Primary Regulator with a Necklace?

[JeffG]

Depends, ditching gear happens on the surface to. Picture taking off a set of 104's on the tailgate of the truck, turning around to balance them and lay them down, then in the process, getting yanked over because you forgot the *#$# octo around you neck. Life threat - low. Ego threat - high.

Don't create below water problems, to solve an above water problem.

 

[in_cavediver]

Don't create below water problems, to solve an above water problem.

But here lies the rub. What is the exact below water problem for a releaseable necklaced octo? (I don't mean loose, just not so tight that you cannot remove it from the necklace).

I personally don't give the 'it might release when you don't want it to' arguement much credit. I could apply this to other items I carry such as wrist mounted gauges, stowed stage/deco regs etc. We call those secured yet they can be released. What's the difference?

 

[in_cavediver]

I'm just going to say that not all your statements apply to all types of diving. There are exceptions to most of them. If I'm diving solo, why would I not want the primary on a necklace? There's no one there to rip it anyway?

Here is a simple question. What problem is solved by necklacing the primary? Now, looking at the problem, what other solutions are there and which is the most optimal.

For the OP, the problem was loosing the primary due to fin kick etc and needing to get a functional 2nd stage quickly.

Solution A: Necklace the primary to prevent it from going to far.

Solution B: Carry the Octo on a necklace - releaseable or otherwise. Leave the primary as is. Lose the primary, simply go to the octo then find the primary using taught methods (arm sweep/follow hose/buddy etc).

Both options solve the problem. Option B does more though. By incorporating the octo, you are now protecting both 2nd's (rather than clipping off/dragging the octo). You still maintain the 'triangle' and can support both 'donate octo' and 'donate primary' methods of air share independent of hose lengths.

Which seems more optimal?

 

[Soggy]

It's also been stated that if my primary gets kicked out of my mouth, I'm going to want a reg back in my mouth as soon as possible and therefore the need for a necklace. And yet it's stated that the "Questionable Backup" is the one I need to have on the necklace. (for some, the other's diver comes first:for me, I promised wife and kids that I come first)

No, it's not a questionable backup. It is under your neck, attached to you, close to your body where it cannot be dislodged or collect gunk. You test it when you get in the water during your s-drill. If it has problems like a freeflow, it's in your face, so you'll know. There is nothing questionable about it. You know it works. That's why it is configured the way it is.

I'm just going to say that not all your statements apply to all types of diving. There are exceptions to most of them. If I'm diving solo, why would I not want the primary on a necklace? There's no one there to rip it anyway?

If you dive solo *all the time* and never in the vicinity of other divers, do whatever the heck you want to do. Most people, even solo divers, are at least *around* other divers where there is the potential for you to need to donate gas.

I always think it's funny how people try to say, "well...my diving is *different*." I used to think that way to. It's not. It's all pretty much the same and there is one gear configuration that works in pretty much every situation.

 

[Soggy]

I personally don't give the 'it might release when you don't want it to' arguement much credit. I could apply this to other items I carry such as wrist mounted gauges, stowed stage/deco regs etc. We call those secured yet they can be released. What's the difference?

Hardly. The releasable necklace can come off far easier than any other piece of gear. And, if I lose my gauge, that's not ordinarily a life threatening failure. I've got my buddy's and/or a backup.

Don't put critical life support gear in a place where you might not be able to find it.

 

[in_cavediver]

Hardly. The releasable necklace can come off far easier than any other piece of gear. And, if I lose my gauge, that's not ordinarily a life threatening failure. I've got my buddy's and/or a backup.

Don't put critical life support gear in a place where you might not be able to find it.

Actaully, I disagree. A properly set up releaseable necklace is very tight and takes considerable effort to remove. If it doesn't, then its not setup correctly. IE, the last time I dropped my tanks with the necklace on (out of the water), the kickback from the sugical tubing left a red spot on my neck. That would be difficult to miss underwater. That tells me, when I need it, I know where it is. 300 dives and its always been there.

To me, that is secure enough. Especially since I want the ability to release the octo from the necklace underwater without forcing the necklace over my head. (option in entanglement scenarios). You lose this option if you 'permanently' secure it to the necklace.

In 300 or so dives, I've released the octo once underwater because I snagged the short hose in a sunken cabin crusier in a quarry. Never had it come loose on its own.

 

[Soggy]

Like I said. You can do whatever you want. I think it's a bad idea based on my experience with it. I hope it's there the one time you really need it.

 

[RedCash02]

And what do you do if the backup is permanently bungeed to your neck and somehow you get the hose stuck in a way that you are unable to get the hose free or the reg over your head? I mean you could cut the bungee, but then you wouldn't have your backup right under your neck and it might be dangling, thus ruining your trim *gasp*.

I agree this is extremely farfetched, but people are going on and on about multiple potential "failure" points in a harness. No matter how rare that actual occurence is underwater people still avoid it like it's the plague. I don't see why this should be any different. Many people see eliminating the release points as a solution to a problem that doesn't really exist also (and the other camp sees it the exact opposite way). To each his own I guess.

Note: I'd personally go with the Hog harness any day over a "deluxe", but I'm just raising a point.

 

[MikeFerrara]

And what do you do if the backup is permanently bungeed to your neck and somehow you get the hose stuck in a way that you are unable to get the hose free or the reg over your head? I mean you could cut the bungee, but then you wouldn't have your backup right under your neck and it might be dangling, thus ruining your trim *gasp*.

It wouldn't have any effect on your trim.

 

[redacted]

I have been using a bungeed necklace with a knotted loop for about 4 years now and have never had one slip out accidentally. If I knew that I would not have some diver (buddy or otherwise) try to grab my necklaced octo, I'd have no problem with the "fail-safe" attachment. But not knowing what others might do, I like the idea of the octo pulling loose from the necklace if one pulls hard enough. And I test mine occasionally to make sure they do.