Reg Configuration - Thoughts?

[Neilwood]

Just looking for thoughts regarding my proposed reg set up.

Rather than diving with a jacket BCD where the octo hose is often stuffed into a pocket or on a retainer of some sort, I am diving with a BP&W so no pockets.

My thoughts are to use standard hose lengths for primary and octo (with OOA procedure being donated octo) but having the octo on a bungee round my neck (not a zip tied one but a looser one with fishermen's knots on them so a good tug and it frees without any issues).

My reasoning:
1) The octo is still within the "triangle".
2) More readily available than hanging off a D ring lower down.
3) More streamlined although the longer secondary hose will be loose.
4) More familiar to most divers than long hose/short secondary.
5) Octo is kept well clear of the dirt no matter how close I get to the bottom (unless I faceplant for some reason)

Would you be happy diving with it on a buddy?

 

[2airishuman]

The convention is that anyone with a reg bungeed to their neck is practicing primary donate. I would think that some people might find your approach novel and confusing.

How do you plan to route the hose for the octo?

 

[rongoodman]

Either go with the standard rec configuration or donated primary/bungeed secondary(preferred). There's no point in trying to make up something new.

 

[rhwestfall]

there is a modification to the long hose configuration - The "recreational primary donate" is a short hose bungied octo on your neck, and a modest (>40" but <60", whatever is controlable) hose routed down under your arm, and back up on the same side and using a 90 degree swivel as a primary that you donate in an air-share option

 

[tbone1004]

Just looking for thoughts regarding my proposed reg set up.

Rather than diving with a jacket BCD where the octo hose is often stuffed into a pocket or on a retainer of some sort, I am diving with a BP&W so no pockets.

My thoughts are to use standard hose lengths for primary and octo (with OOA procedure being donated octo) but having the octo on a bungee round my neck (not a zip tied one but a looser one with fishermen's knots on them so a good tug and it frees without any issues).

My reasoning:
1) The octo is still within the "triangle".
2) More readily available than hanging off a D ring lower down.
3) More streamlined although the longer secondary hose will be loose.
4) More familiar to most divers than long hose/short secondary.
5) Octo is kept well clear of the dirt no matter how close I get to the bottom (unless I faceplant for some reason)

Would you be happy diving with it on a buddy?

1. the triangle only works if you are vertical and facing someone. since neither of those positions are encountered in good buddy diving, why would you try to force that to work?
2. yes, but also more likely to get entangled with your primary hose or other things that you may clip to the right d-ring depending on how you route it.
3. no more streamlined if you are using standard hose lengths
4. not at all. you have moved the donation second stage to a location very much unfamiliar with them
5. it actually does not hang any lower when on your d-ring unless the suicide strap is very short

don't try to bastardize the two systems together. You have to commit to primary donate or secondary donate first. Pick one, and stick to it. It sounds like you still believe secondary donate is better, which has been proven wrong, but you are entitled to your opinion. Since you're in the UK, if you are a BSAC diver you have to deal with their decision as well. If you believe secondary donate is better, stay with their hose routing. There are other ways to make a detachable second stage sit flush to the shoulder strap, look at the sidemount divers and how we are working with regulator attachment.
If you come over to our side with primary donate, then commit to that and use the hose routing that works best, which is short hose secondary on a necklace/suicide strap, and either a 40" with elbow, 60", or 84" hose in their various configurations.

 

[mattia_v]

On the advice of my LDS dive nerd, I have my Octo (standard hose lengths) clipped to my upper left D-ring. It's easily accessible, takes the slack out of the line and avoids a secondary dangling around by my right hip, but donates easily. Still well within the triangle with nothing extra around my neck. For now.

 

[2airishuman]

there is a modification to the long hose configuration - The "recreational primary donate" is a short hose bungied octo on your neck, and a modest (>40" but <60", whatever is controlable) hose routed down under your arm, and back up on the same side and using a 90 degree swivel as a primary that you donate in an air-share option

The main advantage of which is that it's easier to handle topside than the 84" long hose.

In my experience, you don't know the long hose is there during the dive. But it makes the regulator set more difficult to handle when placing the regs on the tank valve, and when donning the kit.

There is an intermediate length option without a swivel, routed down under your arm, across your chest, behind the left side of your neck, and around. Same as the 84" route except there's no excess to tuck under a belt, knife, or canister. For most people 60" is about right, IIRC from my reading and experiments.

 

[tbone1004]

I don't like 5' hoses because they are just as annoying to deal with as the 7' hoses and don't have all of the advantages. If I don't have a can light on my harness I will tuck it in the waist strap, never been an issue. As far as placing the regs on the tank, I will clip the suicide strap in the primary regs bolt snap, then clip that to the right shoulder d-ring. I do that whether it is a short primary or a long primary. The long hose is actually easier. Once the reg is pressurized, you unclip, make sure the hose is in it's natural bend, and I just coil it and put it on top of the valve.

 

[rhwestfall]

The main advantage of which is that it's easier to handle topside than the 84" long hose.

no, that isn't a reason to employ it. its "scuba diving", not "scuba topside dealing with gear"...

 

[snowdog61]

if you are doing bungeed octo, why in earth would you want that 2nd be the one to donate? An OOA diver will grab the reg that is in your mouth so that is the one I would have on the long(er) hose. I have my primary on a 48" miflex with a 90 swivel at the reg. Hose goes under the left arm. Very comfortable and easily managed both topside and underway. Octo is on my inflator on a very short inflator hose (12") to keep it close and out of the way (same purpose as the bungeed octo).