is Sidemount diving more safe?

[Wibble]

It’s apparently an issue for some people with shorter arms that they have a difficult time reaching the butt dump (the only dump) on the X-Deep style SM rigs when the wing is fully inflated.

I’ve modified mine to add a remote dump line to the left hip. Others who dive Sidewinders have modified theirs to have a shoulder dump as the Sidewinder canister gets in the way.

Shorter arms and cold water underclothes make it hard to reach.

Oh, also added a halyard stopper ball (ask a sailor) to be able to grab the butt dump.

 

[grantmac]

It’s apparently an issue for some people with shorter arms that they have a difficult time reaching the butt dump (the only dump) on the X-Deep style SM rigs when the wing is fully inflated.

I made a series of adjustments on mine which made it difficult (I've since corrected it). At full inflation the inflator dumps fine, or you can go head up and dump almost the entire wing with it.

 

[MidOH]

Being able to shut down a valve and analyse what's going wrong is possible in sidemount; far more difficult in backmount. Sidemount 1, Backmount 0.

Difficult, but not impossible. Side mount sure is a floppy mess when you start adding more bottles or a rebreather.

Looks like wreck divers avoid it, and cave divers love it.

Having two completely redundant gas sources should anything happen whereas backmount you could breathe down your entire gas source. Sidemount 1, Backmount 0.

You dont have to run a manifold. You can have 2 completely independent sources, if you feel the need.

Having superb trim and streamlining, even when at any angle. Sidemount 1, Backmount 0.

Being able to split your equipment up for carrying and transport. Sidemount 1, Backmount 0.

It's also sloppier on a boat or ladder. Your rig is always split and jiggles like a clocks pendulum, if that clock was made from jello.

Cheaper testing and servicing (no manifold). Sidemount 1, Backmount 0.

Having a lower profile when in wrecks or overheads. Sidemount 1, Backmount 0.

So far that's 6-nill to Sidemount.

I'd rather be tall, than wide.

Sidemount ain't without its own drawbacks.

 

[Germie]

I don't think there is a difference in safety between diving a twinset or sidemount tanks.
The depth and the divesite make it more or less 'dangerous' or safe. But there are divesites where a twinset is not the best way to get in the water and in other places sidemount is not the best.
Also you must consider the rist of a stolen cylinder as you walk 3 times with sidemount and only 1 time with backmount (not talking about decogases).

But diving is diving, every diver has to deal with the same physics and breaths from the same regulator that must give gas. It doesn't matter what agency you got certs from, there is with every dive a risk. We always say within 2 years every diver had his first diving accident. Most times no dcs, but falling down when walking to the divesite or let a piece of weight falling on your foot.

 

[Wibble]

Have to answer each part in turn...

Difficult, but not impossible. Side mount sure is a floppy mess when you start adding more bottles or a rebreather.

Can you feather a backmount valve?

I remember jumping in with backmount and doing the customary flow-check, ensuring that the valves were in the right place, i.e. open. I found my RH valve was so tight I couldn't turn it because it's behind my shoulder and there's no leverage on the valve whatsoever. Had to ask another diver to turn the valve, blowing my "self-resilience" out of the water.

Looks like wreck divers avoid it, and cave divers love it.

Have seen plenty of wreck divers in sidemount. Agreed, it's not great with more than one decompression cylinder and even one is a bit awkward. What I have observed is that the people who dive sidemount off boats are generally pretty good; they don't faff around and interfere with other divers as per the myths.

You dont have to run a manifold. You can have 2 completely independent sources, if you feel the need.

Independent twins is great. But... you can't feather valves and the hoses are routed behind your head. Thus if you've a rupture or other issue it's the inefficient arm behind the head to try to shut it down. No feathering. Of course you can just say soddit and let the gas go and just abort the dive on the remaining tank.

It's also sloppier on a boat or ladder. Your rig is always split and jiggles like a clocks pendulum, if that clock was made from jello.

Again, depends how you rig the things. If you've a bottom boltsnap and a top bungee, it is as sloppy as hell. But who does that? You rig your chest D-rings with two per side, one a couple of inches lower than the other. The top one is used for clipping crap onto in the normal manner, the lower is use for clipping on your standard stage-bottle rigged sidemount cylinders. Use a man-sized boltsnap (easier, stronger, longer) and the tank sits under your armpit as per a floppy bungee.

The main benefit is you can walk around the boat with your stages in place. Better than that you can leave the bungee hooking on until you're in the water as it's a b'stard to put the bungee in place when sitting down on the bench. Same with getting out of the water on the lift (I know you Americans love to climb ladders... ), you unhook the bungees in the water and let the cylinders fall forward so you're narrower.

Standing on the dive lift; these two ali80s were bungeed to keep them flat during the dive. Can't see the bungee in the pic (it's covered by my arm), but it was definitely used as per every dive. You can see the two chest D-rings either side; the RHS shows the white cylinder clipped off to the lower D-ring and dangling under my armpit, with the spare double-ender and scooter clipped to the upper D-ring.

I'd rather be tall, than wide.

It's only as wide as you make it! Diving with bailouts is just the opportunity to sidemount them and keep them properly under control.

Sidemount ain't without its own drawbacks.

Agreed. But there's options.

 

[Stunni]

It’s apparently an issue for some people with shorter arms that they have a difficult time reaching the butt dump (the only dump) on the X-Deep style SM rigs when the wing is fully inflated.

yeb. but there are ways to handle it. or mods.. like fix the handle sideways. or like me, i installed another dump opposite to the inflator. As i was used to it by my Apeks ..
but this means to reflect your dive and recognise you are not perfect... seldom gods behaviour

 

[MidOH]

I don't need to feather indy doubles. Just watch the air bubble away, or close the valve if it's annoying.

Maybe there's a reason others need to. But I've got 1/3+ in the other tank to surface with.

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

The Nomad Rays' rear dump valve is in the same place as my backmount wing dump valve which makes it so easy to reach.

 

[DiveLikeAMuppet]

Out of curiosity, which BCD?

I think it was Hollis Katana or some other Hollis - it has a “rec” style pulley leading to a dump valve somewhere on your back. You don’t have to get your hand near the valve so I suspect that it’s tricky to feel where is the valve in relation to your trim (and it might not dump in a position where a standard jacket would dump).

 

[DiveLikeAMuppet]

Less likely to care what other people think about your kit. SideMount 1, Backmount 0.

Having to buy two spaces on a boat with a widemount. SideMount 0, Backmount 1.

For the record: I wasn’t trying to start a flame war, just wanted to point out that each configuration mitigates different risks and one is not inherently safer than the other…