First stage, face up or down? Also, SPG sticking up or under the arm?

Still getting used to sidemounting. Though, during the last 2 dives I had, I feel more and more like at home.

First question, the 1st stage. When you are horizontal, does your 1st stage look up from the tank valve or look down? Mine is looking down. I've been told that it should be that way but I need to know why. To me it seems there will be risk of hitting it more.

Second question. I've seen some pictures where SPG does not point like an antenna up but goes down and under the arm pit. Does anyone have experience with this? How do you check the pressure, seems inconvenient. Does it help some narrow entries?

Those two aren't mutually exclusive options, btw. If you have your first-stages "up" (towards your back) then you need to run them down your tanks. This is most commonly found amongst Razor/Stealth divers. If you have your first stages down, you need to run your SPGs up in front of you. This is most commonly found amongst dry/steel-tank divers (think SMS100, Nomad, etc) Running them down is not as conducive to reading them as if they were on top of your tank. Running lollipopped (antennae style) SPGs with your first stage up top means your tanks will be WAY out of trim or you'll be bending the tar out of your HP hoses.

The preference really has nothing to do with type of rig or type of tank, but the Razor/Stealth proponents like a more minimalistic setup, and SPGs in their face is not something they want to deal with. They claim it's a tangle hazard. They also tend to fit through tighter spaces, take tanks off more, and have a need for protected/streamlined gear. I dive my SPGs in front of me and 1st stages down so that I can read my gauges quickly/easily, and my body protects my first stage. Also, those heavy steels aren't often removed.....so I have much less worries there.

oh my. Ok, so this all depends on what orientation your valve is in relation to your body and relies on your specific bungee setup. Using ring bungees the valve will point out, your "normal" valve will be on your left tank and the valve will be at about 45" cant with the knob pointing down and towards the middle of your body, closer to straight down. Using loop bungees, the situation is a bit different because the first stage can face towards your body with the knob pointing towards your elbow so running them up is required in that configuration, but can also point down if you want to run the gauges downwards like in the picture below. Regulator orientation is the same though. If you have a turret first stage the regulator is perpendicular to the tank with the ports pointing down.


Ring bungees, the side with all of the ports will be on the valve knob side, in loop bungees it will be pointing 180*. Key there being the bottom turret if you use it is really useful for a direct line into your inflator for both drysuit and wing. SPG's on a short hose stay in the bungees during travel, pop out when diving, the pressure using the thinner brass/glass SPG's will be enough to keep them up, no flaccid hoses allowed. When you want to look at tank pressure, grab SPG, bent towards you and look down at it. I prefer that to keeping the antennae look with the SPG's laying against my shoulders, but I try to avoid restrictions. If you are diving in restrictions, having them pointed up makes them easier to look at if you don't have the vertical space to bend down, also tends to protect them a bit better since with them on the bottom, if you're squirming they can get beat up pretty badly.

Edit: To Victors point, if the first stages face up and you want the gauges to come forward you need to find the older Genesis valves that cock the first stage back and then it isn't a problem. You can run first stages down with spg's down, just have to use 6" hoses and lighter SPG's so they don't sink due to gravity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4b4ALHX22ek&list=UUVCYEickXcRonYDFqvvZ4hw
One video on sidemount regulator options

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6n5RMSLdwI8&list=WL&index=2
another good video option. My regs are routed similar to the diverite video fwiw

I see no reason to have the first stages out (Unless you're using ring bungees, still trying to think a way around that). Just means you're more likely to bash them on something. With SPGs down the cylinder, just pull them out and have a look, you can hook them in the bend of your elbow and bring your arms forward to see both, check pressures then put them back, less clutter at the front

tbone1004:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6n5RMSLdwI8&list=WL&index=2
another good video option. My regs are routed similar to the diverite video fwiw

Click to expand...

I believe Brian has changed to the "Bogarthain way" of hose routing (long hose right, short left with guages down the cylinder) Since doing a Razor instructor course with Steve Bogaerts the other month.

From what it looks like, having SPGs routed down makes them more susceptible to scratching (when your tank is at the shore). Tanks roll, seems like SPG's faceplate would take way more scratching.

PS: I am not 100% sure how do you check the pressure when the SPG is routed down.

Usually you turn the SPG's so they face in and have them inside the top hose retainer while they're on land. The tanks also need some serious momentum to get up and over the SPG, combine that with the fact that the SPG is about the same diameter as the hoses and if you put the SPG in the middle of said hoses, it's fairly well protected.

I agree on 1st stages up, but as long as you aren't doing restrictions *much easier here than the sumps you guys have to deal with across the pond*, then they fair pretty well.

Brian has changed, but it is still a valid option for the divers wanting another option to be aware of and why certain people do thing the way they do.
http://www.sidemounting.com/Portals/0/Website Pics (new3)/New Apeks Side Mount Package.jpg
They won't let me insert that image for whatever reason, but that's the bogaerthian sidemount regulator setup.
http://www.sidemounting.com/Portals/0/Website Pics (new4)/Does your Sidemount System Match Up.jpg
Also here.

When it's routed down you reach back, pull it up and look at it?

Pretty much, pull it around so you can see, or hook them in your elbow and bring your arm(s) forward. Then they go back to their resting position out of the way

---------- Post added July 28th, 2014 at 06:56 PM ----------

Texasguy:

From what it looks like, having SPGs routed down makes them more susceptible to scratching (when your tank is at the shore). Tanks roll, seems like SPG's faceplate would take way more scratching.

PS: I am not 100% sure how do you check the pressure when the SPG is routed down.

Click to expand...

I stick my cylinders so they're resting on the bolt snap, can't roll then.

How would you "hook" the SPGs to your elbows? Bungees?

Texasguy: you don't hook the SPGs TO your elbows. You hook them WITH your elbows. Your SPGs have to go down the top of your tanks. Run your arms back, push the spg towards you with your forearm and bend it at the elbow. Then, use the "hook" in your elbow to continue pulling it forward. This gives you a positive engagement of your SPG in your arms. Get it? You don't hook them TO you. You use your arm as a hook to grab the SPG.

As for not bumping your first stages on the ground: Your SM setup must be ATROCIOUS if you're bumping your first stages. I bump my body before I touch first stages. Anything else is poor setup. Period.

victorzamora:

Texasguy: you don't hook the SPGs TO your elbows. You hook them WITH your elbows. Your SPGs have to go down the top of your tanks. Run your arms back, push the spg towards you with your forearm and bend it at the elbow. Then, use the "hook" in your elbow to continue pulling it forward. This gives you a positive engagement of your SPG in your arms. Get it? You don't hook them TO you. You use your arm as a hook to grab the SPG.

As for not bumping your first stages on the ground: Your SM setup must be ATROCIOUS if you're bumping your first stages. I bump my body before I touch first stages. Anything else is poor setup. Period.

Click to expand...

Cheers for explaining what I couldn't find the words for.
I agree with the bumping 1st stages, have dived 1 in 1 out in cases where there have been right hand only bottles (Egypt boats), found cylinders in to be just better.