What do I Buy???

[BertP]

Nice video. I think, though, if I go side mount, I will stick to back mount with singles until I get more experience with side mounting doubles. Any suggestions as to where I can buy a Nomad?

 

[Dive-aholic]

Cave Adventurers, open 8am-6pm CST 365.

Call Edd, 850-482-6016, and tell him Rob referred you.

 

[BertP]

Will do. Thanks.

 

[BertP]

System ordered

 

[Turtle27]

Well - I've been purusing the threads and I don't mean to hi-jack a hi-jacker, but had a question in similarlity.

I've been eyeing the nomad, but a couple people up here in the north are really talking about the Hollis SMS as if it were the 2nd comming.

Any thoughts regarding it? Especially vs the Nomad?

Dive-aholic I'd love your opinion, and in a few years take a couple weeks to come train down in that area would be fantastic (I grew up in FL - Tampa - and have always wanted to dive the caves).

 

[Dive-aholic]

I posted this in another thread -

Took a modified SMS100 on a dive today. This rig has the shoulder strap position changed, additional bars on the butt plate portion of the harness, a different bungee system, and the LP inflator coming off the bottom.

I like the shoulder strap position better, but the way this mod was done, it's not easily repositioned.

One of the issues I had with the rails on the standard rig are they are too close together. I am pretty flexible and can easily do valve drills in backmount, however, I had a very hard time reaching the rails the first time I tried this rig. Additional rails have been installed on this rig in a more outer location. However, because of the location where they had to be placed, the stability I'm used to having in my Nomad wasn't there. My cylinders wouldn't stay where they were supposed to, moving quite a bit with my movement.

Finally, I had the hardest time purging air from the wing. There were times I had to go vertical to get enough air out (not a good thing in a cave). After the dive I examined the rig and noticed the shoulder exhaust is located on the underside of the wing. In all fairness, it's supposed to be located on the "top" of the wing, but because of the design, the exhaust lays down toward the front. One of the reasons I like my dump on the shoulder is the ease of dumping air without having to leave my horizontal position. This isn't possible in the SMS100, at least a complete purge isn't.

I was hoping the SMS100 would work out better than it has, but, at least for me, it hasn't. Again, this isn't to say the Nomad is perfect by any means. I have made extensive modifications to my Nomad to make it work for me. The difference is the modifications I've made haven't required an industrial sewing machine or relocating dump valves.

Keep in mind, the SMS100 was designed and tested by a diver who dives sidemount configuration but doesn't sidemount dive.

 

[Turtle27]

Thanks Rob - odd quote at the end - diver who dives sidemount config but doesn't dive actual sidemount.

I understand everyone is different with their own tweaks and mods, and it seems the Nomad might be more versatile/forgiving with them.

Reason I ask, besides hearing some seem to love them, is I have an option to pick one up cheap with a couple of DC1 first stages, 212 2nds - and of course the SPGs, line, hoses etc etc... DS is wanting to put one in and get my thoughts on it (see if it will help sell in the area) and so is just trying to get me into it for almost nothing - seems like a great way to get a whole sidemount config (that I was hoping would be decent!) for very little money.

Soooo looking at what you said, at least for caves might not be idea (without some severe mods) but a decent entry lvl system for the price. I'll have to weigh the options however, as cave diving is extremely high on my list of must dos, and I'd rather not buy something that really is useless after a bit.

Fair bit of just thinking aloud here, but the simple question would be - if someone is handing you the system for next to nothing, take it or save your pennies and go for something a bit different (i.e. Nomad or others?).

Edit: Also, were you diving the single or dual wing? And when dumping you couldn't vent enough from the lower valve? Or just preference to be able to vent from the shoulder (precision?)

 

[Dive-aholic]

Diving a sidemount configuration simply means you dive in the gear. Sidemount diving means you dive in places it was intended for.

The main issue with the SMS100 that is universal regardless of the environment you dive it in is the soft webbing they use for the shoulder harness. It doesn't secure the cylinders very well.

If I had to spend a few hundred dollars (read cost) for the SMS100, I'd save a few hundred more and get something different.

I was diving the single wing with the inflator moved to the butt dump and the exhaust moved to the shoulder. In other systems, this allows a sidemount diver to dump air without breaking horizontal trim. This isn't possible in the SMS100.