Where should my first stage rest?

[whyjay]

I'm curious as to how high it should fall on my neck or head or in proportion to my body.

I have a backplate and wing set up and the top of my first stage hits right where the neck and the skull meet. if i set it any lower i can't really reach the valve for the tank. So i was wondering where exactly the firsts stage should really rest.

 

[jeffwillco]

There isn't what I would call an exact location where your first stage should be. You just have to find the middle ground between comfort and functionality. If it is two low, not only can you not reach the tank valve, but it will make your tank very likely to slip out (if you have a single band setup.) I am not sure what kind of diving you are doing, but if you are staying purely within the recreational realm, I wouldn't worry to much about reaching your tank valve, as that is what your buddy is for. Also, maybe try out different first stage designs, as some sit differently on the tank valve and may not cause the discomforts you are currently experiencing.

 

[evinkc05]

You just have to find the middle ground between comfort and functionality.

Jeff is right, you have to toy with it trying it higher and then lower to find where it is that you are able to attain and maintain that horizontal trim that we all know and love and your first stage isn't rubbing the back of your head raw the entire time. You should not have to worry about being able to reach your valves unless you are into more technical diving which I assume you are not based on the context of your inquiry. Let me know how that works out for you.

 

[spectrum]

Remember that you have a lot of variables to play with on your rig.
1. You can alter how high the plate rides by resetting the harness
2. How high the cylinder rides on the plate
3. Sometimes where the wing and bands are positioned on the plate will allow even more freedom.

As for reaching your valve be sure to test it in the water. You may have better luck when it's relatively neutral and you can tweak the boot over with your other hand.

Pete

 

[vinegarbiscuit]

I had exactly the same problem as you. In addition to jutting straight out from my tank valve, my first stage was also pretty "long", and therefore kept thwacking me in the base of my skull. Bloody annoying, I know. There was nothing for it but to shuffle my tank down a notch (and make corresponding adjustments to my trim). The problem was effectively solved when I changed regulators - my new first stage had a swivel mechanism, which effectively took inches off the length of my first stage. The business end of the first stage points straight down, parallel with your tank rather than perpendicular to it.

My poor head has been thanking me for it ever since. It also made finding the balance between comfort and functionality much easier. I recognize it's a costly solution to this problem, but it may be something to bear in mind if/when you go shopping for your next regulator.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I had exactly the same problem as you. In addition to jutting straight out from my tank valve, my first stage was also pretty "long", and therefore kept thwacking me in the base of my skull. Bloody annoying, I know. There was nothing for it but to shuffle my tank down a notch (and make corresponding adjustments to my trim). The problem was effectively solved when I changed regulators - my new first stage had a swivel mechanism, which effectively took inches off the length of my first stage. The business end of the first stage points straight down, parallel with your tank rather than perpendicular to it.

My poor head has been thanking me for it ever since. It also made finding the balance between comfort and functionality much easier. I recognize it's a costly solution to this problem, but it may be something to bear in mind if/when you go shopping for your next regulator.

The same thing can be achieved using Scubapro regs. I have a MK 20 and I use the end of the first stage for my primary second just like in your picture. I agree it's a nice design feature.