Beginner in SM diving

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lolleke

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Messages
4
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Location
Belgium - Europe
# of dives
100 - 199
Hi,
I'm a belgian and coldwater diver. I dive mostly in quarrys.
Because I problems with my back and I still want to dive, I'm thinking about diving in the sidemount system.
Here in Belgium it's rarely that you find something about sidemount.
That's why I registererd on this forum.
I'm a beginner in sidemount diving. So every advice I can use.
For example: if I want to start SM diving, which system (ready to dive) can I use, suitable for coldwaterdives?
How about weight systems? Are you using weight belts? Which divebottles can I use (european)?
Thanks
 
I use a DiveRite Nomad XT with the weight plate - if you use steel cylinders you can easily dive dry without a weight belt. The weight plate should easily hold 10-11 kilos of lead. For me this is more than enough for drysuit in salt water.

If you are only going to dive sidemount I old look at the Razor system -- looks very nice, but I still back mount singles and doubles with my nomad occasionally so needed a more flexible setup.
 
For diving cold waters and steel cylinders you will want to look at rigs like the Dive Rite Nomad or Hollis SMS100. Both offer about 27kg of lift and can handle steel cylinders. In my opinion, smaller cylinders are best regardless of configuration. Larger cylinder tend to cause an increase in respiratory rate. Here is an article I recently wrote about choosing cylinders - Sidemount Cylinders « Rob Neto. It deals primarily with US made cylinders, but can be applied to European cylinders as well. In most situations with steel cylinders you won't need any additional weight, but this will depend on your own personal buoyancy. Interesting you should post this now. I just had a student from Belgium complete a cavern class with me this month and he is returning in July to complete a sidemount class with me, so you will have a sidemount trained diver in Belgium soon.
 
+1 for Dive Rite Nomad or Hollis SMS100. I dive a Nomad EXP with HP steel 100cuft tanks and only use two 2 pound trim weights which I have mounted on the shoulder strap webbing.

Be prepared for a steep learning curve. I start every side mount dive cursing the system, and vowing to switch to back-mount doubles, but finish those dives convinced that side-mount is the only way :wink:

I started diving the standard configuration with the pull-dump on the bottom of the wing, and the inflator on the shoulder. This doesn't work, and in my opinion, it can be dangerous, as the pull-dump is difficult to reach with a sidemount cylinder attached. Most people switch (pull-dump on the shoulder, and inflator on the bottom, routed up along the left shoulder strap). IT IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO EXTEND THE PULL-DUMP CORD, AND ATTACH ONE END TO THE SHOULDER STRAP SO THAT IT IS NOT IMPINGED BY THE INFLATION OF THE WING, AND IS EASILY ACCESSIBLE FOR VENTING YOUR WING. I can't stress this enough.

I found it helpful to look at systems people are actually using to dive, then ask why they do this, that, or the other.
 
Hi,
Thanks for the replies. In Europe is sidemount diving not yet well known. The tanks that you mensioned (LP85), I don't find them in Europe.
Here you find a list with possible tanks.
Faber Industrie
 
IMO as a new sidemount diver especially if your usuing it just to rec dive The SMS 100 is an excelent system to use especially in a drysuit. Its not as streamline as the Razor and some others but its an excelent and adaptable system!
 
Personally, I think the SMS100 is a cluttered mess. It's best to try different options and decide what suits you best. Sidemount is new, but dealers in SM rigs do tend to be happy to promote products - so it never hurts to ask for a trial...
 
thats true and if i was someplace warm I prolly wouldnt have gotten the SMS but its a nice set up for coldwater diving! Laid out nice and simple for when your in a drysuit with less flexibility! But i guess i should add that mine isnt exactly out of the box! lol thats the nice thing about sidemount at the rec/tec40 level is you can adapt it to suit you. If i went/was planning to go past tec 40 id have it set up a lot different! If i had more SM experence34 I might find faults with it but so far i love it! We do try in the pool but as of right now only carry the SMS 50 and SMS 100 just becuase of the brands we carry.
 
I dive hp100's with drysuit and I use a nomad XT. I would not seriously consider the razor with steel as they are heavy and the DR ring bungee system on the nomad works great to keep them streamlined and high in your pits where they belong.

2 hp100's + drysuit = no weight needed. It is still a pain to carry around the heavy steel tanks IMO; Easier than doubles but after diving hp100's you'll think you are nude when you switch back to Al80's.
 

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