First Sidemount Dive

[Diverlee]

First, look at 10 sidemount divers and you'll find 10 different configurations. I route my hoses like I did in backmount. Both my hoses wrap around my neck like in backmount. They stay snug against my neck and don't pose any hangup risk at all. It also clears up a lot of the mess in front of you.

That's pretty much what I do also. I found, for me, a 7 ft hose on my right bungies in better than a 5 ft. Also I did practice out of air all the way out to the exit with my back mount buddie so a 7 ft hose was good length.
I also found that by taking a class it made things so much easier. I struggled for a year prior to the class, plus I learned emergency proceedures. Eveyone learns differently.

[Webmaster]

The left tank routes to inflator and bends up the tank (routes down from 1st stage, then bends up to inflator) in a U-shape. With right length it stays tucked between tank and body, but being in front (not coming over back/shoulder), the inflator sticks up (which makes it easy to locate).

I did that also, and it works ok. Until you start scootering with it, then the slipstream pulls it way back up behind your head as I found out to my consternation. What I have now is the hose coming over my shoulder connecting to the inflator in a 'normal' position.

But, I have a piece of bungee attached to the inflator that runs down along the shoulder strap to my waist. It's out of the way, but it keeps the inflator in the same position nice and flat across my shoulder. Just pull it up to deflate and the bungee snaps it right back.

I ran it to the waist so that the bungee would be long enough to allow me to fully extend the inflator up should I need to.

Marbry

[Webmaster]

With the right length hose, this doesn't happen. When I'm standing, my left hose looks too short. When I'm horizontal, it's just the right length and stays snug against my neck. I keep my long hose tucked snugly against my tank with hose retainers/inner tube. When I switch to my left tank, I just reach down and pull the hose toward the tank a little more to take out the slack formed when it's clipped off. Again, the hose stays snug against my neck.

It's just less likely then. Especially as you go to maneuver things through tight areas it can still hang up. Fortunately it's not that hard to un-snag. But you're right, regardless of how you configure it, the key is to keep everything all snug as possible.

Marbry

[sskasser]

This weekend, I changed from the "around-the-neck" configuration to running both regs under my chest strap (thanks Marbry!). It felt much cleaner, for me anyway, and I had no runaway hoses.

Curt, if you want some pool time after this weekend, give me a shout. We can probably do something after work one day next week. I'll be at Hart this weekend, too.

[Cave Penguin]

I have been running two configurations, depending on what i'm using it for.

1 - with a buddy who may need to share. 125 cm hose on the left, 150 cm hose on the right, excess on both hoses tucked into snoopies on tank and feeding the regs through 'elbow' joints which keeps everything neat. So i can hand-off either reg in my mouth i have a pinch-clip held on to the hose by a loop of broad elastic, stitched, which allows the hose to slide through it while it stays on the necklace. After donating this can be unclipped to free up all the hose.

2 - solo. 90 cm hose on both sides, feeding the regs through 'elbow' joints. A karabiner clip is secured on each hose at the elbow by a few wraps of snoopy loop so it won't slide, and then clipped to a loop on the necklace.

Regs are left- and right-handed (Apeks), both valves face upwards/inwards.

[wetagain]

Try to pull the necks of your bottles up under your armpits a little more maybe, and I see some loops of hose coming off. Try finding spots for those, they are notorious for catching. Good luck with your rig!

[Jay]

My Left reg goes over my neck and hangs on a necklace.
My right reg is 7 foot bungied and comes right up to my mouth, attaches with a clip to my right shoulder d ring.
My wing inflator hose goes over my left shoulder to my LP inflator which keeps the inflator in a perfect spot.
My DS hose comes from the right and goes directly to my chest.

My preference is to have my tanks very snug into my armpits.
Of course, your regs can be flipped either away, so you may like something different. Another key I find is to keep my first stages facing in, 90 degrees away from the floor.

I would recommend getting your tanks snugger, parellel your first stages and the adjust as necessary to see where your gages and hose routing works out.