down4fun:
:06: I have a dumb question so play nice with the new kid here.
How long is a long hose? :blush: And why would you use it for recreational diving? What are the benefits?
For penetration diving, the long hose should be long enough to allow you and your buddy to exit single file. The actual length will be determined in part by the need to be able to route and stow the hose neatly, for most divers this means behind the back, under the cannister, across the chest, around the neck and to the mouth. Typically, this hose ends up being about 7', but some divers may need as much as 8' to route this without pulling their heads.
For more conventional open water diving, the long hose should be long enough to allow you and your buddy to swim comfortably side-by-side. The actual length will again be determined in part by the need to be able to route and stow the hose neatly. Some divers opt to use a cave rig in all situations and go with the 7 - 8 foot hose, others will use a shorter hose that is routed more directly. This shorter hose hose ends up being about 5', sometimes a little longer.
Second stage snaps should be tied, not zipped, so that they can easily and quickly be cut away. I don't like the collar o-ring method because breaking it away can damage the regulator and they tend to fail unexpectedly, forcing yet another donation of a snap bolt to the deep. The tie belongs in a secure area as close to the second stage where it won't slip up the hose and where the stress caused by clipping it off won't damage the hose. Although the snap can get in the way of your mouth, if you've tied it with line in the metal grooved area, you will find that it rotates around the hose easily and can be repositioned without trouble.
Finally, as others have repeated, if a primary isn't in your mouth or your hand, it should be clipped off. Aside from the confusion factor that comes into play for decompression divers, the need to protect your regulator (and your gas) would seem self-evident.
Just my .02...