Hmmm... this is worrying. May you care to list the technical reasons to support your statement or the proven/identified flaws?
First OW class, lots of gear questions!
- Thread starter Aloha Joe
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Hmmm... this is worrying. May you care to list the technical reasons to support your statement or the proven/identified flaws?
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@Aloha Joe correct. Unsure which first stage you have an how you have it set up, but swap the primary and secondary, and have the primary hose closest to your head for now. It's not as streamlined as it could be, but it's the best way to set that up.
That inflator nipple should be universal, very strange that it isn't working with either the LPI on your reg set or the one on the rental set. See if your inflator hose works on a normal bcd that's non-scubapro. If it does, then it's the nipple, if it's not, then it's hose and you need to get a new one.
@npole by not having the hose behind your head, if in a true sidemount restriction the hose can get caught on the bottom and pull the regulator out of your mouth and/or off of your necklace. It has happened before
That inflator nipple should be universal, very strange that it isn't working with either the LPI on your reg set or the one on the rental set. See if your inflator hose works on a normal bcd that's non-scubapro. If it does, then it's the nipple, if it's not, then it's hose and you need to get a new one.
@npole by not having the hose behind your head, if in a true sidemount restriction the hose can get caught on the bottom and pull the regulator out of your mouth and/or off of your necklace. It has happened before
Pfff.. for a moment I believed you found an issue with the actual second stage mechanics.. tnx for having clarified. Not having the hose behind your neck is not an issue here: in a sidemount you have the first around your neck and the second straight to your mouth via necklace. I consider it an advantage in many applications: side mount, pony tanks, deco bottles, for redundancy... it's a great innovation!
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mcohen1021
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Fins: You’ll just have to try different find until you find a pair you like. They won’t kick for themselves
Power inflator - I either stand up straight and use the pull valve or I go head 1st and use the dump at the base of the bc. I never put the hose over my head, that’s very “80’s”
Alternate air source: get rid of your snorkel. Buy a collapsible one if you feel like having one and stick it in a bc pocket.
Reg hoses: Check that the bc is positioned properly on the tank (high/low, left/right of center of tank valve)
Power inflator - I either stand up straight and use the pull valve or I go head 1st and use the dump at the base of the bc. I never put the hose over my head, that’s very “80’s”
Alternate air source: get rid of your snorkel. Buy a collapsible one if you feel like having one and stick it in a bc pocket.
Reg hoses: Check that the bc is positioned properly on the tank (high/low, left/right of center of tank valve)
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Pfff.. for a moment I believed you found an issue with the actual second stage mechanics.. tnx for having clarified. Not having the hose behind your neck is not an issue here: in a sidemount you have the first around your neck and the second straight to your mouth via necklace. I consider it an advantage in many applications: side mount, pony tanks, deco bottles, for redundancy... it's a great innovation!
I wouldn't say it's an innovation since Poseidon did it almost 30 years ago, but we will have to agree to disagree on whether it is a nonissue for true sidemount cave diving. I can see where it's beneficial for deco bottles, but that's about it
All fine, scuba is (also) about innovation and experimenting, or we'll all using iron suits.
I'm actually using it to form my own opinion without prejudice, and I believe it's awesome! I was only worried there could have been some technical issues with it, but it was only about personal opinions with no field testing, so it's all good.
I'm actually using it to form my own opinion without prejudice, and I believe it's awesome! I was only worried there could have been some technical issues with it, but it was only about personal opinions with no field testing, so it's all good.
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All fine, scuba is (also) about innovation and experimenting, or we'll all using iron suits.
I'm actually using it to form my own opinion without prejudice, and I believe it's awesome! I was only worried there could have been some technical issues with it, but it was only about personal opinions with no field testing, so it's all good.
my comment stems from using regulators going straight up to the mouth using elbows to give the same functional benefit of the loop. If someone from Mares wants to send me one so I can try it, fine, but won't be spending $150 on something that we have essentially tried, disproven, and went away from. Trust me, we would all rather not have hoses crossing behind our head, that is until it gets ripped out of your mouth for the first time and you learn the hard way, at least on primary/stage bottles.
If you are not a cave diver, and don't intend on going in true sidemount only passages, and don't do high speed DPV, I don't suspect you will ever find an issue. As I high speed dpv, in a cave, to get me to true sidemount only passages, it is a safety concern from my based on experience with similar designs and not something I will spend $150 on to find out still doesn't work for me
Can point me where someone tried the Mares Loop, disproven, and went away from it? Excuse me if I may sound rough, but I like facts not beliefs, this is not religion. So far it's me that I own both systems, and you that you only own one, how you could compare?
It looks like you're mixing the hose exit with the hose arrangement (you can have the hose perfectly fitted to your body with a under arm routing). By definition a symmetric solution is better in certain circumstances, because you're not forced to route the hose on a side, you can decide the position, and this is extremely good for redundancy without using a joint that will add an additional weak point. I respect your believes and your opinion, in the end we all use what we think it will be better for our setup, but that's not a reason to consider something "bad" only because you don't like it, without no real evidences or arguments.
PS: i find odd that we're discussing all this in a OW initiation thread... but OK.
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@npole ask @Lake Hickory Scuba or another Mares dealer if they have a loop they will let us demo. We will take it into a sidemount cave and video it getting caught on a rock on the bottom and pulled out of your mouth and/or out of a necklace.
Has the Loop specifically been used in a sidemount cave passage? I doubt it. How do we mimic it? Put a 90* elbow or ball swivel on any regulator and the hose routing is basically the same.
Don't believe me, call Edd Sorenson and ask him if it is something he would take into those kinds of passages which he dives several times a week.
Perfectly fitted to your body or not, it doesn't matter when you are scraping against the bottom of the cave and it grabs on things like inflator hoses, chest straps, and anything else on your chest. If the reg is behind your neck, it pulls, but won't/can't pull it out of your mouth. Again, I see benefits in something like this for deco bottles, but I can guarantee you that it won't work in true sidemount cave diving.
Do you/have you done that kind of diving before? What are you basing your opinions on that it performs better than a normal regulator?
Has the Loop specifically been used in a sidemount cave passage? I doubt it. How do we mimic it? Put a 90* elbow or ball swivel on any regulator and the hose routing is basically the same.
Don't believe me, call Edd Sorenson and ask him if it is something he would take into those kinds of passages which he dives several times a week.
Perfectly fitted to your body or not, it doesn't matter when you are scraping against the bottom of the cave and it grabs on things like inflator hoses, chest straps, and anything else on your chest. If the reg is behind your neck, it pulls, but won't/can't pull it out of your mouth. Again, I see benefits in something like this for deco bottles, but I can guarantee you that it won't work in true sidemount cave diving.
Do you/have you done that kind of diving before? What are you basing your opinions on that it performs better than a normal regulator?
Are you wearing your snorkel on the right side of your mask? If so, switch it to the other side.
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