Side Mount Yes/no?

[soggybadger]

Hi to everyone. Just a quick question regarding side mount. I suffer from restricted movement in my neck and shoulders as a result of enthusiastic motorcycling and it is effecting my diving. I am unable to swim comfortably in the horizontal position with my head up (looking where I am going) and also cannot reach my tank valve with a bcd. and dry suit on. I am thinking about side mount technique as this may help by moving weight and bulk off my shoulders and also allow me to be able to reach my tank valve.any thoughts or suggestions on this would be appreciated. Thanks. Iain.

 

[Aquavelvet]

As far as moving your valves and first stages where they are easily observed and reached, sidemount will certainly help. You will also be able to carry one tank at a time to the water, and finish gearing up while in the water. I usually hook up my left tank completely and clip on the right tank with a little help from the water.
Sidemount probably wont help with keeping your head up while in horizontal trim, but having the weight and bulk off your back may make you more comfortable.

 

[soggybadger]

Thanks for the reply. Not having the tanks on my back would be a great help when exiting the water. The pain in my neck and shoulders when gravity kicks in is a bit of a downer after a great dive.

 

[Coztick]

I love the ability to fully arch and twist my back at any time. Your ability to look up should improve.

 

[kafkaland]

I would add that the ability to reach your tank valve is not a critical skill as long as you dive only single tanks. It becomes only relevant when you move to doubles. Shutting off your only tank is something you would hardly ever consider in any practical scenario. When your regulator free-flows on a single-tank rec dive, you'll go to your buddy or ascend while breathing from the free flowing reg. Only when you dive doubles the ability to isolate the tanks, shout down a post, and feather a valve to conserve gas becomes relevant. And if that's where you're going, then sidemount is definitely the answer to an inability to reach the valves on your back.

 

[johnnywulff]

You would still have a little weigh on your back for trim purpose, most of sidemount rings load them on your spine but sure will be more confortable than back mount

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I would add that the ability to reach your tank valve is not a critical skill as long as you dive only single tanks. It becomes only relevant when you move to doubles. Shutting off your only tank is something you would hardly ever consider in any practical scenario. When your regulator free-flows on a single-tank rec dive, you'll go to your buddy or ascend while breathing from the free flowing reg. Only when you dive doubles the ability to isolate the tanks, shout down a post, and feather a valve to conserve gas becomes relevant. And if that's where you're going, then sidemount is definitely the answer to an inability to reach the valves on your back.

I disagree ... people who dive singles need to be able to reach their tank valve for the opposite reason ... because jumping off a boat or beginning a descent only to realize you didn't open your valve really sucks. A local guy drowned that way several years back ... and I've known way too many divers who've gotten in the water only to realize that they'd neglected to turn their air on. Yes ... I do know the protocols ... been teaching them for more than a dozen years. But people make mistakes, and in the excitement of a dive ... particularly for newer divers who don't have a routine down pat yet ... they sometimes forget ...

But to your point, it's true ... if you can't manage your valves in back-mount doubles, then you don't belong in them. That's the reason I went to sidemount in 2010 .. I could no longer manage valve drills. As you age, you lose flexibility ... and if you want to continue doing dives that require doubles, then sidemount is a great alternative.

.... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Pedro Burrito]

I've had shoulder and spine surgeries. I cannot reach my valves if they are back mounted. I prefer side mount for the ability to get to my valves and the redundancy. Try a few different side mount rigs first to see if you like it and then to find the rig that suits you best.

 

[soggybadger]

Thanks for the replies folks. I'll be investigating the different side mount configurations to see what works best for me.

 

[Reku]

Sidemount! do it! It's fun. I had an injury and can no longer lift doubles but with SM that doesn't matter at all. I can reach everything and I don't have to carry 120lbs+ all at once. I can also fit in super tight spaces ... but that's out of the scope of the question lol. Don't go anywhere you wouldn't go in backmount. Just because you can fit doesn't mean you should lol.