Learn Backmount First

It was recommended to learn backmount before going to sidemount. I realize everyone has their own view and I do not think its "wrong" but I am wondering if anyone can shed some light on why that may be the case.

To make it clear, are you talking about BM doubles or just general single tank backmount?

I did several manifold double backmount dives with an instructor and then went and did a sidemount class with different instructor. Having expirienced both, I chose sidemount. Boat exits and entires in sidemount were more difficult for me than exits and entries were for my classmates who were diving manifold doubles - the crew showed no interest on me clipping out of my tanks in the water and handing them up. This is just one example of a potential difference between the two....there are others so it seems to me there is value in expiriencing both before just up and deciding on sidemount. Just my 2 PSI.

BM Doubles sorry for not being clear.

beanojones:

To make it clear, are you talking about BM doubles or just general single tank backmount?

Click to expand...

---------- Post added April 28th, 2012 at 07:21 PM ----------

Thanks I was thinking about those situations and the person whom suggested this I respect his input, I just did not get a chance to ask him the"why" he suggested that before he left.

Thanks

scuba127:

I did several manifold double backmount dives with an instructor and then went and did a sidemount class with different instructor. Having expirienced both, I chose sidemount. Boat exits and entires in sidemount were more difficult for me than exits and entries were for my classmates who were diving manifold doubles - the crew showed no interest on me clipping out of my tanks in the water and handing them up. This is just one example of a potential difference between the two....there are others so it seems to me there is value in expiriencing both before just up and deciding on sidemount. Just my 2 PSI.

Click to expand...

Does the person who suggest this dive BM or SM primarily? Does this person even dive SM?

Not sure I know they BM they were not against sidemount just recommened learning BM.

I am going to do what I feel is good for me just like to do my homework. I am most certainly going to learn sidemount some time in the near future, looks so natural.

Dive-aholic:

Does the person who suggest this dive BM or SM primarily? Does this person even dive SM?

Click to expand...

Personally I say learn both, and it does not really matter the order you learn them in. I think both are great tools to have and each have their positives and negatives.

I agree with JamesK. Learn both and see what works for you. I learned SM way before trying BM doubles. In fact I didnt touch a set of doubles until Trimix 1.

Once PADI opened up sidemount (because like it or not, if PADI does it, it gets airtime, and thus acceptance), I knew I would never wear BM doubles again.

So for me, it is a no brainer. I cannot think of any reason to ever dive BM doubles*. Everything is just a pain in the butt.

Here's a weird but often true fact about BM in daily diving, like in Trimix dives to search for gold doubloons (seriously, that's a trippy way to do too much tech diving in a short amount of time, operating dredges/vaccuums for hours): The harness never comes off the tanks. So not only do you have to deal with the doubles and manfolds, you also get little squirrelly bits of of webbing waiting to trip you and drop the doubles on you, after they knock you down. And damn it sucks to be dragging the doubles around when all you want to do is sleep.


Actually if you are doing a lot of work at a fixed depth having 5 or six sets of doubles on plain harness is pretty easy to deal with,use the set up drop it off and put on a new one. Lather, Rinse, Repeat. But they are an absolute bear to deal with out of the water. SM can be futsy, especially when you are adjusting the length of the bungie loop for the bottom clip and positions of the bottom clip, for instance. But futsy is annoying, not deadly heavy like BM

mainedvr:

It was recommended to learn backmount before going to sidemount. I realize everyone has their own view and I do not think its "wrong" but I am wondering if anyone can shed some light on why that may be the case.

Click to expand...

The question really has two, somewhat different, potential directions: 1) why would leaning BM first be better than learning SM first, and 2) why would someone recommed BM first over SM first.

I have trouble saying that learning one or the other first is better. I could make the argument that learning SM first might be a little easier - in some ways rigging is more modular, the valve drills are a whole lot easier, etc. But, learning to dive double tanks has some specific requirements, irresepctive of the configuration.

As for the other direction, my impression is that many / most people who dive SM started out diving BM and then converted to, or added, SM diving. I did. So, learning to dive a SM configuration was in many ways relatively straightforward - and therefore I might say, 'Learn BM first - after that SM will be easier.'

Of course, some might take the pisition, 'Learn BM first, like a REAL doubles diver.', or 'Learn BM first - I had to do it that way and you should have to do it that way, too.' That is something akin to saying, 'Back when I learned to dive doubles, to get to and from the dive site in my BM double 130s, I had to walk five miles uphill - each way - through the snow, barefoot.'