Do you use reg. necklace for your primary?

[SelkieDVM]

I am a recreational diver with a short hose primary and a 40" octo hose. For a while I was wearing the octo on a Manta necklace because (I told myself) it seemed like it was a good idea to have it "right there" if someone grabbed my primary. I then realized a couple of things. One, it was uncomfortable to breath off of it while still on the necklace because it took up so much of the mouthpiece and was secure not in my mouth. Second, it was a PITA to demonstration donation with it because it required a little more yank to remove it from the necklace and it was more difficult to stow it again as opposed to a regular keeper. So I went back to attaching it to the right shoulder D-ring. The necklace was basically just another keeper and the octo is only a few inches further away on the D ring. The other thing I realized was that the fact that I thought it looked cool was not really good justification to have it on the necklace if I was going to remove it from the necklace to use it anyway.

 

[digital_steve]

that'd be why most people that bungee/necklace a backup reg wear a long hose... apart from being sensible it's also less faffing about pulling things out of necklaces

 

[imasinker]

I don't dive a long hose but I can see some good reasons for it.

Giving an "working" reg to an OOA diver should NEVER, EVER, be one of those reasons.

That's why we do proper maintenance and complete equipment checks before getting in the water. If I'm not 100% certain all gear is working proper I don't get in the water.

Point well said.... I was taught to hand off the alternate as per padi trainning. The only reason I was told to hand off my primary was if i had a alternate octo inflator combo. I do understand that some 7 foot hoses are used by those cave or tech divers who may need to have someone using an octo follow behind. I was never taugh or reference ever been giving that an OOA diver should get my primary so as to be sure they recieve a working one. Thats totally silly. Both your primary and octo should be working or you shouldn't dive. You may have the senario where you need to buddy breath, but that could be for many different reasons as well. All I know is I was trained and taugh through Padi to give the octo to an OOA diver and the location is the triangle from your chin to your left and right lower ribs. It is also taugh that in your PRE dive check that you and your buddy note where each others octo is and even test it out before you enter the water. There should be no guessing what reg your allowing an OOA diver. If you get into a situation where a diver other than your buddy ( stranger) hand off the Octo. So in my opinion there is really no reason why one can't wear a silcone necklace on your primary that's easily removed if they want to. I am holding one in my hand in my profile pic and you can see my bright yellow Octo on my right upper BCD clip ring.