Deco/stage bottles on the right side???

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CAPTAIN SINBAD

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So most of my dive buddies who dive with more than one decompression bottles clip them on the left side while right side remains free so that long hose can be donated and stowed back. It makes the process of air sharing and stowing repeatable without a bottle coming in the way.

I would like to know what is your preference when it comes to clipping two bottles? Those of you who are clipping bottles on both sides, how do you deal with donating your long hose?
 
I clip all bottles to the left, no issues. This allows my long hose freedom if needed and keeps my right hand free to operate my scooter. 2 bottles on the left, anything more goes on a leash.
 
Rich right, lean left.

But I also side mount my bailouts/deco bottles, so no interference issues with the long hose.

-Chris
 
I prefer one bottle on the right and one on the left. I see no issues with the long hose as long as you make sure you haven't trapped the hose by the bottle. I put the bottle on last after the long hose has been routed. The clip I use for the bottle is in front of where the host is routed. When donating, I sweep the long hose clear from my right side including sweeping it clear of the bottle. This clearing process is all a normal part of donating the long hose. Clearing the bottle that is there isn't that big of a deal.
 
I was trained for both on the left. At first I thought it would be really awkward. It turns out it's not. I can sling either an 80 + 40 on left side or two 40s. Either way, doesn't throw off my trim.
 
it depends. If I am diving backmount with DIR staged bottles, then it's all on the left. If I am diving my backplate that has bungees on it, then lean left, right rich for deco bottles. All stage bottles go on the left regardless. If bottles are stowed, then they'll be behind me, with O2 coming up to the right side when I'm ready for it.

in sidemount I dive with stages on both sides and have not had an issue with DPV use. That said, those bottles are staged, and are tucked in a lot tighter than the standard DIR rigging that leaves bottles hanging quite loose at the neck. My long hose donation is usually not a concern for me because in an OOA situation on stages, it should take quite a while for a diver to come at you, but if he does, then you are giving him the stage reg first and going to your secondary. That bottle is then given to the OOA diver and you head on your merry way. If you are on the left stage, you then switch to the right and that one gets donated if another OOA shows up.
By the time you get to the point that you are donating the long hose, you don't have anything left as stage bottles since it is always primary donate.
I put my O2 bottle on the right if I can help it. If I can't leave it there during the dive, i.e. not staging it, then it stays on the left in backmount. In sidemount it doesn't matter so stays on the right since the long hose is snaked in the bungee on the tank itself vs. looped around my body.

of note, I dive Jetstreams which are non-directional. If diving with "normal" regulators, then there are pros and cons. I know a few guys that use lefty regs on their O2 bottles for added differentiation in zero vis. If running on the right, it loops around the same as any other bottle just as a mirror image. If on the left then they just don't loop around your neck. I'm not a huge fan of that personally, but to each his own
 
My long hose donation is usually not a concern for me because in an OOA situation on stages, it should take quite a while for a diver to come at you, but if he does, then you are giving him the stage reg first and going to your secondary. That bottle is then given to the OOA diver and you head on your merry way. If you are on the left stage, you then switch to the right and that one gets donated if another OOA shows up.
By the time you get to the point that you are donating the long hose, you don't have anything left as stage bottles since it is always primary donate.

But I am talking about donating while you and your buddy are both on back gas and too deep to breath enriched deco gas. You will have two tanks hanging on both sides so are you not concerned that donating long hose may be a problem?
 
But I am talking about donating while you and your buddy are both on back gas and too deep to breath enriched deco gas. You will have two tanks hanging on both sides so are you not concerned that donating long hose may be a problem?

that reference was for in a cave.
If I am in sidemount I am not concerned because the deco regulators are stowed prior to use and the long hose is free to deploy regardless of what is on your right side as far as bottles are concerned.
If I have to keep an O2 bottle and am diving backmount, then it is bottles on the left or behind me depending on what they are.
 
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