left hose routing question

[skip]

The left hose on my sidemount rig loops down a bit from the tank then up to my mouth. I avoid looping it behind my neck. It is on a necklace however. The problem is the loop across my chest tends to drag and catch in narrow passage (looping behind neck would only mean it then catches back there where it would be more difficult to reach).

I've tried stuffing into the waist belt, but it comes out. I've tried running up under the chest strap, but it makes head-turning difficult. I've thought of running a "belly-strap" just to keep it close in. I tried running it under the left shoulder strap (which didn't really change anything - still loops). and I do use a 90-degree elbow at the second stage.

I've searched a bit, probably not enough. Any advice?

skip

[CaveBuddy95]

Running it like regular backmounted backup reg is working for me and I think, without a doubt, works for many of us here.
Catching a hose that is behind your neck means you are going in very, very small cave - you should be in no mount
I find it a no brainer - hose length is important too

J

[adam0321]

I tried it the way you described but had the same problem. I now have it behind my head. But I am diving a 30 inch hose with no swivel and it is a bit short.

[Attchoum]

I use a short hose behind my neck with a elbow (fix 90 elbow, not swivel) It work perfectly

[RN]

I dive small passage and bring both hoses around the back of my neck. I haven't had either get caught up on anything. My wing gets caught before anything else does.

[Rich]

Skip, I run a 5ft hose on both sides, left hose is secured on top of tank and runs straight to the necklace with the second stage on a swivel. I've been in pretty small stuff also and never had a problem with the hose getting caught, as Rob said my wing usually gets hung up before anything else, hope this helps.... :)

Safe diving,

Rich

[adam0321]

Is there a reson you dont want it around your neck?

[skip]

I was looking into some fractures and plan to go back for another look when, if, rain stops. Horizontal, low and wide, becomes vertical. Some places prohibit full breath and movement at same time, fins useless. Around the back of neck got hung up a few times last time I was in there. I wiggled back and sideways cause no room to raise arms and helmet in the way. Routed in front and same thing, but sliding one hand/arm down chest (while exhaling) removed the snag. Most everyone thinks it's a waste to look there, but the series of multiple fractures is intriguing. Of course it's all rock, but still silty so return is basically no viz. It's all off to one side of well-known large going passage and most likely won't do anything, but still.... I also like to hunt for critters and wonder if something new might live in there that wouldn't live in main passage. So finding going passage is not the goal.

Rich, thanks. that might just do the trick.

It's not really no-mount since there is plenty of room side to side - in fact I have no idea where left/right walls might be. Imagine crawling on the floor of your living room in the dark - can't see left/right walls. (oh and imagine the ceiling is a foot or 18 inches from the floor). Then imagine you come to vertical rock wall in front of you - dead end right? no. cause you come to a crack that opens below you. You have bend 90-degrees (or so) at waist to now crawl head down and along the way down another crack opens adjoining that one that now allows you to stand up and crawl sideways. Then it gets too narrow, but if you go up 10 feet there's a ledge and another horizontal crack and now you can crawl on your belly again....and so on. Gets Spooky and I lose all sense of direction. Done it twice now and can't really say if I've been the same way both times - I've pulled the line out on exit (reeling in with arms in front of my face). Not very far, 200 feet of line. I get spooked and call the dive. Solo too. I've probably gained too much weight this winter to get in there!

so a longer hose and bungied to tank....that just might do the trick (I use long hose on right tank in mixed teams - and don't run it behind neck either). I also like that it makes a nice streamlined rig for larger cave and open water.

skip

[rchrds]

Skip, you will eventually come to the same resolution the rest of us did- get a left feeding regulator, an Apex XTX-50, or something similar. That way you don't have to fiddle with those crappy poseidon things, and you just use the same length hose on your left as your right, or you can use a long hose on one or the other. This eliminates the hose behind the neck (and no, you shouldn't always be no-mount) and prevents the sloppy lose hose on your chest problem.

Jason

BTW, which cave is this you are talking about? Sounds interesting.

[skip]

Guy James. Really. Just go straight a few more feet past the line, then up about 8 feet, across the ledge to the end (15 feet) and turn right under the ledge. We always go in and turn right. There's also something straight ahead to the dead end, then up and a jog to right - another skinny crawl through.

and yes I've thought the left feed would work to avoid that dang chest looping. new regs again!

skip

[argyris]

"I dive small passage and bring both hoses around the back of my neck. I haven't had either get caught up on anything." I do the same and never had any problem either.