Help me figure out hose lengths and gauge sizes

[Dogbowl]

So I'm on the verge of purchasing our first set of regs for my husband and myself. After finally deciding which regs to get, I'm now struggling with a whole bunch of options with respect to hose lengths and gauge sizes. Please help!

BTW, we're beginner recreational divers not intending to go tech or cave any time soon. Cavern may be in the future but not right now. It is mostly warm water ocean diving for now. I am 5'4" average build and my husband is 5'9" slim build.

Primary second stage
We've tried the 7' hose configuration and to me, it makes a lot of sense. It feels good and is very intuitive. Now, we won't be carrying canister lights on our right side waist belt, so a 7' hose might be unwieldy since we'll need to stuff the excess in our waist belt. Personally, I just don't think that's ideal. And we're really not going to be in a situation that requires single-file air sharing, not that I can foresee anyways. Now, I've seen people mention that a 40" hose routed under the right arm with a 90 degree adaptor works similarly and very well for open water recreational divers like us. I think this is the so-called "Dive Rite AOW regulator configuration". See here: Dive Rite XT Advanced Open Water Regulator Package

So, any thoughts on either option?

Secondary second stage
The standard here seems to be 22", placed on a necklace around the neck. Any reason why we should consider 24" or longer hoses?

SPG
I intend to clip the brass/glass spg on my left side waist d-ring. The options available are 1.5", 2" and 2.5". Which is a good size? I don't want it to be too heavy, yet I don't want it so small that my "older" eyes will have a tough time reading it. I'm thinking 2" is a good compromise? What about a protective boot? Is that necessary/recommended?

I've read that 22-24" hose is the usual length. I've experienced a rental rig where the hose was so short I found it difficult to read it without straining my neck and eyes so I'm tending to go with a longer rather than shorter hose on this one. So maybe a 24" hose on this one?

Thank you so much for your thoughts and suggestions!

 

[Marie13]

I'm 5'5" and my dive shop recommended a 5ft long hose for me. It works fabulous. There's no extra I have to stow anywhere.

I've been told that for OW divers (no cave/wreck penetration) to start with the length close to your height.

My short hose is 22".

SPG - I have a 2" one. No boot. I actually didn't want to have to mess with clipping/unclipping it, so I clip it to my left chest D ring. I just look down and it's right there. HOG has a black faced dial that is very easy to read in low viz. I have that one on my pony.

 

[elgoog]

Now, we won't be carrying canister lights on our right side waist belt, so a 7' hose might be unwieldy since we'll need to stuff the excess in our waist belt. Personally, I just don't think that's ideal. And we're really not going to be in a situation that requires single-file air sharing, not that I can foresee anyways.

If you're thinking of 7' hose from Fundies/Intro to Tech/Essentials perspective, you can get a delrin can light simulator so you don't need to stuff it in the waist belt. DSS makes one but I prefer the more compact ones that are a thinner rod as opposed to DSS's tube.

Now, I've seen people mention that a 40" hose routed under the right arm with a 90 degree adaptor works similarly and very well for open water recreational divers like us.

This works great. I would recommend to get this setup now and then, if you end up doing a class that requires a 5' or 7' hose, get that then.

The standard here seems to be 22", placed on a necklace around the neck. Any reason why we should consider 24" or longer hoses?

From the experience my wife and I had with this, it's personal preference .i.e. if you turn your head all the way to the left, is there a slight pull on the reg and how much it bothers you. My wife prefers 24" and doesn't care that it bows out a tiny bit more over her right shoulder. I use the 22" because that's the other one we had and I didn't care enough about the tug of the reg in my mouth to buy another hose.

The options available are 1.5", 2" and 2.5". Which is a good size? I don't want it to be too heavy, yet I don't want it so small that my "older" eyes will have a tough time reading it. I'm thinking 2" is a good compromise? What about a protective boot? Is that necessary/recommended?

2" works great, it's plenty big. 2.5" is like a meat tenderizer. Most 1.5" I've seen are the slim kind and noticeably smaller. I'm not rough on my gear and didn't get a protective boot - I don't think they're necessary but can't hurt. Lots of the ones available don't add much to the size of the SPG.

I've read that 22-24" hose is the usual length. I've experienced a rental rig where the hose was so short I found it difficult to read it without straining my neck and eyes so I'm tending to go with a longer rather than shorter hose on this one. So maybe a 24" hose on this one?

22" sounds too short. 24" works well for single tank. I think I have 26" on one of my regs and that dangles a bit when clipped off but, honestly, not at all an issue in open water.

If you're buying 2 reg sets, for necklace and SPG hoses, get 1 set with the short lengths and one with the longer one. Then you can move them around between your and your buddy's set and see what works for both of you. That's what my wife and I did as we had the same questions as you did when we got our regs.

 

[Dogbowl]

If you're thinking of 7' hose from Fundies/Intro to Tech/Essentials perspective, you can get a delrin can light simulator so you don't need to stuff it in the waist belt. DSS makes one but I prefer the more compact ones that are a thinner rod as opposed to DSS's tube.


This works great. I would recommend to get this setup now and then, if you end up doing a class that requires a 5' or 7' hose, get that then.


From the experience my wife and I had with this, it's personal preference .i.e. if you turn your head all the way to the left, is there a slight pull on the reg and how much it bothers you. My wife prefers 24" and doesn't care that it bows out a tiny bit more over her right shoulder. I use the 22" because that's the other one we had and I didn't care enough about the tug of the reg in my mouth to buy another hose.


2" works great, it's plenty big. 2.5" is like a meat tenderizer. Most 1.5" I've seen are the slim kind and noticeably smaller. I'm not rough on my gear and didn't get a protective boot - I don't think they're necessary but can't hurt. Lots of the ones available don't add much to the size of the SPG.


22" sounds too short. 24" works well for single tank. I think I have 26" on one of my regs and that dangles a bit when clipped off but, honestly, not at all an issue in open water.

If you're buying 2 reg sets, for necklace and SPG hoses, get 1 set with the short lengths and one with the longer one. Then you can move them around between your and your buddy's set and see what works for both of you. That's what my wife and I did as we had the same questions as you did when we got our regs.

Great advice! Thanks! Will definitely do, especially the part about getting different lengths to try between the 2 of us.

 

[Lorenzoid]

As far as 7 ft. versus 5 ft., I don't think it makes a big difference. One who hasn't tried both might think a 7 ft. hose is more unwieldy than a 5 ft. hose, but the difference is almost unnoticeable as far the longer hose being unwieldy. A potential problem for some people a 5' hose is that it is just a few inches too short, such that it tugs annoyingly on the reg in your mouth. I am a few inches taller than you, and I found that to be the case. If a 5 ft. hose does not tug on your reg due to your modest stature, then no reason not to go for it.

The 40 in. hose with 90-degree adapter seems popular. Nothing wrong with that for your purposes, either. I suspect either configuration will feel just fine after a few dives with it, and you'll never want to change.

If you're thinking of 7' hose from Fundies/Intro to Tech/Essentials perspective, you can get a delrin can light simulator so you don't need to stuff it in the waist belt. DSS makes one but I prefer the more compact ones that are a thinner rod as opposed to DSS's tube.

An even better option, in my opinion, is a zippered pocket on the waist belt. When I'm not diving with a can light (shhh, don't tell GUE), I use this one, and route the hose under it just as I would with the can light: Bellows Vertical Zip Pocket w/Daisy Chain | Dive Rite

 

[Dogbowl]

An even better option, in my opinion, is a zippered pocket on the waist belt. When I'm not diving with a can light (shhh, don't tell GUE), I use this one, and route the hose under it just as I would with the can light: Bellows Vertical Zip Pocket w/Daisy Chain | Dive Rite

Very helpful, thanks! Guess 7' hose could always be tucked under a weight pocket on my waist belt as well.

 

[flyboy08]

7ft is only a pain on the boat and when someone takes your tank off and then drags your reg to the tanks resting place...I like to fasten it to a D ring before I let go of my BC if I do at all. 7ft and a bungie is the way to go.

 

[RyanT]

Hi Dogbowl, I'm 5'10" so my experience might be a little different from yours, but I can't imagine using a 5' hose. My 7' hose makes a nice loop under my belt and keeps everything in place. With two less feet, I have no doubt that the hose would be popping out constantly. I also have a reg with an 8' hose on it. The loops is a little longer but it also stays nicely in place.

Also, a long hose is super nice even for warm, open water diving. My buddy and I recently had to share air this year on Caribbean reef dive. On my 7' hose, we were able to both comfortably complete our safety stop without being stuck in each other's face. It made finishing the dive really comfortable.

 

[Freewillow]

I am not too familiar with inches, so I will not speak about sizes.

I have my pressure gauge cliped to the left ring of my BCD that is on my chest. So it does not touch the reef or the sand and stays very close to my face. I can locate and read it very easily. So I have a rather small line.

 

[gcarter]

I am not too familiar with inches, so I will not speak about sizes.

I have my pressure gauge cliped to the left ring of my BCD that is on my chest. So it does not touch the reef or the sand and stays very close to my face. I can locate and read it very easily. So I have a rather small line.

That is what I do as well, but I still have the longer hose that I used when I used a console way back when. I keep meaning to shorten the hose...