A Vintage Revival: Double Hoses

Nowadays, when we see a double hose regulator we generally think of high end technical rebreathers and advanced diving. But back in the day, that was the norm! Jacques Cousteau and Lloyd Bridges of SeaHunt iconized the vintage design, and even though the technology is decades old, you can still get your hands on one today (for a price). These double hoses still have some practical application today, mainly for ice divers and photographers. Ice divers may prefer them because humid air is not exhaled over the moving part of the regulator, therefore there is less of a chance for ice crystals to form. Photographers enjoy them because they vent your bubbles behind your head, keeping your view unobstructed and possibly scaring the fish less.

The main double hose regulators on the market today would be the discontinued Aqualung Mistral, a limited edition run of their famous original double hose reg, and Kraken regulators available from vintagedoublehose.com. Be forewarned, though: these are increasingly becoming collectors items, and used sets can run as much as $1000 on Ebay!