Regulator Arrangement- Split from Welcome to Side Mount Diving.

ianr33 · Dec 5, 2009

chrisculina:
Great! Now, to get people to use this forum...

O.K. I'll kick off .............

How do others arrange their regs?

Currently I use what is basically a Hogarthian type reg setup. Long hose bungeed into right tank,across chest and around back of neck. Shorter reg on left tank,over back of neck and held in place with bungeed round neck.

Started this way as it is familiar and easy to identify the regs (if it has a bungee on it then it goes to the left tank,if it has a clip its the right tank)

Thinking of changing for 2 reasons.
1)The left reg does not route so good.Hose sometimes comes up over my neck.
2)When the long hose is clipped off on the right d ring it hangs down a few inches and will drag in tight spots. (I like having the clip far enough down the hose so I can breathe it without unclipping if I have to)

Thinking of getting a second stage that can take the hose from the left (Apeks XTX) This can then just come directly off the left tank.
Also considering clipping both regs to a bungee necklace.That way both regs will be directly under my chin at all times.

chrisculina · Dec 5, 2009

ianr33:
Also considering clipping both regs to a bungee necklace.That way both regs will be directly under my chin at all times.

Wouldn't that make it kinda hard to donate in an ooa situation?

I'm just at the planning stage of making a side mount rig myself, but I've been thinking of keeping the reg config I use for doubles, and see how it goes.

It seems many people use elbows to ease hose routing, like in some of DiveRite's videos.

Terry2Puds · Dec 5, 2009

If I do a decompression dive on air then I use a 11ltr side mount. The regulator I use is an Apeks XTX 50 (Nitrox) which has a swivel turret body so there is no need to have a swivel mount on the second stage. Twice this year I have dived with people who have had problems with the swivel monut on the second stage were the 'o' ring blew while on the dive. The two individuals both look after their kit.

If a do a trimix dive then as well as the 11ltr side mount I also carry a 3ltr side mount on the other side for suit inflation.

All regs and gauges are bungeed to the cylinder and the regs are cliped as well.

gearhound · Dec 5, 2009

In the Yucatan, I've seen many divers with both regs attached around the neck. In Florida cave country, I was taught to attach a bungee or surgical tubing loop to the right shoulder d-ring. When I'm not using the long hose, I slip the mouthpiece into the loop to hold it in place. Very streamlined, and quite easy to access in an out of air situation. No need to unclip, just yank and donate. I use one of those latex necklaces to hold the other reg around my neck. My thinking is, in an out of air situation, I will do like I learned in backmount, which is donate the reg that is in my mouth. Quite easy to yank out with those latex necklaces. Then I just yank the other from my shoulder (assuming I was using the short hose) and switch if need be. No need to think about unclipping anything. Everything tucked away nice and secure, but easily accessible.

ianr33 · Dec 5, 2009

chrisculina:
Wouldn't that make it kinda hard to donate in an ooa situation?

I'm just at the planning stage of making a side mount rig myself, but I've been thinking of keeping the reg config I use for doubles, and see how it goes.

It seems many people use elbows to ease hose routing, like in some of DiveRite's videos.

Good points.

Forgot to mention that the long hose reg would have some sort of breakaway attachment on it.

Starting with the regs configured the same as doubles made sense to me as well,dont like changing too many things at once.

The right angle elbows (not swivels!) look like a really good idea.

JahJahwarrior · Dec 5, 2009

ianr33:
O.K. I'll kick off .............

How do others arrange their regs?

Currently I use what is basically a Hogarthian type reg setup. Long hose bungeed into right tank,across chest and around back of neck. Shorter reg on left tank,over back of neck and held in place with bungeed round neck.

Running both hoses around your neck sounds like a trainwreck waiting to happen. The right tank has the air inlet already on the perfect side to just come up and straight into your mouth without looping around your head. The left tank pretty much needs to loop around your head, in my experience, unless you get a left handed second stage.

I use long hoses on both tanks, so I can donate to an OOA dive with either tank easily. I run the left tank hose around the back of my head, but the right tank comes straight up and into my mouth.

I run my hoses down the tank, then back up, then back down, then back up....So it's almost like a W. When I get in the water, I pull out some of one of the U's, in order to get the reg to reach my mouth. After switching regs, I reach back and pull the bottom part of the U to remove any slack in the hose from the stowed reg, keeping it from hanging too low. I know this is a bit hard to visualize.

tc · Dec 5, 2009

A ScubaBoard Staff Message...
Split the thread so the topic would be easier to locate.

ianr33 · Dec 6, 2009

JahJahwarrior:
Running both hoses around your neck sounds like a trainwreck waiting to happen.

Thanks!

Its really not very different to a standard doubles setup.You have 2 hoses going over the back of your neck there as well (Although admittedly the backup is not hard up against your neck) When breathing from a stage there will be a total of 3 hoses over your neck.

As I said,I started with a Hogarthian type reg setup so as not to change too much all at once. Am now thinking about modifying that.

I like the idea of 2 long hoses. Have never been totally happy with an OOA backmount buddy having to decide which of my regs to go for.

Anybody have a good source for the right angle adapters? The ones DiveRite sells are $50 each which seems over the top. What is the thread size on a second stage? Suspect right angle adapters from a non diving source would be much cheaper

JahJahwarrior · Dec 6, 2009

In BM, the hose starts at your shoulders, and so it's not quite as much wrapped as it is in sidemount.

Piranha MFG has great prices on right angle adaptors.

hudson · Dec 6, 2009

ianr33:
Thanks!
I like the idea of 2 long hoses. Have never been totally happy with an OOA backmount buddy having to decide which of my regs to go for.

OOA buddy can take the reg in my mouth (we've tested this, the reg comes off the bungie fairly easily).. After we are settled, I can switch him to the long hose. Also if I'm diving sidemount, I'm either deep, in a cave, or in a wreck. My buddy better be composed enough not to panic and composed enough not to just yank the reg out of my mouth and I'd better be alert enough not to be oblivious to an OOA buddy. (But yes, I realize stuff happens)

Problem with two long hoses is that then stoving the long hose takes twice as long - it takes me long enough to setup as it is

Not saying don't do it, just trying to cover all the bases.

Regulator Arrangement- Split from Welcome to Side Mount Diving.

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