Upper Tank mounting points: Bungees and/or chokers

[Caveeagle]

..Don't be afraid of playing on your own. Develop a system that works for you. Make your own harnesses if it seems right. HAVE FUN. That's the reason we dive, isn't it?

Honestly.. I am perfectly happy diving BM doubles for most situations and will probably keep that option open to me. I enjoy playing around with gear and figuring things out. There's a part of me that wish there were more folks fabricating gear and trying new things. Don't get me wrong.. I am glad that folks like Lamar at DR are making fine gear that almost anyone can strap on and run with. But I think we have lost an edge from when "cave diver" or "wreck diver" was almost synonymous with DIY or fabricator.

 

[Bennno]

Agencies and a few divers are trying to standardize side mount, but why?

Why not? You could make the same case for BM diving. Even if there is a 'standard' you don't have to dive it that way. DIR only kind of standardized twin-set diving around 15 or 20 years ago and I don't see it as a negative. Standardisation can be a good starting point for people that start out with SM diving.

 

[The Chairman]

Why not?

Why? To stifle progress? To give them some mythical status?

But I think we have lost an edge from when "cave diver" or "wreck diver" was almost synonymous with DIY or fabricator.

I agree with this. My first Sidemount was home made. I learned a lot by pulling a normal BC apart and reworking it for my needs. I still own it somewhere. Hollis and Dive Rite have rigs that are so much better. I love my Nomad LTZ.

 

[Bennno]

Why? To stifle progress? To give them some mythical status?

No. To make it more accessible for beginners and to raise quality if instruction... there are some SM instructors out there that seem to no clue about what they're doing and having some sort or 'guideline' would help the situation. Having a standard doesn't mean you have to stop building your own rigs or dive how you like. I also think it would be more useful for OW SM training and not so much for cave SM training.

 

[The Chairman]

To make it more accessible for beginners

Why? Why do they need better access? Back when SB first started there was a big discussion about when to take a doubles class. Most of us thought that if you weren't ready to figure it out on your own, then you simply weren't ready. I think that's true here. I don't have a real beef with instructors teaching Side Mount, but then I appreciate those that take the long route as well. Your understanding is far, pardon the pun, deeper if you take your time and just figure it out.

 

[tursiops]

Life isn't long enough to make all the mistakes yourself. Better to learn from others' mistakes.

 

[Bennno]

Most of us thought that if you weren't ready to figure it out on your own, then you simply weren't ready. I think that's true here.

In theory maybe but this is not the reality of the business these days. There're are bad instructors and new divers wanna learn SM diving so you might as well make it more accessible for 'new mainstream' divers. What would be the downside?
15 years ago you were probably talking about cave divers that should be able to figure out SM for themselves and that I agree with. I wouldn't expect newer divers to figure out a good config for themselves though. In the end of the day I think SM is just an alternative for doubles (at least in OW).

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Here is my HOG sidemount arrangement. The bungees get clipped off to the waist d rings until I have it on. Then I move them to the outside loop on the custom sliders once I have it on. Those are the 1st gen sliders. The 2nd gen have larger end loops. No quick links. Just run the bungee through the bolt snap. It stays connected and doesn't dangle or get in the way.

 

[Caveeagle]

Life isn't long enough to make all the mistakes yourself. Better to learn from others' mistakes.

I like having the option of either learning myself, or employing an instructor. What I don't like is: an attitude that you have no business trying out new skills without signing up for a new cert. I remember being asked once when and where I got certified to dive doubles. My response: "Um, I was not even aware that I could get certified for doubles. I learned just after getting my Intro to cave class. And my cave instructor and buddies worked it through with me. No special class."

Here is my HOG sidemount arrangement. The bungees get clipped off to the waist d rings until I have it on. Then I move them to the outside loop on the custom sliders once I have it on. Those are the 1st gen sliders. The 2nd gen have larger end loops. No quick links. Just run the bungee through the bolt snap. It stays connected and doesn't dangle or get in the way.
View attachment 376926 View attachment 376927

I like those 'first gen' sliders! The ones that came on my rig have smaller side holes and are square. Those look much better.

 

[Bennno]

I remember being asked once when and where I got certified to dive doubles.

What course would that be? I haven't heard of a doubles class.