What do you use to hold your octo?

[TSandM]

I went through a whole bunch of cord stops at REI -- some of them have springs, and some of them just use a friction-lock mechanism and have no metal parts. I bought a couple of the latter to use on bungie replacements for the shoestrings in my Bare boots -- they haven't been in the water yet, so I don't know how well I will like them, but the mechanism seems ideal for anything stretchy, and will not rust.

 

[scubajo007]

Octoquick: Simple Octopus attatchment system which attatches to MP hose of Octo and to a BCD D-ring. Releases when pulled. Works fine for me.

 

[emoreira]

Since everyone is posting their favorite holder, here's my Oscar winning, Mr. Bean approved octo holder:

View attachment 117363

I tried every type and this one works the best. The top is a simple nylon cord loop that controls the position, and the mouthpiece fits into the bungee loop below, which is tightened by the cord stop. You can buy these cord stops at fabric stores like JoAnne's. It's easy to replace the reg if pulled out, and you can adjust the tension of the bungee loop with the cord stop.

I´ve done an octoholder like the one you show here in the pic. I dove with it yesterday and I liked it. Thanks.

 

[nimoh]

not sure if it is clear to any of the new divers reading this thread, but if you are going to use a necklace bungee, then your primary needs to be on a long hose, and will be donated in an out of air situation.

I use a necklace bungee and my primary is on a 7' long hose, and that works for me, although many use a slightly shorter long hose.

 

[oreocookie]

not sure if it is clear to any of the new divers reading this thread, but if you are going to use a necklace bungee, then your primary needs to be on a long hose, and will be donated in an out of air situation.

One of the LDS near me has lots of photos on their website of divers on their charters using a octo on a necklace with a regular length hose on the primary. It looks to be a 40inch octo and a 32ish inch primary (basically whatever they normally come with from the factory). I haven't dove with them yet, so I don't know what they donate or how exactly they do it, but it looks they're using longer necklaces so the octo is hanging closer to the sternum strap on their bc than their chin. I wouldn't go that route and I don't want to imagine getting hit in the neck with the necklace after somebody's just ripped the octo out of it (not sure if that would actually happen though).

 

[tridacna]

it always reminds me of the old joke about 'space pens' (you know the one - normal pens don't work in space, so NASA spent $1m with a team of 80 to design an amazing pen the writes in -50degrees, zero gravity and works in a vacuum.... the Russians encountered the same problem - they gave their astronauts pencils).

I'm glad that you called it a joke - because that story is clearly untrue. NASA never spent a dime on the development of the space pen. Fisher developed it himself to solve a problem: In an oxygen rich minimal gravity environment, airborne objects like broken pencil tips or graphite dust can burn or cause injury. Both NASA and the Russians bought and used the Space Pens in their respective programs.

 

[nimoh]

I think if you are planning on donating the backup (alternate) reg, a necklace is the wrong place for it. I don't see any advantage to using a necklace for this. Why not just hang it off the D-Ring?

When a necklace is used for a backup reg, and the primary is donated, the necklace can be set up so that the backup doesn't come free easily, so you can depend on it not coming out by accident.

Also, if you are planning on donating the primary, then 32" is just too short. I'll concede that you could make it work in an OOA situation, but I think it would make an already stressful situation a little more stressful.

 

[Hatul]

One of the LDS near me has lots of photos on their website of divers on their charters using a octo on a necklace with a regular length hose on the primary. It looks to be a 40inch octo and a 32ish inch primary (basically whatever they normally come with from the factory). I haven't dove with them yet, so I don't know what they donate or how exactly they do it, but it looks they're using longer necklaces so the octo is hanging closer to the sternum strap on their bc than their chin. I wouldn't go that route and I don't want to imagine getting hit in the neck with the necklace after somebody's just ripped the octo out of it (not sure if that would actually happen though).

Also in reply to nimoh. Yes the necklace system was conceived as part of the DIR package with a long-hose primary and you donate your primary on the long hose.

You could use a short-hose primary with longer hose necklace octo and use that for donating. Most any system will work as long as you discuss it with your buddy. In that case the necklace has to be set up to release the octo reg. I know all this is obvious but it's easy to overlook the obvious.

In my case what I do is keep my primary with the stock short hose and keep that on a necklace-- it's tight so not to release by accident but will release if pulled hard enough. My octo is attached to a D ring as per previous post. I like the idea of having at least one reg on a necklace so I never lose the source of air. If I end up in surf with reg out of mouth I always know the reg is close by and can reinsert it into mouth instantly. I don't like the idea of doing sweeps and such to search for my regulator.

Most of the time when someone needs air they're not in a panic and will reach for a reg that's most conveniently available. When they're in a panic all bets are off and it does not matter which they take. Once they get air I think they'll settle down and you can swap then to optimize.

 

[nimoh]

You could use a short-hose primary with longer hose necklace octo and use that for donating. Most any system will work as long as you discuss it with your buddy. In that case the necklace has to be set up to release the octo reg. I know all this is obvious but it's easy to overlook the obvious.

I guess my point is why use a necklace? I don't see any advantage of a necklace over attaching to the d-ring for this situation. I see the necklace as an advantage if the reg is going in your own mouth, since the necklace keeps it close.

In my case what I do is keep my primary with the stock short hose and keep that on a necklace-- it's tight so not to release by accident but will release if pulled hard enough. My octo is attached to a D ring as per previous post. I like the idea of having at least one reg on a necklace so I never lose the source of air. If I end up in surf with reg out of mouth I always know the reg is close by and can reinsert it into mouth instantly. I don't like the idea of doing sweeps and such to search for my regulator.

Most of the time when someone needs air they're not in a panic and will reach for a reg that's most conveniently available. When they're in a panic all bets are off and it does not matter which they take. Once they get air I think they'll settle down and you can swap then to optimize.

I don't see a problem with this scenario, actually makes a lot of sense.

 

[Wern Yi]

Thanks guys, this whole discussion has been an eye opener for me. I consider myself a newbie. I always had doubts about the deployment of the octopus in an emergency in a normal set up, dangling somewhere on the side. This is the first time i am hearing about the necklace bungee (thanks nimoh) and the theory makes a lot of sense; give the guy in need what he/she can see and that's the thing in your mouth bubbling. Can someone be so kind as to show me a picture of how a necklace bungee is put on? On the other hand i am thinking 'necklace' and would one get strangled accidently in an emergency?
Appreciate any feedback.