The DIR hose length note

[The Kraken]

Melfox26,
I am not DIR certified, but I have adopted some of their philosophy and methods.

I'm diving a BP/W setup with a Dive Rite Venture wing. The wing has a 12" inflator hose with a 15" low pressure hose coupled to a solid elbow.

You can purchase a shorter inflator/LP hose from Dive Rite Express and reconfigure your wing.

I'm using a 5' primary second stage on my regulator configured in the GUE style and it's quite comfortable (no canister light) ** 5'8" tall, 165 lbs.

I go counter to the GUE/DIR advocates in that I incorporate a swivel at my regulator.

My alternate second stage is bungeed about my neck using the standard length alternate regulator hose routed UNDERNEATH my right arm. The additional length of the alternate regulator hose facilitates the normal usage of the regulator in an OOA situation.

I cock my 1st stage about 30 degrees toward the right shoulder. This facilitates the routing of the hoses and also helps in reaching the regulator valve knob.

It feels to be quite streamlined and imposes no entanglement issues.

Just a suggestion.

 

[cyklon_300]

7' for primary reg (5' is too short, don't bother)

24" for necklaced backup reg

HP hose - my preferences are 26" for singles, 24" is ok for doubles

 

[WJL]

7' for primary reg (5' is too short, don't bother)

24" for necklaced backup reg

HP hose - my preferences are 26" for singles, 24" is ok for doubles

I'm assuming that you are following standard DIR hose routing. (Kracken's reply above does not).

Mel, note that the HP hose is for your pressure gauge. In your post you refer to a "HP Inflator hose" which I suspect is an error. The hose for your inflator is a low pressure hose. The hose for the pressure gauge is high pressure. I am actually the opposite of cyclon on this one, since with doubles, the HP hose has to run a longer distance from the right post to your left hip, whereas with a single tank it runs a shorter distance from the sole first stage to your left hip. 24" will work for most people for a single.

Your best bet for the length of your backup reg hose is to try it out. It needs to be long enough so that you can turn your head all the way to the left without pulling the backup out of your mouth. But it should not be so long that it's flapping around by your shoulder making a big loop to catch things with. The length you need will be affected by where the hose starts out - on a single tank with a first stage mounted on the tank valve, the hose starts from the middle of the back of your head. On a set of doubles, it starts a few inches closer to your left shoulder. If you don't have two first stages, there's not much point in an H-valve, and you don't really need one anyway. All that being said, 22" is probably okay for a single, but may be too short for doubles or an H-valve.

The LP inflator hose length depends mostly on the length of the corrugated hose assembly on your wing, which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Again, it should be just long enough to reach, but not any longer. This hose is also affected by whether you have one or two first stages. I'm guessing you have a Pioneer Halcyon wing, so the length will be 22" or 24".

I like having a 7' long hose for both single and double set-ups. I had a 6' hose for my single tank rig, but after a while I changed it to a 7 footer. I find the extra length is helpful when doing air shares. I feel it is no problem to tuck a loop of hose into my waist belt if I do not have a canister. Others prefer not to deal with that issue.

 

[ppo2_diver]

When I don't have a canister, I tuck my hose under my weight pouch.

I have a 7' primary and a 24" backup.

 

[Green_Manelishi]

IMO if you can get it to stay under your knife sheath, you're wearing too big a knife........

In my opinion placing a hose near a knife that you might have to use is taking a risk. Nor do I "stuff" the hose when I have no canister light. Here is an example of a light replacement that can be made using a piece of PVC, hose clamp and piece of nylon webbing. Then you don't need to change how you handle your hose depending on whether or not you are lit.

 

[WJL]

In my opinion placing a hose near a knife that you might have to use is taking a risk. Nor do I "stuff" the hose when I have no canister light. Here is an example of a light replacement that can be made using a piece of PVC, hose clamp and piece of nylon webbing. Then you don't need to change how you handle your hose depending on whether or not you are lit.

I dunno if attaching a hunk of pvc pipe on your hip for no other reason than to hold your long hose in place is really consistent with the "minimalist" principles of DIR. But I could be wrong.

 

[large_diver]

Hey, I've seen that PVC in action...sounds like a practical solution to me if the canister light is being left at home....certainly no more dangerous than having extra hose hanging out of your harness belt.....;-)

I personally hate the tuck method......

5 foot or 7 foot -- the optimal length will depend on your gear, your body type, etc.. As shown sbove, there can be shorter people for whom the 5 footer doesn't work....I've heard others say a 5 footer works fine. You will get similar feedback on the back-up, SPG and inflator hose length. The common theme is YMMV.

Bottom line -- if you have some hoses already, set the rig up with your exposure suit on and stand in front of a big mirror. This will help with hose routing (which port to use) and hose length. When I first started using a long hose a few years ago, I ordered 5, 6 and 7 footers from an on-line supplier, tried each on dry land, and then sent back the ones I didn't want. Of course -- you should speak to someone who knows that they are doing before you start changing out hoses yourself if you don't have experience with this.

Good luck.

-Chris

 

[Reinoud]

I am actually the opposite of cyclon on this one, since with doubles, the HP hose has to run a longer distance from the right post to your left hip, whereas with a single tank it runs a shorter distance from the sole first stage to your left hip.

This is a DIR forum. In DIR the HP hose runs from the left post.

Left post:
- HP hose + pressure gauge
- backup regulator
- LP drysuit inflator when not using argon

Right post:
- Long hose + primary regulator
- LP wing inflator

(You got me confused for a moment, so I checked it on the DVD set ";-)

 

[Green_Manelishi]

I dunno if attaching a hunk of pvc pipe on your hip for no other reason than to hold your long hose in place is really consistent with the "minimalist" principles of DIR. But I could be wrong.

Nor does it make sense to have two (or more) different ways of using your hose based on the presence or absence of a light. With the PVC, which takes up no more room than the light, I use my hose the same way, every time. Additionally, if I do not need the light I am not risking the light simply to have the ability to wrap. Lastly, the PVC that I use has a chunk of lead inside it that is included as part of my ballast so if I do not use the light I am not having "to make up for the now missing ballast" that many carry as 'ditchable weight'. Rather than dump a light which I did not need anyway except for its ballast, I ditch a couple $$$ work of plastic and metal.

Seems to me a winner all around.

 

[WJL]

This is a DIR forum. In DIR the HP hose runs from the left post.

Left post:
- HP hose + pressure gauge
- backup regulator
- LP drysuit inflator when not using argon

Right post:
- Long hose + primary regulator
- LP wing inflator

(You got me confused for a moment, so I checked it on the DVD set ";-)

You're right, and I screwed up. I should have thought about that a minute longer before I wrote it.