Limited mobility - Ok to route SPG over left shoulder?

[Neilwood]

I would avoid routing any hoses across the body mainly for ease but also for safety (just in case you need to doff equipment for any reason) but so long as you know where it is I don't see a problem

 

[rhwestfall]

always down, under arm, and up to left chest ring. I have a "sidecar" ring on that side so I can hang bottles as well as the spg independently....

 

[Colliam7]

The two options I am considering are over the left shoulder with a 22" hose or under the left arm to the right or left chest d ring with a 30"+- hp hose. I believe both routes will make monitoring my SPG easier on my shoulder. . . . everything seems to make sense when I route over the left. The SPG hangs just below my inflator and as far as I can tell does not interfere with inflator use. Ok to route this way or am I missing something?.

As others have said, you can route it according to your preference. Crossing the body (cross-clipping) is even OK, if you remember that (as Neilwood points out) you might need to unclip it in the event of a need to ditch / remove your scuba unit. I have one rig, with a 3-gauge console (and I probably need to add an Air2, per dumpster diver) that I cross clip from the left side across my chest to a right side D-ring, with a retractor, so that all I have to do to read the SPG is pull it out away from my body. (Clearly, I am living on borrowed time.)

For a number of years, I have run my (brass and glass) SPG / HP hose under my left arm and clipped it off to the left chest D-ring, and that works well. All I have to do is look down to read my SPG. That does occupy space on that D-ring, but it isn't a problem. I have never thought about running it over the shoulder, but that may be worth considering / trying, as I am going to have cuff repair surgery in a month, and will have the same relative immobility you mention, for a few months after that.

 

[tbone1004]

I know a cave and technical diving instructor who runs his spg over his left shoulder and then connects it to the inflator hose for his dry suit on his chest. If he wants to know his remaining gas supply, he just glances down at it.

Stole that idea from Jim many years ago. absolutely love it. Much better with slimline gauges due to weight, but I run it right down with my inflator hose.

 

[Akimbo]

I know a cave and technical diving instructor who runs his spg over his left shoulder and then connects it to the inflator hose for his dry suit on his chest. If he wants to know his remaining gas supply, he just glances down at it.

I saw one guy run the hose down his left arm and strap it on like a depth gauge. I tried it a few times but couldn't get it dialed-in to feel right. He was about a foot taller than me. It might work better today with some of the really thin HP hoses available.

 

[Yellowdog]

Intuitively I prefer the idea of being able to ditch my gear without having to unclip or manipulate my SPG and the hp hose. If I clip it under left arm to the right side chest d ring or strapped to my arm, it would require an extra removal step. If I route it over or under left side to the left chest d ring, I should be able to slide out of my bp/w without an extra step. Over the left shoulder seems like the most streamlined. I just need to decide if I want it attached to my inflator hose or separate clipped to the left chest d ring. I think a bit of trial and error will make it clear.

 

[Steve_C]

On my BCD on the left side past the top cross body clip there is about 6 inches that ends in a small plastic ring. I run my SPG to that after running under the left arm. It keeps it close to the body but if I want to look at it for air supply, or to use the built in compass, I can easily do that without unhooking anything. Also when I sling a small pony on the left there is enough play to route the spg on the outside of the pony.

I have two bad rotator cuffs so appreciate the desire to go easy on them.

 

[djtimmy77]

I run a brass spg over my shoulder and clipped to the D ring mainly out of laziness. Can read the SPG without unclipping it

 

[scubadada]

For a number of years, I have run my (brass and glass) SPG / HP hose under my left arm and clipped it off to the left chest D-ring, and that works well. All I have to do is look down to read my SPG. That does occupy space on that D-ring, but it isn't a problem. I have never thought about running it over the shoulder, but that may be worth considering / trying, as I am going to have cuff repair surgery in a month, and will have the same relative immobility you mention, for a few months after that.

I run a small backup SPG under my left arm and hook it to my left chest D-ring. I can see it my just glancing down as I position it facing up. This configuration works very well for me.

 

[James R]

I will sometimes unclip from my left hip d-ring and clip to my left chest d-ring so I can just glance down and see it easily. It's really just as easy as having a transmitter (which I no longer have).

I have seen a couple people run it over the shoulder without issue, but I have also seen one of them have it interfere with raising the inflator to vent air to start a dive -- basically it got tangled somehow and he had to unclip it, untangle, then it was fine again. Probably a rare issue, but keep it in mind if you go that route.