danglies in sidemount

[twaldo]

Ok, first I LOVE my LP 72's for open water side mount, but with a 7' hose on my right side the hose just seems un-manageable. It is always a mess, I pull it out enough to breath on it (I don't wrap around my neck) then when I stow it hangs... it hangs at the bottom of my tank ALWAYS.

My left side regulator is on a bungee around my neck and when I'm not breathing on it, it also dangles.

My gauges are on 5"ish HP hoses, and they both angle down... Should I change to 3" hoses?

I"m comfortable enough now that its time to start looking like I have my sidemount act together so suggestions would be appreciated. I'll post a side profile later, front profile attached.

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[twaldo]

so I can't post the additional where they just show up.. you have to click on the links.

[Rich]

I run my SPG hoses back along the tanks. Just reach back, pull them out and check 'em, should be confirming what you already know. Hope this helps...

Safe diving,

Rich

[twaldo]

I run my SPG hoses back along the tanks. Just reach back, pull them out and check 'em, should be confirming what you already know. Hope this helps...

Safe diving,

Rich

I was told there were two options... run them back or run them forward.... I don't like running them back because of all the additional bends you put on the hoses... though yes this would alleviate the issue with the gauges. I'm thinking shorter hoses but not sure how short would be to short.

[Rich]

I don't like running them back because of all the additional bends you put on the hoses...

Mine run directly down the top of the tank from the first stage, no bends (pun intended). I "think" they're 9" but will check in the am...

Safe diving,

Rich

[IowaCaveDiver]

Mine run directly down the top of the tank from the first stage, no bends (pun intended). I "think" they're 9" but will check in the am...

Safe diving,

Rich

9" hose solves this problem

[IowaCaveDiver]

Why not wrap around your neck? This may be your solution.

[twaldo]

so longer HP hoses and strangle myself. Not what I was expecting, though I'm sure there are a few in cave country that wish I would strangle myself at times. When I started sidemount diving I didn't feel comfortable wrapping a hose (or two) around my neck.... maybe its time to move on. I specifically bought DiveRite's convertible 2nd stage so I could have it be a left hand hose. I don't have L/R valves on the 72's so I'm sure that is a little bit of the hose issue on my left hand side because the left hand hose routes pretty well on the LP85s.

You are right though, wrapping my right hand regulator would take care of the longer hose sticking out the bottom of my cylinder as well as the extra length when I'm not breathing on that reg just hanging.

[rddvet]

I hate hp hoses pointing out. It’s what Edd teaches or taught so it’s popular but it’s just stupid. 4or 9 inch hoses down the tank. I use 4 inch but blew a hose and I truly believe it’s from bending. I would move to 9inch but never dive sm much anymore. And my sm bailout I rarely look at. I don’t know why you wouldn’t wrap your hose around your neck. It brings a large portion of your hose around your chest and neck and not stuffed on the tank where it’s bulky. It’s easy. Pull out the hose and loop it around your neck. If there’s too much hanging down around your chat when you clip off when breathing the short hose, reach down the tank n tighten it up. Very easy.
Valves down and spgs sticking up were what I was taught. It didn’t take much time to realize both are bad ideas.

[rddvet]

Are you a self taught sidemounter? You can learn yourself but you could spend your money wisely taking a day or two learning sm from an instructor. Your learning curve will be easier. I also don’t agree with not having the right hose run like you were in bm. If lu only dive with skilled sm divers then there’s not even really much need for a long hose(though that’s a whole other topic). If ypu’re Like most of us that dive with mixed teams or you’re a person who goes between sm and bm, I think it’s best to keep it all similar. Aka right post around neck. On top of that when I’ve watched people in classes donate when the long hose is coming straight up from the tank, they always fiddle and falter getting the hose pulled. With it wrapped around the neck it’s much smoother.
Darker and marissa’s sm students all look pretty good and aren’t taught some of the things I don’t agree with like forward spgs. If you haven’t taken a course a day with one of them would probably clean you up very quickly.