Okay, the other side

[karstdvr]

karstdvr, it's interesting that you said that sidemounted tanks have more drag. We dove the cavern at JB in backmount and sidemount, and I found I noticed the flow far less in sidemount.

If you look at the surface area that is exposed,you'll see more with sidemounting compared to backmount. Many of the "old timer" sidemounters have felt that way. I dove at JB last Saturday with a backmount friend I dive with a lot,and this trip I was in sidemount. He had to dial his scooter back,which something he normally doesn't have to do.

Sidemounting has become like patent medicine and traveling medicine shows of the early 1900's (and now if you look at TV infomercials),if you use this product it will cure................ Sidemounting is a tool available to a diver,and more specifically to cave divers,but just like you wouldn't fix your car with one tool,you would have several. There are instances where sidemounting is great for bedding planes etc,but there are instances where back mounted tanks are the ideal choice. I am sorry to see that cave diver's attitude has become myopic to feel that one configuration is the panacea for all situations,versus having a complete tool box of choices between sidemount and backmount,and in very advanced situations nomounting. Unfortunately sidemount has experienced a marketing explosion,so now it is a "cool" configuration or something unique,and the market forces drive this by selling gear and classes. This is not a problem as long as we don't lose site of the fact,that this is just a tool to do the job,and it is important to keep your options open to the whole spectrum.

 

[Peter Guy]

I'm actually more interested in SM for OW diving, either shore or boat, than Caves (primarily because I do more OW diving than caves!), so I'd appreciate people's experiences with that more than Caves.

What have been the issues you've faced and how were they solved?

For example, if on a boat (say the Spree!), did you gear up on the boat and jump in or clip on in the water -- and why that way as opposed to the other?

Yes, SM is another tool, but it appears to be an interesting one and for this "fat, bald, old guy" appears to have some definate advantages.

 

[LiteHedded]

If you look at the surface area that is exposed,you'll see more with sidemounting compared to backmount. Many of the "old timer" sidemounters have felt that way. I dove at JB last Saturday with a backmount friend I dive with a lot,and this trip I was in sidemount. He had to dial his scooter back,which something he normally doesn't have to do.

Sidemounting has become like patent medicine and traveling medicine shows of the early 1900's (and now if you look at TV infomercials),if you use this product it will cure................ Sidemounting is a tool available to a diver,and more specifically to cave divers,but just like you wouldn't fix your car with one tool,you would have several. There are instances where sidemounting is great for bedding planes etc,but there are instances where back mounted tanks are the ideal choice. I am sorry to see that cave diver's attitude has become myopic to feel that one configuration is the panacea for all situations,versus having a complete tool box of choices between sidemount and backmount,and in very advanced situations nomounting. Unfortunately sidemount has experienced a marketing explosion,so now it is a "cool" configuration or something unique,and the market forces drive this by selling gear and classes. This is not a problem as long as we don't lose site of the fact,that this is just a tool to do the job,and it is important to keep your options open to the whole spectrum.

I totally agree with this

 

[DwayneJ]

If you look at the surface area that is exposed,you'll see more with sidemounting compared to backmount. Many of the "old timer" sidemounters have felt that way. I dove at JB last Saturday with a backmount friend I dive with a lot,and this trip I was in sidemount. He had to dial his scooter back,which something he normally doesn't have to do.

Sidemounting has become like patent medicine and traveling medicine shows of the early 1900's (and now if you look at TV infomercials),if you use this product it will cure................ Sidemounting is a tool available to a diver,and more specifically to cave divers,but just like you wouldn't fix your car with one tool,you would have several. There are instances where sidemounting is great for bedding planes etc,but there are instances where back mounted tanks are the ideal choice. I am sorry to see that cave diver's attitude has become myopic to feel that one configuration is the panacea for all situations,versus having a complete tool box of choices between sidemount and backmount,and in very advanced situations nomounting. Unfortunately sidemount has experienced a marketing explosion,so now it is a "cool" configuration or something unique,and the market forces drive this by selling gear and classes. This is not a problem as long as we don't lose site of the fact,that this is just a tool to do the job,and it is important to keep your options open to the whole spectrum.

I agree and I would suggest everyone here on this forum has a garage full of dive gear and multiple configurations. I just went through the exercise of paring down my own configs to "three sets" as I had too much redundant gear.

I had a guy questioning me last week about what "BCD" do I use - He wants to be a PADI Instructor... 1. He was somewhat obsessed with my BP/W but did not "realize" you can have more than one set of gear. 2. Since he does not have any gear today, I told him he needs a standard recreational BCD because all his future PADI students will be diving rec BCD's and this will get him all the way through to PADI Instructor.

Dwayne

Dwayne

 

[TSandM]

Okay, guys, I'm now feeling as though I ought to go sit in the corner for being interested in doing this . . . I've actually been thinking about SM for quite a while, simply because I need so much help getting in and out of the water at some of the cenotes, or climbing the goat tracks back to the car. Taking a SM class was on my (now very short) list of classes I still wanted to do. I'm not quite sure why I should feel at all guilty about looking into a gear configuration that solves problems for me . . . Can any of you who are suggesting that explain WHY?

 

[Dive-aholic]

I'm actually more interested in SM for OW diving, either shore or boat, than Caves (primarily because I do more OW diving than caves!), so I'd appreciate people's experiences with that more than Caves.

What have been the issues you've faced and how were they solved?

For example, if on a boat (say the Spree!), did you gear up on the boat and jump in or clip on in the water -- and why that way as opposed to the other?

Yes, SM is another tool, but it appears to be an interesting one and for this "fat, bald, old guy" appears to have some definate advantages.

On the Spree I geared up on the boat and splashed. The benches are the perfect height for setting the cylinders on while clipping them on. While I could have dropped the cylinders in the water and clipped on there, it was easier to gear up on the boat. And the lower position of the weight makes it easier to move around. I wouldn't travel very far with cylinders clipped on, but walking across a boat isn't an issue.

 

[Dive-aholic]

If you look at the surface area that is exposed,you'll see more with sidemounting compared to backmount. Many of the "old timer" sidemounters have felt that way. I dove at JB last Saturday with a backmount friend I dive with a lot,and this trip I was in sidemount. He had to dial his scooter back,which something he normally doesn't have to do.

The way I position my cylinders, a majority of that surface area is behind my shoulders so there is actually less surface area exposed toward the direction of travel.

Sidemounting has become like patent medicine and traveling medicine shows of the early 1900's (and now if you look at TV infomercials),if you use this product it will cure................ Sidemounting is a tool available to a diver,and more specifically to cave divers,but just like you wouldn't fix your car with one tool,you would have several. There are instances where sidemounting is great for bedding planes etc,but there are instances where back mounted tanks are the ideal choice. I am sorry to see that cave diver's attitude has become myopic to feel that one configuration is the panacea for all situations,versus having a complete tool box of choices between sidemount and backmount,and in very advanced situations nomounting. Unfortunately sidemount has experienced a marketing explosion,so now it is a "cool" configuration or something unique,and the market forces drive this by selling gear and classes. This is not a problem as long as we don't lose site of the fact,that this is just a tool to do the job,and it is important to keep your options open to the whole spectrum.

While I agree that sidemounting is a tool and many divers have a myopic attitude in regards to the configuration, I don't really see many places where backmount is necessarily a better option than sidemount. Personally, I like to stick to one rig because that's what my muscle memory is tuned into. While I still occasionally dive backmount, I do so using my sidemount rig. When I was using a different rig for backmount diving, I found myself reaching for my inflator, dump valve, and d-rings where they are located in my sidemount rig. In an emergency, this isn't a good thing.

Personally, I just like the feel of sidemount in the water much better than the feel of backmount. I'm more stable, have more maneuverability, and more control. And for those of us with bad joints or backs, it's a lot easier on land, too! Don't feel guilty, Lynne!

 

[karstdvr]

I don't really see many places where backmount is necessarily a better option than sidemount.

There are some fissure type caves where back mount is the best choice,in fact upstream Hart from the Black Lagoon it is highly recommended to almost the point of being mandatory. I know the common statement is that I will turn sideways and go through the passage. But,the amount of scrape marks that are new in these passages tell me that many people are unable to do this. I can understand the rationale behind muscle memory,and using one configuration,but we are highly proficient divers,and I would hope able to handle several configurations (especially those I know who dive BM,SM,and rebreather;and actively swap between them)

 

[ScubaSteve2000]

I'm certainly way back on the learning curve with sidemount diving. I really like the added stability from having the tanks along my centerline as opposed to pulling me back when hoofing it from the van to the shore. That said my beef right now is re-locating my danglies like my light and compass. I tried keeping them where they are but the location of the tanks won't allow it. I'm willing to work through it though. Partly because it's easier on my old bod to deal with two side tanks than one on my back. And partially because I like to explore nee thinks. That's what diving is about isn't it?

 

[DwayneJ]

One of the reasons I chose to Side Mount is so I can standardize on one set of gear for local/remote extended range diving without having to worry about singles/doubles/manifolds/bands and availability of tanks on various boats. I'm getting older so handling doubles together is also a consideration.

One down side is the lack of standards... The basic side mount system comprising of bungy/rear clips/ low profile BC seem to be resolved but I have observed various manufacturers taking small digs at their competitors side mound solutions or the way additional equipment is mounted...

As an example - Tail mounted canister light vs side mount canister light? Dive Rite say no/old fashioned and Steve says yes and videos show low profile/great positioning.

My buddy was at DEMA and approached a vendor with a side mount solution. Immediately the sales rep stated "this is the better that what you dive today" without talking the time to even identify what solution he dived or the type of diving he did.

Dwayne