting thought.

My understanding is that a panicked OOA diver is going to grab the regulator that he knows is working, namely the one in his buddies mouth. The idea of a necklace is to give the donating diver immediate access to another working regulator and codifying what is likely to happen in a worst case senario.

I use an Air II,it does have a short hose, but what I do like about it is the muscle memory. I am using my BCD multiple times every time I dive. I doubt there is a piece of my rig that I look for half as much as my Air II.

I think the danger of an OOA diver getting the secondary might be that they would over breath it and continue to panic because the regulator with a high cracking pressure because they may think the donated regulator isn’t providing enough air. I am not a technical diver and I am sure there are divers better versed in the philosophy than I.