DIR- Generic SPG location justification

[sea_ledford]

Trying this again, apparently my first post got put in the sandbox...

What is the GUE justification for SPG on the left hip vs on the left shoulder? Only reason I've come up with is at the 2 stage/deco cylinder level, with the SPG on the hip there are three clips on both d-rings, but with it on the shoulder there will be 2 on the hip and 4 on the shoulder.

Is there some other reason that I am missing? Seems like a pretty small group of divers that would be required for vs a location that you can see hands free.

ETA: I'm not a gue diver. But I am GUE adjacent.

 

[Still Kicking]

Part of it carries over from standard scuba config. Also, you can check gas and have right hand free for light/signaling/gas donation etc. No doubt other logic I forget.

 

[xan]

Speculating a bit here, I think the interplay of a reasonable hose length and stages makes the hip ring better suited:

1. a short hose coming from the left post over the shoulder to the D-ring seems like it would only ever be readable very close and force a somewhat contorted position (and make it harder for the team to sneak a peek)
2. a more comfortable hose length either traps the stage(s) (going over) or is trapped under the stage(s) (under the arm pit) if going to the shoulder
3. there might be hose lengths where it's not impossible to manage alongside stages, but might be harder (conceptually) overall, making it less optimal

Perhaps your argument is that if it's readable hands-free, it won't need to be unclipped ever, so entrapment isn't an issue?

Seems like a pretty small group of divers that would be required for vs a location that you can see hands free.

Maybe, but "beginning with the end in mind" IMO means there shouldn't be significant equipment re-configuration as the diver progresses to more complicated diving. Not having to change where the SPG attaches seems like a good example for that rule.

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Part of it carries over from standard scuba config. Also, you can check gas and have right hand free for light/signaling/gas donation etc. No doubt other logic I forget.

Not sure I follow, perhaps you don't mind explaining? The "standard" scuba config has a dangling SPG on the left side, so that would be closer to the hip ring rather than the shoulder? As for the right hand, left hip vs left shoulder D-ring both seem to imply usage of the left hand, so I don't think the right hand does any different work?

 

[PfcAJ]

A few things:

Building good habits early on that translate to more complex diving.

The left chest d ring gets mad cluttered with stages.

Three SPGs up there is ripe for confusion.

You don’t really need to look at your backgas pressure all that often. Your depth and time will tell you your pressure with good accuracy. So why put it in a place that’s cluttered, doesn’t translate to more complex diving, and can lead to confusion? Keep that thing out of the way.

 

[Kendall Raine]

In addition to other's previous comments, GUE gear configuration is heavily influenced by scooter riding. Gauge placement, pocket contents, pee value placement, stage/deco bottle placement are all the way they are because one drives a scooter (Gavin) with the right hand and normal tasks should be achievable with the left hand while on trigger.

Putting the SPG on the left shoulder adds to clutter/confusion/vulnerability (@PfcAJ's points above). On the hip keeps the SPG on a shorter hose (24") up and out of the way. Good diving practice (situational awareness) should allow you to have a very good idea what your pressure is without looking at the SPG-the SPG should simply periodically confirm what you already know. If the SPG is reading something other (by more than a couple of hundred PSI) than what you expect something is out of whack.

 

[PeskyMonkey]

Good diving practice (situational awareness) should allow you to have a very good idea what your pressure is without looking at the SPG-the SPG should simply periodically confirm what you already know. If the SPG is reading something other (by more than a couple of hundred PSI) than what you expect something is out of whack.

In my GUE-F class, we were required to announce what we thought our gas was before reading the gauge every time. By the end of the last day, we were consistently within 200 PSI of the correct amount.

 

[34109411]

get an air integrated computer. problem solve.

 

[SpeedyJ]

get an air integrated computer. problem solve.

While you're in the DIR subforum and responding to a post asking about the GUE rationale for something, why don't you expound on the benefits of diving with a helmet... you'll be totally on topic and adding value in this forum.

 

[34109411]

 

[option12]

I am not sure if you are referring to it going over the shoulder, where having a thing on a hose at that position will also easily get confused/in the way of the inflator, or under, where it will have to be clipped/unclipped to get out of the gear, along with the other negatives mentioned.

Like AJ said...keep it out of the way, get good at grabbing it when needed for a check, and don't worry so much about looking at it constantly.