AAS: On left or right?

[Andy]

When I learnt with PADI I was taught that the AAS goes on the right, and since then I've always dived with it there. I've read a piece on the BSAC web site about placing the alternate on the left (link below) and I'm thinking about trying it on the other side, it makes sense to me that placing it here would avoid a bend in the hose.

So do you have your alternate on your left or right? And why is it there? If you have it on your right, does your BC inflator affect how you deploy it/how your buddy gets at it? Does your drysuit hose get in the way at all?

I'm interested in seeing what other peoples ideas are.

Thanks, Andy.

BSAC link (PDF article top right) - Alternative Source Configuration - British Sub-Aqua Club

[Hot Totty]

So long as it works and is accessible, does it matter

[timmyg]

AAS: On left or right?

It's a bit of a misconception that PADI teach right. Some do but also some don't. Everyone on my PADI IE most had it in their left & if its secondary take then that's what I teach. If its primary donate then its a long hose with my backup coming over my right shoulder & in a necklace under the chin.

Going back to secondary take, if the AS is on the left the regulator is positioned for the casualty. If you need it you have to twist it round. If its positioned on the right it's ideal for you but the casualty has to twist it to use it.

Additionally look at the position of it for stowage. Most agencies say within the triangle if access. However if the diver is horizontal (although not everyone is) this could mean the AS is out of sight to the causality so ideally it needs to be positioned high near the shoulder or neck. That's why a necklace is ideal.

HTH.


TG

Sent from my iPhone using Timmytalk (hopefully)

[Andy]

Makes sense that setting it up better for the casualty is better. They are more likely to need it after all. I've always pictured the triangle of access pretty high up on my chest. I've always questioned other divers that have their AAS down by their hip but plan on diving horizontal in the water... Thanks guys.

[Hot Totty]

Another reason for the aas to be in my gob, but that's just opening a past visited can of worms

[Tel]

I had it on the left for years, because that's what I was taught when doing my PADI stuff,
but when I had to donate in a not particularly deep OOG incident (TBH they could have just
surfaced), it was such a CF with the hose bent backwards and making it short, that I
switched to the left and have been using it that way ever since.

[Woz]

I have it coming from the left but clipped on the right. Just to be difficult.

[Spirit of Guernsey]

Primary donate here too. After being shown by Garf, I have never wanted to go another way, even on a single.

[Jizz Monkey]

Depends on which setup, as i have it generally setup that anyone can take either of my two regulators, as i admit ive been the victim of a bungeed necklace debacle that put my life at risk and hence i now scorn anyone who fixes in place the "bungeed" regulator... ;-)

[Woz]

Primary donate here too. After being shown by Garf, I have never wanted to go another way, even on a single.

I sometimes do that on a twinset. Depends who I am diving with. On a single it's normally BSAC club divers who have all learned to AS take so that's the kit I use. They wouldn't know a long hose if you strangled them with it as, I suspect, 95% of the worlds divers wouldn't either.

[Woz]

Interestingly, anyone read the cavern diving bit in Diver? They all seem to be breathing off a necklaced reg on a badly hoglooped long yellow hose. Not sure what all that is about.

[String]

People READ diver?