Long hose on SQ Balance - experience?

[Grajan]

I recently ordered a 5' hose setup for use with a SeaQuest Balance BC - more for comfort and streamlining than anything else.

I am not really thrilled by the underarm hose routing of the 5' option and I do not think 6' will improve it. It looks and feels messy.

I am considering going to the 7' as it looks like it will lay better. the spare hose appears to hold under the weight system / stowed pocket OK but I am not sure it will stay there reliably (I am not interested in a canister light).

Does anyone have any experience of this configuration that might help me sort this out?

Thanks

[MikeS]

In my case a five-foot hose was to short for use with a Balance; always felt like the reg was being pulled from my mouth, especially if I turned my head to the left. I switched to a six-foot hose, which is much better.

Mike

[jasondbaker]

Grajan, I made 80+ dives in a seaquest balance + 7ft hose last year. The hose will route just fine around the pocket. You may want to keep something in the pocket to help hold the hose down. I always carried a small light in the pocket. Something like a 1lb weight would work as well.

[Grajan]

Thanks for the info. I don't use the pocket and don't want to as it dangles too much.

I am thinking of sewing a plastic hose clip into the BC behind the pocket or something similar but I think I will switch to the 7' hose anyway.

Why do you use the 7' hose? Are you a technical diver or is it a comfort thing?