Thank you Mark 👍🏼

Does it also apply for brand new hoses. Kr 5 years from first dive.

Thanks, Mark. Another very informative topic. My dive shop is very good at evaluating the condition of my equipment when in for regular servicing. I have noticed many "long hose" videos coming out applicable to both rec & tech diving. Not sure I agree with some of this related to recreational diving. It seems to add more complexity to rec equipment. Is this a "new" thing being promoted market wide? One video showcased two divers going through the motion of one running out of gas. The video alluded to sharing gas with twp primaries and continuing their dive. ??? My training, although decades ago, suggested the donater take control, share gas and get both to the surface safely. I am open to new dive techniques, but. Your thoughts? Ken

@kennethjmcarthur2428

29 күн бұрын

Maybe I am being too critical of these things.

@ScubaDiverMagazine

29 күн бұрын

Yeah, there are a few benefits to using a Long Hose Primary Donate setup, mainly knowing that the 2nd stage you're donating is clear and safe to breathe from. That and you get plenty of slack to get back to the surface or fix the problem. The donating diver will switch to their alternate that sits under their chin, if that fails then you can buddy breathe. It's only taught in more advanced courses, I first experienced it during a Sidemount course and ever since I've stuck to that kind of regulator configuration. In real-world OOA situations it's fast and effective and the diver who's just run out of air doesn't mind what they're breathing from as long as they can breathe.

Hi! Thanks for this valuable info :) Funny thing, I just took my bcd and regulator to get serviced and the dive shop told me that something is wrong with the regulator itself... they asked me if it had been free-flowing during my trip back in March to Akumal, and I told them that it worked perfectly. They said that when they used their system to check on it, the first stage wasn't within the proper parameters of air flow, and the same with the second stage... I had no problems at all during my dives so I am quite puzzled :(

@ScubaDiverMagazine

29 күн бұрын

Could be a lot of things. Most likely an O-ring inside the 1st stage failed, they harden and dry eventually during storage. If it's been in for a service then they've fixed the problem and it should be good for another year.

Hi Mark, I’ve recently bought myself a backplate & wing having dove a jacket style BCD for a number of years now.. What length should the SPG hose be for a single tank DIR style set-up?… Many thanks in advance, Dean.

@ScubaDiverMagazine

25 күн бұрын

It depends... 24" / 61cm is about the shortest you'll want. It will be very close to the body but, you won't be able to pull it to far out to read. 26" / 66cm will give you a bit more space The best way to find out is to tie a piece of string to your 1st stage and see how long it needs to be to get the SPG where you need it to be.

Hi Mark, I'm curious what those light blue / turquoise fins next to those Apeks RK3 in the background are. Thanks for letting me know!

@ScubaDiverMagazine

28 күн бұрын

They are Fourth Element Tech fins

Thanks Mark. Yet again I've learnt something new. Keep up the great video's.

@xzzxzxzx

29 күн бұрын

How it's possible that you've left a comment 7 days ago to a video that is uploaded 5 hours ago?

@ScubaDiverMagazine

7 күн бұрын

Members get to watch and comment on videos before they go public

#askmark Thanks for those many great askmark videos. I wonder how long does a neoprene last? I know a 5mm will be once a 3mm, I would know how long does it take. Thanks, Ben

@LeeLeatherbarrow

29 күн бұрын

That's a really tough one to answer... Yes, it is true that neoprene compresses over time, but it isn't really measurable in years...The main contributing factors are the quality of the neoprene used in the construction of the wetsuit in the first place, the amount of compression it receives, and the duration of that compression. For instance, a wetsuit that has been dived for 100mins to 10m receives far less compression than a wetsuit dived for 100mins at 40m. Then you have to add in how well the suit has been cared for. For instance, continued exposure to sunlight or extreme temps or chemicals will degrade it significantly too. All that said, a good quality suit that is well cared for should last 100's of *dives. (*But there is no standard definition of what depth and duration a "dive" is.)

@ScubaDiverMagazine

29 күн бұрын

Yeah, as Lee says, it depends... It depends on the quality of the neoprene, how many dives and how well it's cared for. If you dive a suit to 40m twice a day and leave it in the sun to dry without washing it, it will only last a season or two. If you look after a decent suit and don't dive it too hard it can last 10+ years. After a few hundred dives it will start to compress. You won't notice it because it's a gradual compression but, anywhere between 300-1000 dives would be my guess

@benheckendorn2696

29 күн бұрын

@@LeeLeatherbarrow thanks Lee for your answer, sure you should take care of your gear, because you could challenge yourself, like my wetsuit is 8 years old but it feels still like new. I got a cressi shortly, 21 years old it looks still like new, sure it's 3mm or maybe 4mm (5mm) wen it was new. But I just used to snorkel or diving. But I know scuba diving is different also because of the depth, it makes sence 40m ist more stress then 10m but it's good to know at least 100-200 dives. 👌

@benheckendorn2696

29 күн бұрын

@@ScubaDiverMagazine yeah, I know it's difficult to tell, but it gives a idea. So I guess 100- 200 for sure it would keep being a 5mm, so I guess it would add another 200 dives as warm water dive suit when it reach 4-3mm . Sure always try to challenge yourself so, try to keep it 8 years like it was new. Lee's and your info make me guess upto 4-5 years (I would guess 4mm or 5mm feels similar), then may another 5 years for warm water. Or 4 years and another 5years (very warm water) for those who dive often 30 -40m. I know there isn't a general ruel, but I guess gives an idea. Thank you for your help. Maybe you should do a video, because it helps new diver, because if I know there's almost a guarantee, I may spent a little bit more mones for my new wetsuit so I could count with 5 years (keeping the same thickness), I guess.

#askmark I just got the aqualung helix compact pro, aqualung reccomends servicing every 2 years. I primarily dive nitrox so should i service my gear more frequently and if so how much more frequently would you reccomend. Also you recomend changing the low pressure hose every 5 years, would you reccomend servicing more frequently with nitrox and if so how often?

@ScubaDiverMagazine

28 күн бұрын

It depends... The AquaLung 2-year service schedule includes an inspection in between: _Aqua Lung requires you to get your regulator checked over at least once every two years plus a visual inspection at least once a year._ If you're breathing less than 40% Nitrox I wouldn't worry about servicing them or replacing hoses more frequently. Just let your AquaLung service tech check them for any needed work and check your hoses between dives.

#askmark Hi Mark thanks for al of the great videos!!. do you know of any diver recall devices to alert divers to surface, I have found some commercial ($$$$) ones , but i was looking for a recreational ($$) one for my boat .. thanks

@ScubaDiverMagazine

29 күн бұрын

It depends on how far the divers are and how frequently you want to use it. I presume the divers are not hard-wired so it needs to be through-water communication. The cheapest is to rev the boat engine three times or bang on the metal ladder with a wrench but, that has a limited range. You can also find DRS devices which are like a grenade you throw in the water for a loud crack sound that can be heard a good 400m distance underwater. They're more used for emergencies and I don't know what kind of paperwork you need to fill out to get hold of some... Unless each diver wears an earpiece you're looking at something like Oceanears or OTS hydrophones.

@peteboyde4375

29 күн бұрын

@@ScubaDiverMagazine Yeah, I'm trying to get a couple of the thunder flash devices , as it would be for emergencies . thanks for the quick response.

#askmark Hi Mark, I think is important also to speak about the brand and the length of the hoses to keep the standard of the homologation of the regulator. When I spoke with the different scuba diving brands, everyone says that you have to replace hoses with the one of the same brand and with the same length that they use to pass the homologation test of the regulator. If tou don't respect that the constructor of your regulator will reject any responsibility and in same case your insurance will may not cover you. Can you confirm this?

@ScubaDiverMagazine

25 күн бұрын

This is an interesting topic that most divers don't think about. Warranties don't usually cover your hoses, and changing hoses _could_ be defined as 'modifying your regulators' and voiding the warranty altogether. It's very subjective though and should be discussed with the individual manufacturers. As far as performance, the length of the hose will have minimal effect on breathing performance. This has been tested and the effects on a modern high-end regulator will be imperceivable to the diver. There are lots of variables though, from the performance of both the 1st and 2nd stages, hose bore etc. I wouldn't want to breathe from a long hose fitted to an unbalanced 1st stage at great depths for example. But yes, some manufacturers frown on changing hoses and it can affect your warranty.