Correct sizing on sidemount rigs

I've been teaching sidemount for a couple years or so now and I've noticed a common issue lately with students that come to me with rigs they bought from their local shops before coming to class. Every single rig that was bought before arriving for class has been too small. Unfortunately, there are many shops out there that carry the gear but don't do the dives. There are many instructors out there that became sidemount instructors in the same weekend they became sidemount divers. I even had a student recently who told me he had taken a sidemount course from a local instructor and when he asked him about how to configure something on his rig the instructor's response was, "You'll have to play with it and just figure it out." If that's the case, then why bother taking a class??

Anyway, a recent case had a student arrive with a Nomad that was 2 sizes too small for him. The d-rings were on top of his shoulders and there was no way to fix it. He bought it from one of the online stores that sells the gear but doesn't dive that particular gear. Unfortunately, my student had already had his rig in the water so he can't return it. He did have to buy a new rig, though. There just wasn't anything I could do with the rig he had. Hopefully, he can get back most of his money selling it.

Anyway, my point here is to not simply take the advice of a local shop on sizing sidemount rigs. Make sure you get someone who knows how they should fit so you don't make the same mistake.

Dive-aholic:

. There are many instructors out there that became sidemount instructors in the same weekend they became sidemount divers.

Click to expand...

I don't know how an instructor of any merit could let this paradigm occur. Worthwhile to do some research on a potential instructor

Dive-aholic:

Anyway, my point here is to not simply take the advice of a local shop on sizing sidemount rigs. Make sure you get someone who knows how they should fit so you don't make the same mistake.

Click to expand...

This is particularly sad given the amount of time that Edd (CaveAdventurers.com) will spend making sure you are in the right rig.

I've already had several local divers contact me asking when I'm going to start teaching sidemount. My response has been "after I learn how to use it properly" ... and actually, I'd like to dive two or three other rigs first, so as to have a basis for comparison.

I expect it'll be at least next year sometime before I consider it ... by then I should have a couple hundred more dives on one ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)