High Performance Recreational Configuration

[Thalassamania]

Freedom Plate - In the mail
Moves weight from a belt to over my torso, where I need it, keeps the tank off my tail bone, might keep me from arching my back too much, and uses a hog harness.
(I currently am using a Mark Meadows Low Profile Travel Plate.. Using a shorter tank or rebreather canister it would be perfect for me, but an Aluminum 80 is long enough to dig into my tail bone when mounted.. its "too low profile"

Oxycheq Hogarthian Harness
Simple, fits me well, pretty easy to adjust if necessary, cheap and easy to replace as it ages..


Oxycheq 18# Travel Wing
Compact and enough buoyancy for my recreational needs, easy enough to patch if I pierce it.


Poseidon Xstream Deco
Light weight, side exhaust, easy breather, parts can be expensive BUT Scuba Toys has a nice deal regarding that:
"We will do annual service for $49.95 on any reg purchased from us. And parts are free for life!"
(And they matched divers-supply.com's price =) )


Atomic Aquatics SS1
Combined Alternate Air Source and Inflator, eliminates another hose, rated for 2 year service interval, relatively compact.


Oceanic Atom 1.0 Wireless Air integrated Wrist Computer
Eliminates one hose, and a few places that could leak. Best of all it lets me turn off audible alarms!!!!


Dive Rite Z-Knife - shoulder mount
Safe to use blade that mounts in a minimum of space and stays put.


Dive Rite Stainless Steel Cam Bands
Spares that I have laying around... *might* have my LDS order me a set of the Scubapro hinge style.


Dive Rite Fingerspool with Hi Viz Orange line
Small and compact, very easy to see the line.


See Me Safety Signal Tube
Signal Marker Buoy for open water safety stops and boat signaling.. 14 pounds of lift for recovering that treasure chest I'll never find


Cressi Minima Mask, Black skirt
Very low volume, easy to clear, stays put on my face and does not pull up on my nose. Fits my face very well


Omer-Sub Millennium Black freediving fins
Trying these this weekend, will see how that goes.. if they don't live up to my expectations, back to my Scubapro Twin Jets and/or DiveRite Spring Strap Paddles


Omer-Sub Zoom Pro Soft - Black Snorkel
I don't typically use a snorkel, but for when I do, this one is light, and you could tie it in a knot and then untie it and it would be fine =)


Omer-Sub Rubber Weight Belt
In the event I need a few extra pounds, this weight belt has some stretch to it so it won't fall off when my suit compresses.


Aeris XR Compass Clip Mount boot
Since I almost never use my compass, a clip mount boot to keep it secure and out of the way until I want it..

A few thoughts:

Poseidon Xstream Deco – great regulator, I really like side breathers but I’d give some thought to either an older Cyclon 300 or even better a OCEANIC OMEGA II CDX.

Atomic Aquatics SS1 – I also like the Combined Alternate Air Source and Inflator concept. The SS1 is one of the better choices. I use an inflator mechanism that MARES made that permits that attachment of a second stage to the bottom of it. In this configuration the OCEANIC OMEGA II second stage is perfect and makes the whole shebang exactly the right length (at least for me).

Oceanic Atom 1.0 Wireless Air integrated Wrist Computer. – Atom 2.0 is now available.

Omer-Sub Millennium Black freediving fins – Great freediving fins, a bit short on maneuverability for SCUBA.

Omer-Sub Rubber Weight Belt &#8211; Rubber weight belts are great. The Omer-Sub comes in two configurations (that I know of) each of which has problems. The &#8220;plastic buckle&#8221; version has a regular airplane type thread thru buckle that can&#8217;t be trusted and the &#8220;classic&#8221; version has a standard belt buckle (like you use on your pants) that can&#8217;t be quick released. But there is hope<G>. Get a rubber belt with a wire bail buckle (Trident item WB-45) or their copy of the SeaQuest belt (Trident item WB-33) which I like even better.

Cressi Minima Mask &#8211; great mask. Take a good look at the Omer-Sub masks if you get a chance.

Aeris XR Compass Clip Mount boot &#8211; Try this instead: Get a Velcro dive watch band, make 4 slits in the cuff of your glove and weave the band through them. Mount a Suunto SK-5 compass on the band on top of your wrist (easy to do, four screws), and your Atom 2.0 on the band on the inside of your wrist (better since now the loss of a single pin will not mean that you loose your Atom). Now your compass, computer and glove are a single item and everything is right where you need it. If your going to wear your Atom for everyday (and that&#8217;s quite cool) just get and extra Velcro band, they&#8217;re more comfortable and secure anyway.

Best of luck, let us know what you finally do, how it works our for your first dive with the gear and what you've changed after a few months.

 

[victor]

I am looking into a similar rig for warm water diving, max will be 3mm 1 piece, mostly I will be diving in a skin.
I am concerned about being negative without any weights. I hope to use a 300bar steel tank to extend my dive times, most of my diving will be shallow.
Not sure about the wireless preasure guage, I am still in 2 minds about that technology. I like the idea of loosing the hose, but I am worried about it getting damaged.

Keep us informed how it all fits together and post a picture if possible.

 

[Mr.X]

I have been rec diving with side mounts on a transpac =)

I set up my transpac to do side mounts for cave training.. and was too lazy to put it back into back mount... but, I have been diving with just a single cylinder slung on the left side.. and am fairly well balanced

That's terrific. You already into tech/side mount cave configs.! All you need now is a scooter for the crotch ring and off you go!

 

[ScottB]

I'd get myself killed with a scooter

Besides.. I'd need a hand truck to get it and my tanks to the water.. I'm tempted to get a hand truck as it is..

My left knee is pretty well trashed... I started sidemount to protect my knee from carrying doubles on land

My 13th dive ever was sidemount =)