SeaJay
Contributor
This got heated quickly!
Let's give this guy some constructive answers...
I personally have never heard of anyone dying of HUB.
HIV, yes... But not HUB.
Also, I have never dived a HUB... So I can't tell you from experience what they're really like.
I will tell you, though, that I've seen one in action, and it didn't look like a very good idea, for the same reasons that others have listed here.
I could go into the overall reason why I personally would not recommend a HUB... But instead, let me point you to an article I wrote not long ago. You'll find it here.
In the article, I talk specifically about BC's in general, and the three basic designs, and why I recommend one over the others. Taking the HUB strictly from the BC point of view, it's easy to see why I personally would not recommend it as a BC.
The HUB, however, is a complete system... It's more than just a BC. It's regs and life support and backup all rolled into one. While this might seem like a good idea, I think we'd all agree that keeping everything seperate is a better plan, especially in your case. You say that you'd like to purchase now and upgrade piece by piece later... That's not a problem for most rigs... With the HUB, it might not be so easy, since everything's integrated. Also, a failed component on most scuba rigs means that only that component has failed... A failed component on a HUB means that your entire system is affected... And that's really not good on a HUB, since there's more individual components to fail than on a "standard" rig.
There's two things that you mention in your post... One was that the dealer wasn't selling regs that fit you... What do you mean by that? If it's a mouthpiece issue, different mouthpieces are available and most divers pick what's comfortable for them and use it on whatever reg they choose. If it's a hose issue, then different hoses are available. Many of us mix and match to get a completely custom fit with our rigs. The second thing that I was wondering about was the "weight integrated" issue. Do you mean to tell me that the HUB, the "catch-all, end-all for integration," isn't weight integrated?
Not that weight integration is definitely the way to go... Read the article I wrote about weight integration. There are systems out there that take weight integration to a whole new (and impressive) level... And still allow you to wear a belt - or not; your choice. There are advantages and disadvantages to either.
Good luck in your decision. Frankly, the HUB does not seem to be popular. I agree that it looks like a great idea... "Cleaning everything up" like that. But I can assure you, there are better ways to do it; at least, that's my humble opinion.
Let's give this guy some constructive answers...
I personally have never heard of anyone dying of HUB.
HIV, yes... But not HUB.Also, I have never dived a HUB... So I can't tell you from experience what they're really like.
I will tell you, though, that I've seen one in action, and it didn't look like a very good idea, for the same reasons that others have listed here.
I could go into the overall reason why I personally would not recommend a HUB... But instead, let me point you to an article I wrote not long ago. You'll find it here.
In the article, I talk specifically about BC's in general, and the three basic designs, and why I recommend one over the others. Taking the HUB strictly from the BC point of view, it's easy to see why I personally would not recommend it as a BC.
The HUB, however, is a complete system... It's more than just a BC. It's regs and life support and backup all rolled into one. While this might seem like a good idea, I think we'd all agree that keeping everything seperate is a better plan, especially in your case. You say that you'd like to purchase now and upgrade piece by piece later... That's not a problem for most rigs... With the HUB, it might not be so easy, since everything's integrated. Also, a failed component on most scuba rigs means that only that component has failed... A failed component on a HUB means that your entire system is affected... And that's really not good on a HUB, since there's more individual components to fail than on a "standard" rig.
There's two things that you mention in your post... One was that the dealer wasn't selling regs that fit you... What do you mean by that? If it's a mouthpiece issue, different mouthpieces are available and most divers pick what's comfortable for them and use it on whatever reg they choose. If it's a hose issue, then different hoses are available. Many of us mix and match to get a completely custom fit with our rigs. The second thing that I was wondering about was the "weight integrated" issue. Do you mean to tell me that the HUB, the "catch-all, end-all for integration," isn't weight integrated?
Not that weight integration is definitely the way to go... Read the article I wrote about weight integration. There are systems out there that take weight integration to a whole new (and impressive) level... And still allow you to wear a belt - or not; your choice. There are advantages and disadvantages to either.
Good luck in your decision. Frankly, the HUB does not seem to be popular. I agree that it looks like a great idea... "Cleaning everything up" like that.
But I can assure you, there are better ways to do it; at least, that's my humble opinion.
You don't need too vivid of an imagination to see the disaster that could cause!
