Hose protectors?

[Digger]

Guys, I've seen a fair few units with hose protectors on them now, and I'm starting to wonder firstly why they're there (unless it really is as simple as just protecting your precious hoses) and whether they cause any problems.

I was thinking that maybe having a cover over it might hide a leak in the hose, and a genuine leak might be mistaken for trapped air in the cover.

One other thing, what are these protectors made out of? I was going to bodge some together with neoprene I've got lying about, but won't this be pretty floaty? Is it worth making them out of something a bit negative (if such a cloth should exist?)

Thanks in advance. As you can see, I'm a bit green on all this gubbins.

Digs.

[Diving Daisy]

How about 'chainmail' technically a cloth of sorts, and gets around all the possible problems you listed!

[beanie]

to protect the hoses from sharp edges

oh and make it look pretty

AP make them out of balistic nylon for £3.88 each

[beanie]

Stainless Overbraid
http://www.bsr-aerotek.com/finishers.htm

[HK Diver]

Oxycheq make some nice hose protectors for rebreathers

http://www.oxycheq.com/RB_Hose_Protectors.html

I have dived with these and suffer no extra bouyancy or trapped air issues.