The thing many people miss about long hose primary donate is that the hose routing results in waaay better streamlining than the standard recreational setup. I really cringe when I see these giant looping hoses sticking out... Yes the long hose is a bit loop, but it sits close to your body. A proper short hose doesn't have the looping issue. I'd really recommend the person who raised the question go take their next course with someone who runs long hose primary donate so they can get used to the setup and drills. It's not hard at all - but the experience would be good. I like rubber hoses and I'm sticking to them. I've never been impressed with miflex. The only reason you would get them is for styling/colours. In recreational long hose primary donate I like to tuck the excess under my waist strap rather than using a hose retainer.

I've been going with a 4' primary hose for a primary donate setup for several years now... Much less hose to worry about for rec diving. No need to loop around your neck.

Always enjoy your common sense approaches to equipment. I have a hydrospro BCD with an Air2. My primary (A700) is on a slightly longer flexi hose. In an emergency, my primary is what is offered to those in need while my Air2 is very handy. The flexi hose is very easy to use and the length sufficient. On dive trips I have various buddies so always point out to them how my system works. I use a Teric w/ air integration. I have become very minimalist for recreational diving.

Cheers mate

My Genesis Prana came with a Flex Hose. The Octopus came with a Rubber one. The shop I purchased from did the setup

#ASKMARK Hello Mark, while out diving recently I talked to an experienced diver who was diving with twins but did not have any manifold on them, i.e. each cylinder had a first stage with a primary and an SPG. One cylinder had the low pressure inflator for his BC. What are the pros and cons of a manifold setup versus independent twins?

@ScubaDiverMagazine

2 ай бұрын

The main downside is the buoyancy. As you breathe one cylinder down the buoyancy will change and flip you to one side during the dive. To combat this you need to switch 2nd stages to keep the pressure similar between the two cylinders. Otherwise, it's more effort to attach the cylinders. The pros are that it's a very easy setup to create remotely. Finding twins in some places can be hard. But two singles are easy to find. It mainly comes down to needing to swap cylinders during the dive

@LeeLeatherbarrow

2 ай бұрын

@@ScubaDiverMagazine you missed the other really important, and I would say primary reason for doubles without a manifold - true redundancy, just like diving side mount. As unfortunately, and however unlikely it is, an O-ring in the manifold itself can fail, which would then result in a total gas loss.

I use my octo occasionally to give it a bit of work. I had one fail from lack of use. I just let my buddy know that I’m using it.

#askmark Hi Mark, In the market for my first regulator and BCD for a good price/performance set up, would apreciate your opinion. Recreational diver, 15°-30°C water, 90% traveling. 1. The Seac IT500 ICE kit (1st + 2nd stage + octo) you rewieved is one of the option. The IT300 kit (could you review it?) is about ~120€ cheaper, would you consider the IT500 is worth the extra? 2. Heavily leaning towards a wing style BCD and the xDeep Ghost/Zen kit. How repairable is the ghost blader in case of puncture? Should I lean toward the Zen with replacable blader? Thanks and keep up with the good work

@ScubaDiverMagazine

2 ай бұрын

If you're diving in warmer waters then you won't need the cold-water features of the IT500 Ice. The breathing adjustment is a nice feature but, not essential. As long as you can get them serviced nearby the IT300 should be a nice regulator for you. The Zen is certainly easier to patch or replace. It can be tricky to get inside a wing for a repair at the best of times but, when you can't see though the material, it's even harder. The Zen gives you extra protection and ease of repair and it's neat afterwards. Repairs on a single-layer wing are usually obvious.

i prefer flex hoses. lighter, easier for packing, and less fatigue for second stage in mouth while diving.

#askmark Hey! I started diving recently, so I'm trying to learn and understand everything one step at a time, my question is How is the bcd meant to fit? My dive instructor says I should wear an extra small but I feel it's restrictive. The other question was what speciality courses do most divers benefit from and which is better to learn first

@ScubaDiverMagazine

2 ай бұрын

If a jacket BCD is too small it can restrict your breathing when it's fully inflated on the surface. So a BCD should fit tight enough that it doesn't slip around but the straps should be tightened around half way. If the shoulder straps and waist are tightened all the way to the bottom, then the BCD is too small. You'll find wing-style BCDs have more adjustment in their straps because of their design which can make BCD sizes fit more people.

#askmark as a "vet diver" can you do a top 10 of your most amazing dive experiences that gave you memories that will last a lifetime.

@ScubaDiverMagazine

2 ай бұрын

Good or bad memories?

@RobinMoerland

2 ай бұрын

@@ScubaDiverMagazine bad memories no, be happy, i want happy memories. You can always do bad memories in the future. Cheer me/us up! #askmark

#askmark If I'm using a full face mask with my octo on a necklace, is there any real benefit to running the octo on a long hose?

@ScubaDiverMagazine

2 ай бұрын

Mainly for donating to a buddy. If your FFM fails and you need to switch to your alternate the length of hose doesn't matter so much, as long as you can keep the hose in place so it won't get caught on anything. If you need to donate it to a buddy then the extra length is nice to give you both a bit of space to sort yourselves out and swim single-file if required. Otherwise, If it's only going to be used by you, I'd pick the shortest hose that get's the 2nd stage where it needs to be.

#askmark Any tips on what to do with a new mask before taking it for a first dive?

@ScubaDiverMagazine

2 ай бұрын

The first thing is to prepare it. Most masks will fog up very quickly straight out of the box if you don't prepare them first. This usually consists of rubbing toothpaste on the inside of the lens, waiting for it to dry and then rubbing it off a few times. But ask the mask manufacturer if they have specific guidelines for that mask because some methods can damage the mask and the manufacturer is the best to advise. After that, before every dive you need to defog your mask with some kind of solution. Some divers spit in their masks, others use baby shampoo or a manufactured defog spray or gel that you apply to the inside of your mask to keep it from fogging up underwater. Otherwise, be careful not to bend or twist the mask, make sure it's cean and dry between dives so that mould doesn't form anywhere and keep it out of direct sunlight so that it doesn't discolour and harden.

I have a question : i need to hang my BCD (so It can rest without any weight on the internal air "chamber") but haven't found a metal heavvy duty hanger (i use a tech BCD with steel backplate and it weights some kg....). Any suggestions ?

@ScubaDiverMagazine

2 ай бұрын

The best way to reduce any force on a wing during storage is to remove it from the backplate and store it flat with some air inside to prevent the sides from touching. But not fully inflated as this can strain the seams. There are a few other options for you if you must hang it up, you could use a standard plastic BCD hanger. They're pretty tough and most of the force would be on the shoulder straps. Many divers just use a straight piece of wood with an over-sized hook fitted to hang BCDs. You can choose the length and round the edges as needed. You could also fit a D-shackle to one of the holes in your backplate or an S-hook to put all of the weight directly to the metal backplate itself if you're worried about the straps

#askmark Hi Mark, considering my first set of regs (Mares Atlas ADJ)and I would like to ask about second stage weight.So far I've only been diving with rental regs which are very basic and lightweight but have no personal experience with heavier ones.I don't care about weight for travel reasons but rather for comfort and jaw fatigue during dive.Can you really feel the increased weight in your mouth while underwater as some say or is it just negligible issue ? Thanks for your answer and for your great videos :-)

@ScubaDiverMagazine

2 ай бұрын

I'm not sure if I would have noticed the difference between a plastic and a metal 2nd stage when I was just starting out. My 1st regulator was a metal-body Mares and it was great. Now I can certainly notice the difference. Jaw fatigue will only set in on longer dives, colder waters and if you bite-down on the mouthpiece. If you have a good mouthpiece that fits you well then you shouldn't notice it very much, unless you're planning some longer and colder dives

@MichalKroutvar

2 ай бұрын

Thanks a lot Mark 🙂@@ScubaDiverMagazine