A 7' hose question when diving doubles
- Thread starter rcercel
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cool_hardware52
Contributor
Necessary? No you can dive dubs with any length of hose that gets the 2nd stage into your mouth.
Good Idea? Probably not. I'd recommend you spend some time with divers who actually dive doubles routinely, or buy a couple hours of time from a Tech Instructor.
There's more to doubles than just a greater volume of gas......
Tobin
A long hose is not necessary with doubles. However, I believe it is a good idea and even use a 7' hose when Im diving a single tank. The advantage is that in the event of an other diver needing your gas they can breath from the more comfortable 7' hose. It is also about the configuration. With a 7' hose you donate the 2nd stage you breath from, this makes it faster to donate (as you dont have to fiddle around finding it). It also means that your alternative 2nd stage is right there so you dont have to fiddle around for that one.
I imagine todays doubles or tank sizes would be like diving with a VW on your back. I dove twin 50's years ago and it wasn't quite as intimidating. A 7 ft hose would only be something a cave of possibly a wreck diver would benefit from. I used a long hose for hunting bugs again some years back where you could drop your tank and crawl back into an overhang.
Is it "necessary"? Probably not.
But if you had to share gas on an ascent from 200 feet, where it's going to take you a LONG time to get to your gas switch, wouldn't you rather be able to do it comfortably, floating independently and facing one another, than hooked together and jostling one another the whole way?
But if you had to share gas on an ascent from 200 feet, where it's going to take you a LONG time to get to your gas switch, wouldn't you rather be able to do it comfortably, floating independently and facing one another, than hooked together and jostling one another the whole way?
I sure hope the OP doesnt take doubles down to 200 feet with no training....
I assume no technical dive training b/c a trained tec diver would not ask the question in the first place.
My .02... you wanna dive deeper and longer? Dive more for experience, and more importantly get the training required to make the dives.
I assume no technical dive training b/c a trained tec diver would not ask the question in the first place.
My .02... you wanna dive deeper and longer? Dive more for experience, and more importantly get the training required to make the dives.
If you are not diving restrictions or overhead environment, a 7' hose is only a matter of convenience, not of safety.
The purpose of the 7' hose was because in cave or wreck, some restrictions wouldn't allow two divers side by side to pass through. With a 7' hose, you can pass through the restriction single file.
With that said. I always dive a 7' Hose, singles or doubles. It's just simple and easy, and no reason not to do it, as far as I can tell.
The purpose of the 7' hose was because in cave or wreck, some restrictions wouldn't allow two divers side by side to pass through. With a 7' hose, you can pass through the restriction single file.
With that said. I always dive a 7' Hose, singles or doubles. It's just simple and easy, and no reason not to do it, as far as I can tell.
Doubles are a different animal and some time mentoring with divers using doubles or an Intro to Tech class might help.
kanonfodr
Contributor
I have a question: What single tanks are you currently using, and if they aren't HP130s or cave-filled LP121s or some other rather large tank, why go to doubles? That's a lot of complexity, change, and burden (on land or boat) for a few extra minutes of bottom time.
Also, all but the extremely minute of doubles can get you into serious deco on just about any recreational dive. For a 100-foot wreck dive using 32% I am bored and cold before I hit my NDL, and using my AL80 doubles I have over half of my backgas left when it comes time to ascend.
Even if you are doing shallow reef dives (20-40 ft) an HP120 or 130 will give even the hungriest of divers plenty of time to enjoy things, without the learning curve of a set of doubles. And don't forget, unless you are finding on screaming deal on a set of dubs, buying two new single tanks will be much cheaper than than buying a new set of doubles.
Peace,
Greg
Also, all but the extremely minute of doubles can get you into serious deco on just about any recreational dive. For a 100-foot wreck dive using 32% I am bored and cold before I hit my NDL, and using my AL80 doubles I have over half of my backgas left when it comes time to ascend.
Even if you are doing shallow reef dives (20-40 ft) an HP120 or 130 will give even the hungriest of divers plenty of time to enjoy things, without the learning curve of a set of doubles. And don't forget, unless you are finding on screaming deal on a set of dubs, buying two new single tanks will be much cheaper than than buying a new set of doubles.
Peace,
Greg
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