I found switching to a long hose to enhance my diving experience in particular ways. Granted, switching to the long hose alone did nothing for me, but learning it's purpose and how to deploy it in an OOA is actually what enhanced my diving experience.
Back in my BCD wearing days I was tought that: 1) the victim would likely just grab the working reg from my mouth with or without warning; 2) to anchor ourselves together and attempt a controlled ascent. This would lead to the side effect of trying to find an alternate air source which ended up being a 2nd air source that always seemed to induce panic into me it was so non-optimal for these situations.
After switching to the long hose a few things changed: 1) along with the midset change and enhanced understanding, I had less danglies to get caught (which happened to me a few times); 2) my reaction to OOA's improved (I've performed 3 OOA's after switching to long hose) and 3) ability to maintain control of bouyancy with a fully deployed long hose. It helps the receiver, it helps the donor. In any of my 3 OOA's I've assisted, the receiver was not familiar with my gear and the receiver was happy to breath and follow my eyes to the surface, no loss of control
As for the BCD, I lost 40 lbs and one dive after gaining a vertical attitude it floated off me when I stetched my arms up to point at something, attached only by the reg in my mouth. Rather than buying a new smaller BCD, I switched to a BP/w and haven't looked back. I can use it for singles, doubles, takes weight off my belt, provides me better bouyancy characteristics, and I can adjust the webbing as I continue to lose weight, and I don't have any cummerbun making me uncomfy by constricting my torso area.
I fail to see how doubles are technical. It's just more air or a type of gear configuration. More obsurd, I dive 120's and 130's. What's magical about post-100 tanks that makes them technical? NITROX? That's not technical, either. Some might argue it provides a margin of safety in some circumstances. I mean heck, depending on the agency even adding helium to recreational dives is still recreational diving and reduces narcosis at 100-130' depths.
I can see how joining a dive where you're the only one in HOG configuration and perhaps doubles may cause couriosity and a barrage of questions that the leader can't answer, and at times I've felt uncomfortable being that person, but I've yet to experience it degrading the quality of a dive for anyone on the team.
Perhaps he's just jealous of the light?