Long hose for a new diver

[matt_w]

Just curious why you route your hoses this way. Most are going off the right post under a pocket or canister on the right hip, across the chest over the left shoulder and around the head. (Like the picture in the post above). There is nothing wrong with your way, presuming (as with any routing) nothing interferes with deploying the long hose.

I'm personally a big fan of the long hose primary. With a single tank config, my primary is on a 5' hose. My secondary is on a shorter hose, though I cannot tell you the length.

I route my long hose under my left arm, across my chest, around the back of my head, over my right shoulder to my mouth. My secondary is on a bungee and comes over my right shoulder. You just need to take a moment before you dive and make sure you haven't crossed your hoses in case you really do need to donate them.

 

[Slonda828]

Dan,

I use my knife to stow my long hose. I have received training from NAUI on how to use the NTEC, and I have passed an intro to tech course. Thanks for passing these tips on to those who have not seen them though

 

[Buoyant1]

A few posts ago I covered my recomendation for a recreational diver--that instead of a canister light, he use a pocket to route the hose under, or a knife scabard...I imagine these items do not fall into the "money to burn category" for you. To use a long hose, you really do want to route it down and under at the right side of the waist, so something needs to be there. it would be nice if this something was useful to you


Here I would not agree....I have seen far too many divers have trouble trying to "unstow" their octo. The 7 foot long hose primary routed down the right, and then around and up to your mouth, is taught to the body, very comfortable, and instantly releases should donation need to occur.
See DIR Part 2 or

2. A better way exists to assist another diver, one that is not yet implemented by most training agencies. This is the concept of the "Long Hose". It should be your primary regulator, and it wraps once around your neck----it allows a rapid straight up and out deployment to an Out of Air Diver. At 4 to 7 feet long for open water use, it provides you with a good safety margin for reaching the other diver if they are in a small confined space, and once in the open, your control and swimming are not hampered by constantly bumping in to the other diver who is pulled to close by a short hose. You instantly switch to a short hose which hangs right under your chin, held by surgical tubing. In the buddy breathing scenario, the diver who is OOA, may typically be in great panic, unable to breath for much longer than they can stay calm---as tunnel vision closes in on them, you DO NOT want to chance fate by handing them a seco ndary that may not be working, or that is not purged, or that may take you an extra 4 seconds to deploy, and hand to them----this type of delay will have them reaching for the regulator in your mouth anyway. The long hose will place a reg in their mouth immediately, and they have room to become comfortable----they don't feel the hose may rip the regulator out of their mouth at any moment, by a sudden body motion that tightens up the short hose too much. And they will feel comfortably supported by a functional breathing system. They will be far more likely to calm down, and assist in the swim to the surface.

I've been using a pocket quite successfully to route my hose under with no problems at all. It un-stows easily, and stays put until I need it. (we don't need no stinking $500.00 light!)(ok, maybe I WANT one, but I'd be divorced in a flash..."you paid $500.00 for a freaking FLASHLIGHT!")

re: the original post...

I'm not certain, that you'd find a "basic" agency that would promote this practice right off the bat (not saying that there aren't people in that situation that ARE hip to this practice, or willing to teach it from a basic level, but I don't see the average "PADI-Pro" going for this.) But the practice does make sense from a safety standpoint, and it's not hard to apprise someone of your configuration if confronted with a new buddy or insta-buddy. I did some dives last November with a young lady who never saw that type of configuration, but said "wow, that's kind of logical"

 

[Slonda828]

I'm not certain, that you'd find a "basic" agency that would promote this practice right off the bat (not saying that there aren't people in that situation that ARE hip to this practice, or willing to teach it from a basic level, but I don't see the average "PADI-Pro" going for this.) But the practice does make sense from a safety standpoint, and it's not hard to apprise someone of your configuration if confronted with a new buddy or insta-buddy. I did some dives last November with a young lady who never saw that type of configuration, but said "wow, that's kind of logical"

A very logical reply. I think everyone should dive however they feel safe. My only issue comes when people get browbeat on here with the whole "Buy a long hose, it is the only way to dive" rhetoric. That type of stuff is why there are people running around kitted up like Richie Kohler who don't even know what a lift bag does. It also feeds into the dreaded "the backplate and wing is the only BC you should buy" and "split fins will kill you" debate that goes on ad infinitum on here. The fact is that the vast majority of divers dive in...well whatever they have managed to acquire. They do just fine. We need to remind the new diver of that fact. People get themselves into a tizzy over this stuff man.

 

[Gombessa]

My only issue comes when people get browbeat on here with the whole "Buy a long hose, it is the only way to dive" rhetoric.

I just don't see that here. Maybe I'm biased, but the OP was about the details of a long hose config that was already decided on. At least as much browbeating seems to have come from the "Gahh! You don't need a long hose! Don't listen to people who say you do!!" posters.

A lot of us are long-hose advocates, and try to explain the various advantages (and disadvantages) for new divers, without ever saying "it's the only way to do things, you'll die otherwise!!!" Those words tend to get put in our mouths by the anti-longhose crowd. I'm just saying the zealotry seems to go both ways, and it would be beneficial for everyone on either "side" to acknowledge that.

 

[Slonda828]

I just don't see that here. Maybe I'm biased, but the OP was about the details of a long hose config that was already decided on. At least as much browbeating seems to have come from the "Gahh! You don't need a long hose! Don't listen to people who say you do!!" posters.

A lot of us are long-hose advocates, and try to explain the various advantages (and disadvantages) for new divers, without ever saying "it's the only way to do things, you'll die otherwise!!!" Those words tend to get put in our mouths by the anti-longhose crowd. I'm just saying the zealotry seems to go both ways, and it would be beneficial for everyone on either "side" to acknowledge that.

The thing is, I am part of both crowds (if there are in fact crowds). I dive the long hose when the mission dictates, and I dive the normal setup when required. I really think that's how we should tell people to equip themselves, that is to say for the dive you are doing. There is not one "perfect setup" for diving.

 

[Gombessa]

The thing is, I am part of both crowds...There is not one "perfect setup" for diving.

Well, I dive the long hose exclusively whenever I can. And I completely agree that there is not one perfect setup. I think any reasonable person would agree with that. It's just that I don't see any long hose mafia making that alleged claim.

 

[danvolker]

The thing is, I am part of both crowds (if there are in fact crowds). I dive the long hose when the mission dictates, and I dive the normal setup when required. I really think that's how we should tell people to equip themselves, that is to say for the dive you are doing. There is not one "perfect setup" for diving.

If this works well for you, I am not going to be preachy---assuming you have lots of experience, diving recreationally is almost as easy as watching TV.

Brand new divers do not have the reflexes yet though, and this post is about trying to help them create the safest habits posible quickly, and what gear config will assist with this. I was not trying to shout down someone who was beginning with a standard gear set up ( BC and standard hoses)...


When we started discussing DIR diving back in the late 90's, a big part of the emphasis was on getting people to dive the same basic setup, whether they were going out recreationally or for Cave or Deep Ocean.....And same basic setup for recreational means single tank, but still backplate and wings, long hose and necklace reg....it was a familiarity issue---to be as good as possible in an emergency situation, the sheer repitition of using the same basic set up every time we dive is advantageous for getting perfect reflexes for any gear issue or skill you need to perform. For these reasons, I myself do not tell people that they should dive multiple gear configs. My own setup with single tank and DIR config, has been optimal at 100% of the places I have dived--and I have done Kelp dives off Catalina, high current dives in S Florida and Fiji, wreck dives in deep ocean and in lakes, beach dives..the list goes on and on, with no situation where I can imagine a better setup....in other words, I can't figure out why this is not the perfect setup for me to do any recreational dive with----and it keeps me tuned up for tech or cave if I decide I want the extra effort it takes to do these dives....

Regasrds,
Dan V

 

[iztok]

OK, I have BC (5 Oceans to be precise) that I can't attach a pocket to its belt where I could route hose. What are my options? Thoughts?

 

[rongoodman]

A 5' hose might fit you without having any extra that needs to be tucked away. Everything else would be the same.