Question for long hose users...

[Lost Yooper]

Having been without a snorkle for a few years now, I can hardly imagine ever wearing one again. I've put one on a few times since, and can't stand the clutter it adds. I don't think it's a necessity at all, and in fact may be just the opposite. I can invision a few circumstances where I might wear a snorkel, but not too many (none for my type of diving up here).

 

[detroit diver]

L_D,

Sure it gets in the way! It's like driving with a periscope.
I don't often use it while diving, but there are some circumstances where I think it's potentially useful.

As for donating the long hose, just takes a little getting used to, but no biggie.

IMHO, I think people resist the technique until they actually try it (if they ever do), but then fall in love with it once they do!

 

[large_diver]

DD,

Thanks for the comments.

Yes -- I am committed to switching to a long hose config -- I'm just trying to keep my current gear config stable up through my vacation in a few weeks. While on vacation (and on 1 2 tanks shore dive outing between now and then), I'll be diving with my 2 brothers, neither of whom I've dived with before and both of whom have less diving experience than me (and I only have about 30 logged dives here in NE). I don't want to be screwing with newly added gear when diving in this type of situation.

 

[old_mike]

in say, an overhead environment such as a cave (big or small) or a wreck penetration if one of the manifold valves has been rolled off. Of course in So Cal, the number of decent penetrable wrecks can nearly be counted on one hand, but there are numerous small, tight caves chock full o' pacific spiny lobster that are definitely overhead, siltable environments. I find the long hose 'round my neck is soooo easy to restow and manage, it's not even an issue with me (although, before i tried a DIR config kit, believe me, i thought it would be ridculously unwieldy and convoluted) I now wear appropriately stowed all the time on all dives.

 

[svs3]

Breathing the long hose rules.

I've never had problem with my long hose and I use it in all environments. It took all of about five minutes to get used to in the very beginning - since then no problems. In water, works like a charm. I'd bet that once you tried it it would at the very least become a very, very useful tool if not a piece of your everyday kit.

When not wearing a canister light I make a small loop in hose and tuck the loop under my waist belt. The key here is to realize that the Halcyon type BP/Harness rig doesn't need to be worn very tightly. I've never had any problem deploying the hose from this configuration (A caveat: all my OOA situations have been drills only).

Later,
Sam