Sidemount/Hogarthian Travel Rig

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rakpix

Contributor
Scuba Instructor
Divemaster
Messages
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Location
Houston, TX
# of dives
200 - 499
i am putting together a BP/W rig which i want to be as flexible as possible. i want this meet the requirments of the most dive scenarios possible, specifically while traveling.

-> single HP-X8-130 wo/ adapter

-> doubles HP-X7-100

-> sidemount AL80

-> occasional monkey diving :p

the best rig i've come up with so far is an oxycheq/oms combo. i would mate the oxycheq travel backplate with an OMS doughnut single bladder BC.

OxyCheq Travel Backplate reviews and discounts, OxyCheq
OMS Single Bladder without retraction bands 32 lb. lift

will this do the job? could there be any conflicts between the two manufacturers? from the looks of things, both will accomidate cam straps without a STA. and finally, what should i do about a harness? i know the DIR folks will say make one yourself, but i'm a bit averse to just lashing together webbing and hardware!
 
Technically I wouldn't ever suggest you try an make anything universal because then it wont be really good at any one thing...

But the transpac, though not even close to hogarthian, is designed to work with double and single tanks and sidemount bottles. It can be modified from stock to have no padding and you can move the d-rings or eliminate the unnecessary ones. I'm not a huge transpac fan but it would probably fit your requirements.
 
The Zeagle Express Tech might also work. But get it with a shorter inflator hose. Not as robust as the nomad, but cheaper. And I think there are people using the adapting the Ranger for doubles and sidemount too. But I agree with Northwoodsdiver about trying to make things universal.
The Oxycheq plate wouldn't be the best for sidemount. It's rigid, so poses the danger of getting wedged in tight spaces. And you're going to have to restrain the wing so it doesn't 'taco'. You definitely wouldn't look like one of the 'cool kids':cool2:...
There was a thread on one of these forums talking about how using a singles wing for doubles could bend the the plate.
 
If someone is planning on doing sidemount diving vs diving sidemount configuration,a back plate is a bad idea since it can cause you to get keyholed.
 
Hi Rakpix,

I saw your post and wanted to see if I could help. If you're looking for a lightweight travel rig (not sidemount), the wing/backplate configuration you've found above sounds like it will do the trick.

If you're looking to sidemount bottles, then you'll want to look for a rig designed for sidemounting. Even if you're diving in open water, sidemount typically has a bit more drag and you'll want to make sure your configuration helps you be as efficient as possible. If you look at sidemount rigs (such as the Nomad, Armadillo, etc.) you'll see that the wing actually resides underneath the harness, which keeps it in low profile, helping you be efficient in the water and maintain a low profile if you will be squeezing into tight spaces (wreck/cave, etc.)

Next, you'll want to look at the lift of the wing and compare it to the tanks you'll be diving. Double steel 100s are going to require a bigger lift than 32lbs of the wing you've selected. Especially, if you dive in the ocean, wetsuit and have to contend with some waves (waiting at the surface for a boat, etc.). What is great about going with a sidemount rig for the various configurations you've got, is that the wing stays in low profile and you can control the amount of lift according to the tanks you're wearing.

Finally, you're rig will need some attachement points for the tanks. You've got to have a buttplate and bungees or some type of system for the tanks to ride. If you clip them to chest d-rings and waist-d-rings of the harness, you're no longer sidemounting.

For a more Hogarthian rig, remove excess hardware, bungee down shoulder adjustment straps and remove extra padding. Finally, be sure the rig you buy is tested in your diving environment. Some of the sidemount rigs out there are ideal for warm water diving or cold water diving with a drysuit, but cannot transition to the opposite water/exposure protection conditions. Just do some good research.

Here's a link to the Nomad as well as Dive Rite TV that has videos about sidemounting on our website. Maybe these will be helpful. In any case, I'd make sure you're buying a rig that meets your sidemount requirement if that's what you truly want.

Best,
Kathleen
 

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