Bungee for bkup without the long hose?

[scubadobadoo]

I really like to idea of a bungee for my backup reg but I haven't decided yet to start using the long hose. It makes sense but I'm just not ready to commit to the gear and training change at this point. Does anyone use the bungee necklace without using the long hose? I understand the idea is to have a longer hose to make air sharing easier and more comfortable, particularly in tight spaces. Also, I guess I woud have to change my bkup reg as well huh? As well as the hose length of the primary huh? I use a scubapro s600/mk25 and the 290 as the octo. I would like to bungee my bkup reg and donate my primary. Any thoughts? Again, I understand the theory behind doing it with a long hose and two similiar regs but am just wondering if anyone combines theories or does one generally just end up going all out with the changes once to process begins? Understand? Thanks for your time!

[ppo2_diver]

I keep my backup bungeed, with my primary on a normal hose, when I'm teaching classes in the pool. When I teach in the open water, I switch to my long hose regulator. One of the ways we teach OOA skills is to donate the primary and breathe from your own backup. We do this because our rental BCDs have the Air Source inflators (which would be the backup). There really isn't any "long hose" training, it's pretty simple to learn.

[jonnythan]

If your backup is bungeed and you're donating your primary, the regular length primary hose won't be long enough.. you could put the octo hose on your primary regulator, then the shorter primary hose on your bungeed backup.

Whatever you do, be sure you practice it in the water!

[JeffG]

I really like to idea of a bungee for my backup reg but I haven't decided yet to start using the long hose. It makes sense but I'm just not ready to commit to the gear and training change at this point. Does anyone use the bungee necklace without using the long hose? I understand the idea is to have a longer hose to make air sharing easier and more comfortable, particularly in tight spaces. Also, I guess I woud have to change my bkup reg as well huh? As well as the hose length of the primary huh? I use a scubapro s600/mk25 and the 290 as the octo. I would like to bungee my bkup reg and donate my primary. Any thoughts? Again, I understand the theory behind doing it with a long hose and two similiar regs but am just wondering if anyone combines theories or does one generally just end up going all out with the changes once to process begins? Understand? Thanks for your time!

If you don't use a long hose (min 40") do NOT bungie a backup.....

Do not use an Octo hose for a primary...its too short to run under your arm...and creates too big of a hoop if its over your shoulder.


(Too bad Nova's not here to see this....its exactly what he was talking about)

[scubadobadoo]

I just forgot that my octo is bright yellow indicating to most ow divers that it is the "emergency" reg. If I keep that bungeed around my neck aren't I jusk asking for someone (perhaps a diver I am not buddied up with) to rip at this possibly strangling me in the process with the bungee? Can you change the face plate on a reg? Thanks again for the answers and thoughts.

[theskull]

. . . Whatever you do, be sure you practice it in the water!

The best single piece of advice!

---------------------------

For open water the regular length hose is fine. I like Jonny's suggestion of swapping the hoses so the longer one is on your primary better. Even better would be to buy the long hose for your primary--you can go with a 5', don't NEED a 7' hose. You will find the long hose much more comfortable for your own self. It comes into your mouth at a better angle and if you should lose it the reg recovery is so simple--you just grab the hose laying on the back of your neck and follow it out to the reg.

theskull

[JimC]

You can buy a new faceplate for the reg easily.

Get a longer hose, even a 40" with a swivel if you must. A 22-26" primary is NOT adequate for much of anything in the way of an air share.

[Uncle Pug]

Someone sneak up and grab the reg under your chin because it has a yellow face plate? Not likely.

But if you are worried about it use the yellow face plate reg as your primary and bungee the other one.

Which will no doubt bring up an objection in your mind, "But my octo is an inferior reg... why would I want to use that as my primary?"

Which brings up a couple of questions in my mind, "Why would you want to hand an inferior reg to an OOA?" and "Why isn't your backup/octo the same reg as your primary?"

Which (last question) would probably be answered, "Because that is what they sold me at the LDS."

Which would also answer the first question.

[scubadobadoo]

I have to admit that when my wife and I practice air sharing drills (not OOA) I hate that we feel attached at the head due to the short hose length on our primaries. It's hard enough for us to do this and we dive together all the time. I couldn't imagine having to deal with a frantic diver underwater and trying to give him/her my short primary. I may have just answered my question for me. It seems it is either the old octo way or the long hose way and combining the two will always end in a compromise or weak point...hhmmm...just thinking out loud...

[Rick Inman]

I really like to idea of a bungee for my backup reg but I haven't decided yet to start using the long hose. It makes sense but I'm just not ready to commit to the gear and training change at this point. Does anyone use the bungee necklace without using the long hose? I understand the idea is to have a longer hose to make air sharing easier and more comfortable, particularly in tight spaces. Also, I guess I woud have to change my bkup reg as well huh? As well as the hose length of the primary huh? I use a scubapro s600/mk25 and the 290 as the octo. I would like to bungee my bkup reg and donate my primary. Any thoughts? Again, I understand the theory behind doing it with a long hose and two similiar regs but am just wondering if anyone combines theories or does one generally just end up going all out with the changes once to process begins? Understand? Thanks for your time!

I went through this, and let me advise you to save yourself the trouble and just go to the long hose. Trust me, you are on your way, I can smell the kool-aid on your breath. Either swallow or spit it out. Ebay some stuff, log onto 5th D and get it over with. Then find a mentor and dive the thing a couple 'of times - done. Once you've made a post like this, it's only a matter of time anyway...