Hose protectors
- Thread starter laserdoc
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Hmm, I have a fairly new hose with a split right above the fitting where it was kinked. Yes, it is leaking--now. I am not sure they are a total waste of time. if you use them be sure to pull them down and clean under them at the fittings. I prefer the rubber type over plastic--when I use them, some of my regulators have them and some do not. There is good and bad in everything. N
I'd take them back to your LDS if you bought them and get a refund or like others I would trash them. They will hide sand, dirt etc... and will contribute to holding moisture and salt in places that you don't want it to be held in...
Yes, take them off. It takes a lot of extra work to pull them down every time, clean the fittings underneath and then slide them back up (not to mention the strain you put on the hoses when you do this). It takes a little work to take proper care of your hoses without them.
The chances you have to kinking your hoses without them are far less than you have to damaging/having hidden damage with them.
The chances you have to kinking your hoses without them are far less than you have to damaging/having hidden damage with them.
OP
laserdoc
Contributor
Wow ...everyone hates them. Guess I will take all of mine off now. Thank god I only had tried to put one on. The other hoses already had them.
They do reduce the likelyhood of some idiot on a boat popping your hose. Yes, I have seen it happen.
Mark Vlahos
Contributor
Hose protectors are an issue that you need to decide on for yourself. Most technical divers do not use them because they would rather see the ends of the hoses for inspection purposes, the protectors do tend to keep salt water and other crud around the metal hose end fittings. However, Nemrod makes a good point that they can and do help to soften a corner if a hose is constantly pulled in the same direction.
My suggestion to you is keep them where they will actually make a difference on a hose that makes a sharp turn immediately out of the first stage, but do make a point of pulling them back when you rinse your regulator after a dive, and make a special point of getting the crud out of the protector. You should also let the entire thing dry before pulling the protector back over the end of the hose for storage. On hoses where they are not needed do not install them, they are just more trouble than they are worth. Think about each situation specifically and make the best choices.
For myself, I do not have any of them on either end of any of my hoses on any one of my 7 regulator sets, but you are an adult, make up your own mind.
Mark Vlahos
My suggestion to you is keep them where they will actually make a difference on a hose that makes a sharp turn immediately out of the first stage, but do make a point of pulling them back when you rinse your regulator after a dive, and make a special point of getting the crud out of the protector. You should also let the entire thing dry before pulling the protector back over the end of the hose for storage. On hoses where they are not needed do not install them, they are just more trouble than they are worth. Think about each situation specifically and make the best choices.
For myself, I do not have any of them on either end of any of my hoses on any one of my 7 regulator sets, but you are an adult, make up your own mind.
Mark Vlahos
Well, I don't like them much, but that is for you to decide. One easy way to get them on that I have used in the past is to take a microwave safe bowl, fill with water, put in hose protector, microwave for about 3 mins (or until the hose protector is soft), then it sides on like butter. Use your common sense, if you have a really powerfull microwave do it for less time and check it often. It is ready when it it very soft and pliable, if it is liquid, well that was a little too longlaserdoc:
HTH
That's a Greek myth.Walter:
Re: hose protectors being a waste of time.
I use to feel the same way. Last summer, I HAD to replace 2 hoses and NEEDED to replace a 3rd upon closer inspection, as a result of cracking where bending had allowed that little metal collar (what is that thing called anyway) to bite into hose. 3 out of 4 hoses aint cheap! These hoses had had minimal usage BTW. If I had kept the receipts (they were from 2 different places so I don't think it was a faulty batch or a particularly disreputable manufacturer), perhaps I could have returned them when I got home (although since I wasn't using hose protectors I would have felt a bit guilty about doing so), but I was in the middle of a vacation and would have had to replace them anyway. Anyhow, I am a convert to hose protectors. I can't speak to salt accumulation and so on, but I would say just rinse them well. If they do fail due to something along those lines, I suppose one might find out the same way I found out when I wasn't using hose protectors - a hissing hose.
I use to feel the same way. Last summer, I HAD to replace 2 hoses and NEEDED to replace a 3rd upon closer inspection, as a result of cracking where bending had allowed that little metal collar (what is that thing called anyway) to bite into hose. 3 out of 4 hoses aint cheap! These hoses had had minimal usage BTW. If I had kept the receipts (they were from 2 different places so I don't think it was a faulty batch or a particularly disreputable manufacturer), perhaps I could have returned them when I got home (although since I wasn't using hose protectors I would have felt a bit guilty about doing so), but I was in the middle of a vacation and would have had to replace them anyway. Anyhow, I am a convert to hose protectors. I can't speak to salt accumulation and so on, but I would say just rinse them well. If they do fail due to something along those lines, I suppose one might find out the same way I found out when I wasn't using hose protectors - a hissing hose.
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