Wanting to lengthen my hose

My current primary second stage is on a 2 1/2 foot hose, and since this is the reg I donate, I realize it's too short. I want to switch to a five foot hose, and run it under my arm, but I have a couple of questions:

1) Do those of you diving with this configuration loop the hose around your head, like you would with the seven? It seems like it would be too short for that, to me.

2) If not, it seems like an uncomfortable angle on the hose, where it meets the second stage. Is an elbow-type attachment a good way to go?

This is for open water diving, with a single tank.

Originally posted by sumguy
I want to switch to a five foot hose, and run it under my arm, but I have a couple of questions:

1) Do those of you diving with this configuration loop the hose around your head, like you would with the seven? It seems like it would be too short for that, to me.

Click to expand...

Yep, 5' is too short (for me, at least) to loop around the neck and under the arm. I wouldn't loop it around my neck unless I could loop it under my arm (choke, choke), so it just runs under my arm.

2) If not, it seems like an uncomfortable angle on the hose, where it meets the second stage. Is an elbow-type attachment a good way to go?

Click to expand...

The hose is designed to bend, of course, but swage protectors will ease the angle. Elbows might work, but I'd be concerned about the adjustable ones blowing out.

Steven

Originally posted by sumguy
My current primary second stage is on a 2 1/2 foot hose, and since this is the reg I donate, I realize it's too short. I want to switch to a five foot hose, and run it under my arm, but I have a couple of questions:

1) Do those of you diving with this configuration loop the hose around your head, like you would with the seven? It seems like it would be too short for that, to me.

2) If not, it seems like an uncomfortable angle on the hose, where it meets the second stage. Is an elbow-type attachment a good way to go?

This is for open water diving, with a single tank.

Click to expand...

My advice is to skip the 5' hose and the swivel and go straight to a 7' hose. 5' is marginal, in my opinion too short and swivels/elbows introduce an additional failure point.

Tom

One qualifier here -- I am talking about single tank diving.

I use a 5 footer and it works for me. I route it from the first stage directly under my arm, across my chest, behind my head and into my mouth. I feel like I have enough slack for unrestricted head movement and it does not seem to put the hose at a stressful angle.

When I first switched to a long hose, I had a 7 footer. I used it for about 20 dives, but since I don't use a canister light, I felt like it was sometimes prone to slipping out from where I had it "hooked" before it ran across my chest.

When I decided to switch to a shorter hose, I bought both a 5 footer and 6 footer to try them out. The 6 footer was somewhat worthless -- too short for the 7 foot down the side of your body across your chest routing. Too long for the under your arm across your chest routing.

I've been using the 5 footer for about 10 dives now and am happy with it. Some of this comfort may be dependent on first stage port orientation.

One suggestion would be to order 2 or 3 sizes from Extreme Exposure or somewhere else that lets you return stuff. You can try on dry land and send back the lengths you don't want.....you might have to spend $5-7 for freight to send the ones you don't want back.....but it would be nice piece of mind.

As my board name indicates, I am not small (6'5" and 260).....at the same time, I am short torsoed/long legged.....

I prefer the 7 foot hose over the 5 as I do penetration diving and it is impossible to do an exit through a restricted space with a buddy in tow if you are going single file and only have a 5 ft. hose. ( unless you are under 4 ft. tall)

Storage of the hose can be done in several ways and is up to the individual user.

Some of these include:

- Coiling and bungee to the tank with surge tube or inner tube slices.

- Under your arm and around your shoulder style currently favored by DIR types ( favored by - not invented by)

- Coiling and putting into an elastic sleeve. Zeagle has a nice one.

- Routing through the bugess on your BCD (if you have any)

Each has its own advantages and disadvantages so have fun trying them all





Support your LDS

I think a large person may have trouble with a 5 ft hose. I have heard of some using a six. Since I need a seven (min) for cave and wreck anyway thats what I always use. When diving a single tank I use an H valve and all my hoses are routed the same as when in doubles. The redundancy of an H or doubles may not be needed for OW but I have it so I use it. When diving a single tank in OW and not using my waist mounted light there isn't anything to hold down the long hose. I've found that nothing is needed.

I use a 6' on a single tank - seems to fit things quite comfortably. I run it down under my arm, over my chest and around the neck. There is no "pull"from the hose when looking left. At the same time, hose isn't dangling from my body or sticking out anywhere. I'm 6'3" and diving rec. for now - this setup works well for me. You may want to try any length from 5-7' and figure which works best for you.....

SS

With no canister light to loop the hose under:

After going down your right side then up across your chest from lower right to upper left and then around the back of your neck from left to right and into your mouth....

Take the excess hose at the lower right and tuck it neatly into your waist strap.... problem(?) solved(!)

btw... this is what we do with the canister light cord when the lighthead is stowed on the right chest d-ring... tuck the extra stuff into your waist strap... no danglies.

I'm the same as ScubaScott - 6'3" tall, using the 6' hose on a single tank. Fits fine, doesn't hang in a loose loop, no need to tuck it under a light or into my waist harness, and there's no restricting pull on the regulator when I turn my head. Obviously not everyone is the same size, so feel free to experiment with the 5' and 6' hose and see which is best for you.