Anybody know of anybody trying sidemount and not liking it

[mathauck0814]

I think for me with the diving that I do it's unnecessary and inconvenient. I'm young and strong enough to back mount my tanks, I have muscle memory for where slung bottles and isolator valves are, I have no physical ailments that prevent me from lifting a full technical kit or reaching valves and I'm not squeezing into the kind of tight spaces that would necessitate the use of a different configuration. I'm not opposed to it if the dive calls for its use, or if you've got a malady that is relieved by side mounting. But for young, strong divers doing mostly open water stuff, I just see backmount as the better tool.

Someday, I might change my mind on that... for now, I'm happy where I'm at.

 

[DevonDiver]

I think for me with the diving that I do it's unnecessary and inconvenient.....Someday, I might change my mind on that... for now, I'm happy where I'm at.

Out of interest, what training have you had on sidemount?

 

[AfterDark]

I can't say I don't like but I don't like enough to sell my backmount gear in order to be able to buy sidemount gear or to spend the money for training. Backmount has served me well for over 40 years why change now? It's not like I'll be diving another 40 years ;(

 

[mathauck0814]

Out of interest, what training have you had on sidemount?

In terms of cards? None. I dive with a number of UTD divers and instructors who prefer sidemount and who have worked with me informally to give it a shot. Not my cup of tea. Honestly, I probably have fewer than ten hours in that configuration though, so perhaps it's an acquired taste.

 

[TSandM]

I don't have any training in sidemount, but I can't imagine any training making the rig feel any more comfortable than it did the day I played with it at Rob's. (The Razor setup I fooled around with later on showed me how important it is to have everything set up properly for maximal comfort, though.) It felt GOOD. It's just that that wasn't enough motivation to make me buy a whole new (and expensive) set of equipment and spend the time kit-fettling to solve all the idiosyncratic problems. I understand backmount and can use it, and I don't particularly like crawling through very small cave, so I'm good the way I am for the time being.

 

[JamesK]

I am still relatively young, turn 37 today, I can hump a 75 pound ruck sack and M249 with ammo 15 miles, can run a half marathon, and bike 30-50 miles without issue. I just simply prefer the feel of it underwater and that feeling trumps any perceived inconvenience above water IMO.

 

[FoxHound]

I can't say I don't like but I don't like enough to sell my backmount gear in order to be able to buy sidemount gear or to spend the money for training. Backmount has served me well for over 40 years why change now? It's not like I'll be diving another 40 years ;(

never say never....you might

I plan on diving until someone refuses to push my old ass in a wheelchair to the waters edge

 

[JamesK]

never say never....you might

I plan on diving until someone refuses to push my old ass in a wheelchair to the waters edge

Hoverround! Who needs a wheel chair? You can even get Medicare to pay for it! Lol.

 

[AfterDark]

never say never....you might

I plan on diving until someone refuses to push my old ass in a wheelchair to the waters edge

Already some of the younger guys I dive with are helping the old guy out toting gear and such. Makes me sad at some level.

 

[Kevrumbo]

Did Chuuk Lagoon & Palau in Nov-Dec'11 in Z-system Sidemount, but will be returning again this Oct for the whole month only in conventional BP/W backmount manifolded doubles & single tank diving. . .

I've got a ruptured cornea and cannot see out of my left eye, and would like to keep things as easy as possible: no bottom mix tank switches with straightforward gas management (and deny any temptation of unclipping sidemounts -- "dismounting"-- to get into tight spaces by just not bringing the Z-system at all).

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