New hose config - questions.

[gr8jab]

Hi all,

I just switched to a 40" Miflex with 90deg adapter. I used it yesterday and it felt really good. I forgot it was there, and didn't notice any pulling on the regulator (as I had in the past).

My one problem was on the surface, while vertical or slightly on back. With the over-the-shoulder rubber hose used previously, I would spit out the regulator to talk (or snorkel, or fiddle with my gear or whatever), and the regulator usually hung over my shoulder in easy sight. If it slipped away, a quick arm-circle would always find it. With the Miflex/90deg, as soon as I spit it out, it is gone. Even a huge arm-circle was not a successful technique. I had to reach over my shoulder to the 1st stage, which is quite a contortion for an old fat guy like me.

So, the question is... what should I do? Maybe just learn to live with it? Try arm-circle while horizontal in the water? Bungee necklace? Clip it off (never seen this done before with primary 2nd stage)? Lose the 90deg (but keep Miflex) and go back to over-the-shoulder?

Thoughts or advice? I don't mind criticism, but please keep the evangelical theses in check.

Thanks

 

[dleewo]

You should actually put a bolt snap on the hose and clip it off when not in use

 

[2airishuman]

I have a 40" miflex with a 70 degree adapter on one of my setups. I have a similar setup on another reg using a rubber hose, and also a 7' hose on a third setup (I have kids and there are slight differences between the reg sets each of us uses).

Typically with primary donate you would have a secondary bungeed under your chin and therefore always available, making reg retrieval less of a problem in practice. You should also, as dleewo mentioned upthread, have a bolt snap on the hose so you can clip it off to your right shoulder d-ring when it is not in use.

I find that I am in the habit of holding onto my reg on the surface, and clipping it off if I need my hands for something.

 

[Doby45]

You should have a boltsnap on the primary secondary (40" hose) either way. When not in use it should be snapped onto your right chest d-ring. What will also happen if you do not get into the habit of snapping it off to a d-ring is you will let it drop even out of the water without thinking and it can fall a lot further and hit stuff. Like tables, benches and so forth.

 

[tbone1004]

what they said. bolt snap of some sort and clip it off

 

[BertStevens]

Bolt snap is your friend.

 

[clownfishsydney]

Best thing is not to spit it out and keep it in your mouth all the time (unless you have run out of air).

 

[tursiops]

I had a 2nd stage get broken by being on a 40" hose and having a tank get set on top of it.
Now I clip it off to keep it safe. Also works at the surface!

 

[divad]

My one problem was on the surface, while vertical or slightly on back. With the over-the-shoulder rubber hose used previously, I would spit out the regulator to talk (or snorkel, or fiddle with my gear or whatever), and the regulator usually hung over my shoulder in easy sight. If it slipped away, a quick arm-circle would always find it. With the Miflex/90deg, as soon as I spit it out, it is gone. Even a huge arm-circle was not a successful technique. I had to reach over my shoulder to the 1st

You could switch back to a rubber hose (with bolt snap if you have an octopus bungied around your neck).

 

[halocline]

So, the question is... what should I do? Maybe just learn to live with it? Try arm-circle while horizontal in the water? Bungee necklace? Clip it off (never seen this done before with primary 2nd stage)? Lose the 90deg (but keep Miflex) and go back to over-the-shoulder?

Thoughts or advice? I don't mind criticism, but please keep the evangelical theses in check.

Thanks

Is your alternate 2nd stage on a short hose with a bungee necklace? If not, that's a good place to start. A least then you'll always have an alternate 2nd stage handy. And it is customary to use a small bolt snap on the long hose to clip it off when you're not using it. I attach the bolt snap with a small piece of bicycle inner tube (awap's excellent idea) rather than cave line. It holds perfectly and it can break away in an emergency.

But one of the things I like about the 5ft hose routed across the chest and over the left shoulder is how the primary 2nd stage hose can rest on your right shoulder momentarily if you have reason to take the 2nd stage out of your mouth. So you could consider that. It would mean getting a 60" hose (rubber is fine) and maybe ditching the elbow.

You're right in that the longer hose on the primary 2nd stage is way more comfortable with less push-pull. That's one of it's main benefits for recreational diving, where air-sharing is pretty uncommon.