"Philosophy Vs Practicality" An In Depth Look At My Regulators

"Philosophy Vs Practicality" An In Depth Look At My Regulators
Choosing a philosophy to follow as a diver can be helpful depending on what type of diving you do. However, that one philosophy may not work if you do multiple types of diving. In this video Instructor Bryan Stafford explains why he uses different types of regulators and why he sets them up in different ways.
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[@bloodymarvelous4790]

The one consistent factor is that your gear is always located on the same part of your body. Your primary is always in your mouth, your secondary is always around your neck, and your gauge is always on your left hip. That way you train muscle memory and you can always find what you need without having to look for it. You've managed to use the standard setup which is used to teach students, and made it compatible with more specialized setups. What you'll never find on a dive teacher or a seasoned diver, is an integrated safe second on the inflator. I've seen KZbinrs praise that thing into high heaven to keep the manufacturer/sponsor happy, but it's a solution without a problem, and it creates new problems of its own for which there are no solutions. I also fully understand the reasons to use Yoke over DIN in the situations described. And while you didn't explicitly state this, you choose DIN when it comes to your own personal setups, and revert back to Yoke out of necessity. (Mi)Flex hoses vs rubber is often a matter of personal preference. Rubber is a better material if you're using long hoses because they're less floaty, or when they regularly make skin contact because they're smooth on the outside. Flex hoses are lighter and better for travel and are more resilient against kinking and breaking, but their coarse surface can be abrasive against the skin. Unfortunately, I don't have the budget to buy different setups for different kinds of diving, so I invested in a setup that can do it all (though it may need reworking when I change the type of diving that I do). It's a cold water regulator set up in a long hose configuration. With this setup I can dive in cold water, in overhead environments, and with a single tank, twins, or sidemount by adding or removing a first stage and rerouting my hoses. The only downside is that it's a heavy setup with two heavy first stages and rubber hoses, so it eats into my baggage allowance when travelling. Mares is an awesome brand and was on my shortlist when I put my gear together. I'm a huge fan of the Abyss. I just happened to ultimately pick a different brand. Most of my gear happens to be the same brand out of sheer convenience. I bought it all at my LDS, and that's what they carry the most of.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello @bloodymarvelous4790, thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. We are glad you enjoyed the video. We encourage all divers to set up their equipment in the manner that is practical for the type of dives they plan on making.

[@gee4526]

Bryan you really need two thumbs up sizes. Sometimes I like your vids, but there are times as in this vid. For instance that I think is exceptional and deserve a bigger thumbs up.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Thank You for the kind words Gee, it means a lot to us.

[@gee4526]

Personalizing your gear is part of the fun in diving, it makes your gear your gear, but it is important that your buddy is familiar with your set up and you are familiar with theirs. In an emergency ( Hopefully it never happens) but you want your buddy to know where your safe second is and you to know where theirs is. Things are confusing enough when there is an emergency and not knowing your buddies set up or you theirs could turn an emergency into a fatality, so when you change your configuration be sure to get your dive buddy to look it over while you look his over, then if a situation arises both of you will be comfortable enough to handle it without panic. Panic Kills!.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Panic definitely kills.

[@spikehealy3312]

I am very confused on your alt 2nd setup. Is it quick removal from that necklace/bungee and that is the donating reg? I was thinking of doing a similar setup since not everyone may be diving a long hose recreational setup after their class (if renting especially). short hose around neck and 40inch hose in mouth. Utilizing primary donate.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Spike Healy, some of my regulators do have quick release second stages and some do not. If you saw our recent series on my personal dive gear you can see how each system is set up and what I use them for. I train my students in a manner that they can donate either their primary or their alternate, dependent upon their specific set up.

[@bloodymarvelous4790]

The silicone necklace that he uses is simply pushed over the mouthpiece. If you pull on it, it will come loose very easily, but is also very secure while attached. For a secondary donate it's perfect. If you're doing primary donate only, a bungee necklace is a little more practical.

[@ts440s]

Do you service any poseidon regulators? Thanks.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello @ts440s, at this time we do not service Poseidon regulators.

[@ts440s]

When I started diving at 12 years old in the 80s, we did buddy breathing and eventually octo but lately, everyone is so anal about this out of air situation and long vs short hose. My question is, why is everyone running out of air? Did cell phones make us that stupid as well?

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello john metyk. Personally, I believe divers both new and old, have forgot why they have got into scuba in the first place. They have made it too technical, and have taken the fun out of it. Instructors have a unique position. We have the ability to influence divers, whether its the classes we like to teach, or the equipment we like to wear. At the end of the day, Instructors should focus more on teaching scuba, and skills, instead of telling their students this is the only types of gear that can be worn. We did a video on Long Hose vs Short Hose that explains the practicality behind each. You may find it interesting. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gqm6q6tonLN7f6M

[@robotsforroboticists]

If using your pony. Do you have that on the necklace or the alternate from your primary tank on a necklace? Also the pony gauge that looks like it has a ~6" hose, how do you stow and access it during a dive? Thanks!

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

David Kohanbash If I am using a Full Face Mask, and my pony is rear mounted onto my main cylinder, then the low pressure line coming from my pony feeds into a gas block which then feeds into my Full Face Mask. If I am slinging my pony, then the second stage hose is attached to the cylinder via a bungee strap. This way it stays stowed away until I need it. As far as the 6 inch hose for my gauge, it is always routed in a downward position, as to prevent entanglements. I typically do not worry about accessing the gauge during the dive, it is primarily used during the pre-dive safety check.

[@rotflol6666]

My philosophy wrt DIN vs yoke, is DIN because it eliminates 1 o-ring, which is 1 less point of possible failure

[@Teampegleg]

It doesn't eliminate 1 o-ring, it just transfer the o-ring from a part that doesn't get that much attention to one that gets all the attention. And if you rent tanks it is a part that you personally own vs the crap shoot that is rented tanks.

[@rotflol6666]

@@Teampegleg Please count the o-rings in a DIN setup, it is 1 less and the o-ring on the DIN adapter is also captured inside, so at lot less change of the regular o-ring failure (=blow out/split)

[@Teampegleg]

@@rotflol6666 Unless you are using a yoke insert the count is the same.

[@rotflol6666]

@@Teampegleg No sherwood tanks over here and in the Red Sea, most use an insert, all my steel and alu tanks use the same valves

[@Teampegleg]

@@rotflol6666 OTOH in the United States yoke tanks are all over the place. Personally I am all DIN, but over a pure yoke system within a recreational context the advantages with typical aluminum 80s are pretty small.

[@coreybaldwin989]

The silcone necklace that you use, does the secondary pull off or does the necklace stay attached? Just curious

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Corey, the mouthpiece of the second stage simply comes out of the necklace, in the event you would ever need to donate it. The regulator I first showed in the video has yellow twine as a necklace. Its a long story on why I use it instead of the silicone necklace. In short, my necklace was stolen at a dive site over the summer, and I had to make due with what I had, which was a short piece of twine in the back of my truck. I have just been too lazy to replace it with a silicone one. But in general, I prefer the silicone necklace that allows the second stage to pop out in the event it is needed.

[@peterk814]

How do you attach your gauge to the clip? Rubber band?

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

I simply tie on a bolt snap using cave line. We have a video showing you how to do this. Hope this helps. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iai8iHaHrLV1sLs

[@bloodymarvelous4790]

Some manufacturers recommend using a zip tie, but they become brittle over time. Tying it off with a piece of line is the better option. They're also easier to cut when you get snagged on something.

[@jdavis8610]

Hey everybody hit that thumbs up for this video!

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Thank You, we like all the thumbs up we can get.

[@Binford400]

Great video!! I follow same concept and hear it from from my DIR buddies all the time. Nothing wrong with tech set up but as you show practically has it advantages also. I think it’s important to stress to new divers that this is a progressive thought process and most people who follow this usually have several hundred or thousands of dives. New divers should stick to basics taught and. Get in the water and enjoy diving. This process though has been useful when I work with wounded vets where standard just doesn’t work

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Thank You. Glad you liked it. Personally I don't have an issue with the DIR setup or mindset. I actually agree with most of it, and have used it for many many years. But I have also come to realize that being versatile not only in gear choices, but also in my mindset is necessary for success. The way I approach diving is similar to the way I approach clothing. I always wear (use) the equipment that is appropriate for the environment that I will be diving in. When I go running, I wear running shoes. When I go hiking, I wear hiking shoes. When I go hunting, I wear hunting boots. When I go on duty (Police, Fire, EMS), I wear duty boots. Each piece of clothing has its purpose, just like each piece of equipment has its purpose. Every time I hear divers say that this piece of gear is unsafe or has failure points, I politely remind them that I have over 6000 dives, and I am still alive. Yes I have had issues with Yoke Regulators, as mentioned in the video. But I have also had issues with DIN Regulators. It is all man made equipment and all of it has flaws, but at the same time, the people who design the equipment, the engineers, are 1000 times smarter than I am, and I feel confident they would not release the equipment onto the market if it was unsafe, or had sufficient amounts of failure points.

[@Binford400]

LakeHickoryScuba sorry I didn’t mean to imply DIR was not a great way of diving. I follow it also more then other organizations actually. I do admit that my rig is not what today’s DIR extremist preach. IE ..I dive abyss 22 first stages and second stages also. 7’ and a necklace. Can’t count how many guys say I need an apex or other brand set up like theme. I was just agreeing that making it work for you is great methodology along with practical training methods

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

No worries. We have a lot of the same opinions in regards to the DIR concept. I like the fact that it is all about safety, redundancy, and standardization, but when we break it down to the safety aspect, the truth of the matter is, all gear is safe or it would not be released on the market. But depending on what type of diving you choose to do, some equipment is more safe than others. Thus, when you choose to do that type of diving, then you should wear that type of gear. What we have to be careful of though is the alienation of other divers who choose not to do that type of diving, thus, not needing a certain type of gear. The DIR movement is not the issue, but a small handful of its followers tend to, as you stated, preach its unsafe to dive anything that is outside of its philosophy. We know that to be untrue, but newer divers do not. These newer divers are the future of this industry, and without them, we will not have a scuba industry. We all have different taste in gear and different needs. Standardization has its place, but once again, in my opinion it is only needed in a team based scenario (tech diving, cave diving, PSD, etc.). I have never found the need for a set of doubles, with a long hose configuration, a bail out or deco bottle, with 2 flash lights, and a drysuit, while on a 30ft reef, spearing flounder. I have also never found the need for a spear pole or speargun, while 100ft deep inside a cave. Just like I have never found the need for split fins. Ok so maybe that last one was un-called for, I just really hate split fins. The point is, different dives call for different types of gear. We should all dive what makes us feel the most comfortable and most practical for any given dive, just like anything else in life. I drive a truck because it makes me feel comfortable, and I have a need for the bed to haul scuba gear (a lot of scuba gear actually). And no it doesn't get the best gas mileage as say a car would (comparing tanks in scuba steel vs aluminum), but its much more practical for me to use the truck than a car. Both the car and truck are safe, but the truck works better for me.