Phantom double braided hoses

[jar546]

Does anyone have any experience with these hoses?

Just sent a regulator in for servicing and asked to have a new hose put on with a different length. Conveniently, the hose that was on was discovered to have a bubble so they are sending it back to the manufacturer (regulator company). Anyway, since the company does not stock the size hose I requested, the LP regulator I received was a Phantom Double Braided Hose by Innovative Scuba Concepts. It is a Myflex style hose with a working pressure of 1,500 and a burst of 6,000 psi. Don't remember seeing any negative comments about this brand/model. Just checking.

[jar546]

My concern is due to the packaging stating "Not for sale in Europe and U.K." which leads me to believe they did not go through the CE testing.

[Blue Sparkle]

For what it's worth, Dive Gear Express sells both the Miflex and the Phantom brand braided hoses, and they have this to say:

• Miflex (made in Europe with CE approval) and Phantom (made in Asia, no CE mark).
• The Miflex hoses include premium packaging in a nice reusble dry pouch and the Phantom brand hoses are more attractively priced.
• In general we can't find any significant differences in quality between the two brands. We think double braided hoses are the future and will likely become the new standard for scuba hoses, completely supplanting rubber hoses.

Hoses for SCUBA - Dive Gear Express

I realize this is just me quoting a website, but I thought you might be interested since they do mention the CE situation. (I had spoken with them and read their website some months ago when I was about to order hoses.)

Blue Sparkle

[jar546]

Thanks. Good info so far that showed I was not the only one wondering

[Jim Lapenta]

It does depend on what your usage for braided hoses is. For standard recreational diving and students the braided hoses are great. I sell them as part of the Epic reg sets. They are branded the Edge Flex and I have only had one that had a problem. Out of dozens sold. That one developed a small leak near the connector and had to be replaced. But our hoses carry a 3 year warranty so it was done at no cost to the user. How the leak happened is really anyone's guess. It could have been kinked in shipping, during the mfg process, etc. The point is the hose did not fail itself. Any time you have a connection on any hose it's a possibility.

Now for tech and long hose use I do not see braided hoses replacing rubber. One reason is that the braided are flexible. Too flexible and floaty which is why we do even offer a long hose in the braided style. The other reason for me is comfort. Skin under water gets soft and sensitive. If you have a hood no big deal. But imagine that braiding rubbing on your neck like sandpaper for an hour or more. Try taking a braided hose out of the water and just move it back and forth around your neck and you'll see what I mean.

I am choosy about the rubber hoses for long hose use. I have one that is yellow and made from a different material than the black ones. When I'm in need of a haircut and getting a little shaggy it seems to grab every hair on the back of my neck! Not fun without a light hood.

[j2s]

I'm in agreement w/Jim Lapenta about which hose type you'll use for which type of diving....I don't use HP Miflex's or Phantom's [standard or small dia.] at all because of problems I and others have had...The hose and fittings need more research......I also don't buy the LP's unless they're direct from Apeks in the UK 'cause I've seen how counterfeit/black market hoses have gotten into the supply chain unknown to reputable retailers and known to disreputable retailers [this can be a problem w/standard hoses and alot of other products too]....When they first came out I tried them all, LP, HP, long, short, thin, thick for deep, cave, warm, cold, ow and other types of diving.....The only ones I trust are the LP's direct from Apeks w/their fittings....Take a look at the difference in the fittings btx Apeks and other brands...You'll pay more but I've never had a problem w/them as I have w/others.....Like all new products there's a 'fine-tuneing' period and in time both HP's and LP's will probably become the standard....They have too many good attributes not to be.........In the mean time be selective.....

[jar546]

The service was on my Apeks XTX200. They don't have a 32" black hose and gave the shop approval to put that one on. I get the reg setup serviced every year to maintain a warranty. There is no charge for parts, just $17 per year to service the regs. I was told there was a bubble on the old hose when I asked for it back. They are sending it to Apeks.

[Warhammer]

I'm in agreement w/Jim Lapenta about which hose type you'll use for which type of diving....I don't use HP Miflex's or Phantom's [standard or small dia.] at all because of problems I and others have had...The hose and fittings need more research......I also don't buy the LP's unless they're direct from Apeks in the UK 'cause I've seen how counterfeit/black market hoses have gotten into the supply chain unknown to reputable retailers and known to disreputable retailers [this can be a problem w/standard hoses and alot of other products too]....When they first came out I tried them all, LP, HP, long, short, thin, thick for deep, cave, warm, cold, ow and other types of diving.....The only ones I trust are the LP's direct from Apeks w/their fittings....Take a look at the difference in the fittings btx Apeks and other brands...You'll pay more but I've never had a problem w/them as I have w/others.....Like all new products there's a 'fine-tuneing' period and in time both HP's and LP's will probably become the standard....They have too many good attributes not to be.........In the mean time be selective.....

You wouldn't happen to have an online source for genuine Apeks hoses would you?