Regulator Necklace/ Gear set up for a new diver

[roll_tide_daniel]

Hi all, I am a very new/ inexperienced diver who owns my own gear. Currently I am diving with a standard BCD & Octopus set up. I (based entirely only on photos/ reading) am entertaining the idea of putting my primary stage on a necklace. The perceived benefit being that it makes the 2nd stage more easily recoverable if it were to be somehow lost during a dive, as well as holding an octo in my mouth if, God forbid, I were to somehow lose consciousness. I have done several shore dives, and am now aware of how difficult it can be to recover a primary in the surf if the breakers knock your reg free... I'd like to make that as simple as possible.

I have loved having a resource like this to be able to get the opinions of more experienced and better divers! I have learned so much from reading the A & I forum here and hope to continue to improve on my skills. Can't wait to do more dives and further my scuba knowledge! Thanks in advance for all of your help!

 

[undrwater]

Not sure there was a question in there, but be sure you recognize that the necklace changes the donation process. You'll be donating your primary now. Practice that.

I love the bungeed necklace for shore dives.

 

[Bob DBF]

I wear my backup on a necklace, and a longer hose on my primary routed under my right arm. I have tried a necklaced primary recently and did not care for it, as my backup was not as convent. In my early years on scuba the primary came with a necklace and there was no backup.

Basically it depends on what you are comfortable with using, don't overlook that it may make using your backup less convent. Try out different configurations and pick the one you like.



Bob

 

[roll_tide_daniel]

Sorry for the vagueness... I'm as new to actually posting on message boards as I am at diving. My question is: Is there a downside to wearing a primary on a necklace in a standard (rec) BCD with (rec) octopus? I won't be using a long hose/ short hose setup, just basic 30-ish inch hoses on both the primary and regulator.

 

[TSandM]

If you are going to donate the primary, you need at least an octo-length hose on it, or you will be truly eye-to-eye with anyone to whom you have donated. On the other hand, you don't want such a long hose on your backup reg, because you want it to sit comfortably beneath your chin, without a huge loop of hose out beside or behind you. Switching the primary and octo hose on a standard setup will work, although a 40" hose on the primary reg is better (but if you want to route it under your arm, to minimize looping and entanglement issues, you will need a 90 degree adapter to make it sit effortlessly in your mouth).

 

[undrwater]

I'd really recommend the routing TS&M just mentioned (assuming you're not headed the 7' route). Much more comfortable.

 

[simonru]

If people have an ooa situation they will probably grab the one they know is working. Is the one in your mouth (why a friend of mine lost some teeth). So upside is you can dip your head and get your octo immediately. Down side... Can't think of one. But I use a fairly standard set up... Just clip my quick release octo. Or travel I have an air2

 

[lemke]

Sage advice from the above 3 posts.

 

[Bob DBF]

Sorry for the vagueness... I'm as new to actually posting on message boards as I am at diving. My question is: Is there a downside to wearing a primary on a necklace in a standard (rec) BCD with (rec) octopus? I won't be using a long hose/ short hose setup, just basic 30-ish inch hoses on both the primary and regulator.

The downside is that should an OOA diver try to take that reg, it will take longer for them to get it and longer for you to get to your backup. I feel it would make a bad situation worse. Also, both rec and tech divers will not expect this configuration in an emergency situation.

Without the use of long hose/ short hose, the utility of the necklaced reg diminishes as standard OW procedures adequately cover the loss of a reg and air sharing. If you are looking into this because you are not comfortable with loosing a reg, then start drilling until loosing a reg is no big deal. As a new OW diver, being proficient at your basic skills will help you more than any piece of gear you can buy, or it's configuration.

I mentioned before, that back in the '60's and '70's some regs came with a necklace. Most divers would not use them because it would slow down the time it took to start buddy breathing (no backup reg) and everyone already was proficient on recovery of a dropped reg. The built in necklace was discontinued as the backup second stage became prevalent. The necklace was kept in cave country for a specific function on the backup reg.


Note necklace snapped to mouthpiece and wrapped around hose.
Unfortunately I don't have a pic of the Dacor single hose around at this time.



Bob
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That's my point, people, by and large, are not taught that diving can be deadly, they are taught how safe it is, and they are not equipped with the skills, taught and trained to the level required to be useful in an emergency.

 

[roll_tide_daniel]

Thanks so much for all the help here guys! The more time I spend on here the more I realize I have to learn. It's so cool to have the advice of 10's of thousands of dives so easily! As the cooler weather approaches I'll be spending more time/ money on streamlining my current gear setup. It's hard to spend money on gear during the summer when I could use that $ to do some more dives... Looks like I'll be investing in a longer hose, as swivel and a necklace.

---------- Post added August 5th, 2014 at 11:06 AM ----------

I also plan on doing a LOT of drilling to make dives more safe. I'd love to have enough dives under my belt that next year I can feel comfortable to do a rescue course. I feel like that skill set is the one that could have the biggest impact on making my dives (and my dive buddies) as safe as they can be.