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I see it as a pretty serious entanglement hazzard, and a barrier to ditching the rig effectively. I have had to remove gear from divers on the surface and the cross connecting the spg to the opposite side makes it darn near impossible..
How impossible is it to undo a clip? Clips are pretty simple devices ... and certainly something that someone with an instructor rating should be able to figure out without difficulty.
And entanglement hazard ??? Please ... if the HP hose is long enough to reach across the chest, clipping it on the left would leave a large loop outside the plane of the diver that would not only present an even greater entanglement hazard, but would increase drag on the diver.
Threads like this always fall back on what works for one individual ... with one specific type of equipment. The reality is there is no "best" way that works for everyone. It depends on your equipment and, to a large degree, personal preferences. What works best for you will depend on a few factors ...
- How long is your HP hose? They come "standard" in varying lengths depending on the regulator you buy ... usually somewhere between 24" and 36". Shorter hoses clip nicely to the left side, but are pretty difficult for compass work if the compass is attached to the console. Longer hoses make it easier to hold a console out so you can use the compass effectively, but tend to leave bulging loops if you clip them off on the left.
- What style of BCD are you wearing? What are your available options for D-rings or other attachment points? How will using those attachment points affect your ability to access the console and reconnect it easily?
- What type of gauges are you using? Does your console contain all of them, or do you wear some on your wrist? If so, what?
Nobody can tell you what will work best for you without seeing your gear ... they can only tell you what works best for them with the gear they use.
My advice is to try a few different approaches. Try them first on land while wearing your gear ... including your mask and gloves (if you normally wear gloves) to see how well it's going to work for you. Then take it diving, where you're going to be horizontal and where the water density and movement will affect what the console does. Someone mentioned bungee ... using a bungee or surgical tubing to pull the console in close to your body may work well for you ... again, depending on available attachment points and the type of console you're using. And yes, you certainly DO want to ask yourself how easily you could disconnect the console if you needed to get out of your rig in the water ... or if someone else had to take if off of you for some reason. So avoid anything that's not obvious, or is too convoluted ... it needs to release in one motion, and be readily visible to another diver what would need to be done.
As you can see from this thread, there are tons of ideas. Which is better for you really depends on the application ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)