Deciding on gear and whether to get it

[victorzamora]

You can definitely call me a taller diver, and say that I have much girth in my torso. I am 6'6" 250# with more of a doughy than fit physique , even though that IS in the process of changing right now. I'm glad I went with the longer hose. Worst case scenario, I can probably find someone to trade hoses with. Also, the LDS owner just got a 7' setup so I'll swing by sometime soon and ask him to lend me his reg for at least a mock, tankless, bcd-less dry run of the length.

Also, I'll make sure to try under right arm only first, then left arm only, and then both if the length permits it. Hopefully some Discover Scuba Diving dives with newbies will help me determine appropriate gear arrangement....even if the pool is totally different.

BlueSparkle...about having to flip over to check my SPG, I feel like every time I go to check my SPG on rental gear with a "normal" setup and a 2-gauge console I just spend more time looking for it than checking it and therefore don't check nearly as often. It REALLY gets aggravating. That might be due to not diving with the same gear, or it might be due to other faults of mine...but if I can help it I will, and I can so I shall. If it gets annoying, then I'll try a different setup. BTW, how do you feel unclipping/reclipping your SPG with thicker gloves on?

[Jim Lapenta]

Clipping and unclipping the SPG with thick gloves is more a function of the bolt snap you use. I carry two sizes generally and recommend the larger one for those who will likely dive with thick gloves. I chose these based on my own needs and find no problems doing it. The thing is that once you have gotten used to it even with thick gloves it's a non-issue. You build muscle memory and soon realize that without thinking you're clipping and unclipping as easy as you breathe.

Your discomfort with rental gear is a natural reaction to set ups that are each time just a bit different. One thing I did during my dive career was to try and use as many different configurations as possible. Even when they did not fit right to get to the point where no matter the set up I can dive it. Then I settled on the simplest one possible for me.

Once you have your own gear you will also find that if you do need to rent you will be setting the rental gear up as close as possible to your own. So for that reason I try ot have gear that allows me to do that. Wrist computer and compass so that the only thing I need to look at the rental gauges for is pressure.

My reg is always configured long hose or standard. No integrated inflators. Always use a weight belt even if the BC has pockets for it.

[Colliam7]

On the yellow purge cover on my primary: I said "then they will know what to grab," but then Colliam7 rightly pointed out that typically the long-hose donor will actively give the reg to the OOA diver. And I don't disagree with that. I'm guilty of having a scenario in my head that I didn't fully express, which is that most of my diving is from boats, and so far just about all of the other divers (whom I have no previous connection with) dive the "usual" setup where they come and look for the reg if they need it. And although we drill, my usual buddy also uses that "usual" set-up, and his alternate is yellow.

And, we could even go a step further - in a real OOA the OOA diver is very likely to grab whatever is in your mouth, not worry about where the alternate is in the triangle. So, having the yellow cover on your primary is quite reasonable - as you said, it gives them an easy target.

. . . the fact that I already had one black and one yellow purge cover, I decided to keep one yellow (at least so far) and simply move it to my primary reg.

Makes perfect sense, and I fully agree. I have done the same thing you do, with a reg for which I have both a black/grey and a yellow purge cover on the two second stages - dive with the yellow cover on the primary. My point to the OP was only that he didn't need to worry about ordering a yellow hose, or a yellow purge cover, if he didn't want to.

Too, it seemed to help with DM's who were unfamiliar with my set-up.

And, that situation always 'intrigues' me. Yes, diving with a long hose primary / bungeed necklace alternate is not the most common configuration. But, I continue to be impressed that a number of (even the younger) DMs seem to be totally unfamiliar with that rig.

.The main minus, for me, is that the hose can tend to "float up" in back (behind my head) and give me a sort of "bucket bail" effect over my head. That's annoying. I don't think a 7' hose would do that, because it would be anchored on my right hip, and thus come up on a different angle (I have not tried one though).

If you route it down to the right waist strap and under something, you are right, it stays in place. Having said that, I have a buddy who went (briefly) to a 7' Miflex. Not a good idea. Way too floaty, even when routed under his reel.

.I doff my gear in the water and hand it up to the DM. For that I don't mind at all that there is not two more feet of hose. I can clip off my primary and the dangly loop is more minimal. 7' would be "more snake" in that case.

Good point, it is.

For reference, I'm 5'11" with a thin/fit body type. The 5-ft. primary hose works great for me. There's plenty of length for air-sharing in an OW recreational environment.

I am curious - with the 5' hose do you route it under you right armpit, or down to the waist strap and under something (light, reel, etc.). I am 5'11" as well, and find that the only way I can use a 5' hose comfortably is to bring it under the armpit and across the chest. Works fine, just curious what your experience has been.

[victorzamora]

I will be buying Hollis.

Hahaha, now this comment sounds TOTALLY random!! FWIW, there were like 3 other posts that made what was here sound more normal

[Blue Sparkle]

I am curious - with the 5' hose do you route it under you right armpit, or down to the waist strap and under something (light, reel, etc.). I am 5'11" as well, and find that the only way I can use a 5' hose comfortably is to bring it under the armpit and across the chest. Works fine, just curious what your experience has been.

I realize you were asking the 5'11" Bubbletrubble, but I just figured I would respond as well. I'm only 5'5" and I doubt I could even make my 5' hose get down to the waistband and then back up again. I haven't specifically tried it, but I feel reasonably sure there would just not be enough hose. I have thought about trying a 6' hose and then tucking it in the waistband, but I haven't done so yet.

Blue Sparkle

[victorzamora]

Again not directly applicable, but of the two LDS owners....one is around 6' and the other is 5'10" or so. The shorter owner dives with 10' of hose on his primary with the excess tucked away and swears by it. His opinion is that during tech dives through tight spaces he wants to be able to give his buddy his primary and have his buddy swim behind him single file far enough back to not get kicked in the face. Apparently, it doesn't bother him at all. The 6' owner went from a 5' hose to a 7' hose and loves it. He said he felt the 5' hose was just too short...and he did NOT tuck anything under his waist. My room mate/dive buddy is right at 5'11" and dives a 7' hose that I believe is tucked into something on his waist belt.

[Colliam7]

The shorter owner dives with 10' of hose on his primary with the excess tucked away and swears by it. His opinion is that during tech dives through tight spaces he wants to be able to give his buddy his primary and have his buddy swim behind him single file far enough back to not get kicked in the face.

I saw your comment earlier, that one of the LDS owners dives with a 10' hose. That is, as we would say in the south, a 'whomping gob' of hose! I don't believe I have seen anyone with a 10' hose, so I can't comment on what it looks like. I am also impressed that he swims ahead of his OOA buddy, although specific circumstances may dictate that.

[victorzamora]

I may have misunderstood....he may plan on swimming behind his OOA buddy. Remember, my TEC-experience is more like negative than zero.

[Bubbletrubble]

I am curious - with the 5' hose do you route it under you right armpit, or down to the waist strap and under something (light, reel, etc.). I am 5'11" as well, and find that the only way I can use a 5' hose comfortably is to bring it under the armpit and across the chest. Works fine, just curious what your experience has been.

@Colliam7: There must have been a misunderstanding. I never meant to imply that I route my 5' hose down to the waist strap. With my 5' hose, I route the hose under the right arm, across the chest, and counterclockwise around the neck...just like you do. The hose length is just right for that routing. I don't have any excess length to tuck away. With a 7' hose, I need to tuck it into my waist strap.

The point I was making is that someone of my height (5'11") can, indeed, use a 5' hose comfortably. In a previous post, you mentioned that a 5' hose was more commonly used by divers 5'7" and shorter.

[victorzamora]

Hey guys....the IRS says I'm getting my refund tomorrow, so I should be ordering my BP/W and Reg setup tomorrow and should have it here within a week.

Also, I've been helping the LDS all weekend. They moved into a new building and had to basically build a whole new shop. I spent over 25 hours of work between Thursday and today basically doing a little bit of everything. It's been a huge transformation and looks great. One room is still unusably messy and there's no compressor, but it's a fully stocked dive shop otherwise. Party started at 6PM, it was finished at 6:15PM, first new customer showed up at 4:15PM, first guest showed up at 6:25PM. REALLY close call...but they didn't have to ever close up shop. Anyway, they handed out gifts to the volunteers today at their Re-opening/full moon party. I got an SPG. He pulled THE brass and glass Hollis SPG I was going to order tomorrow and gifted it to me.

So, now I have extra cash to play with. I have like six options. My mask sucks, I could get a Hollis M1 or M4 to replace it. My fins are fins, but really long...and I could replace them with a pair of Hollis F1's or Hollis F2's. I could also buy my fiancee a set of Oceanic Vipers in pink (she has no fins right now). I could also just pocket the cash. Or, I could buy a whole bunch of little accessories (SMB, reel, defog, clips, line, etc). Any opinions?

PS: the fiancee will have full snorkel gear if I get her the fins, but I've already ordered her a 7mm wetsuit...so I don't want to get her too much scuba/water stuff right now (she might think I'm forcing her into it).