Traveling with Sidemount: What are your experiences?

[73diver]

I have been open-water sidemount diving for about two years now. I love it for beach diving and for boat diving. However, I have not used it for travel to the Caribbean resorts, where the typical setup is a back mounted single 80. I have the Hollis SMS75 which could be configured as a single backmount. For those who have taken their sidemount rigs to resorts, what kind of hurdles or contingencies did you have to overcome, if any? Thanks. FYI my small backmount harness is 6# and my SMS 75 without the tank bands is also 6#. So, there does not seem to be a significant increase in baggage weight for sidemount.

 

[Scott]

Why not just sidemount a single cylinder.
No need to thread cam bands, familiar with rigging and entries and exits.


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[decompression]

I travel often and I've yet to encounter any challenges. I usually ask ahead of time to ensure that they are SM friendly and I'm set up for traditional non DIN valves and use travel bands for my bolt snaps. My warm water rig (UTD z harness/20# wing) packs super small and weighs under 5 lbs. Make yourself as unobtrusive as possible, answer the questions that will come and enjoy your dives.


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[JohnnyC]

Why not just bring a couple of the Dive Rite travel rigging sets and sidemount like usual?

Bring yoke adapters for your regs, the travel riggings, and your regs, and then you're diving like usual.

 

[Sidemount_Stu]

I took my Xdeep Stealth to Malta this year and didn't find i hit any challenges, I did contact the dive centre before travel and said i'm intending to Sidemount, and asked about cylinders valves... was told very quickly that they could ensure i had SM ready cylinders, i didn't even have to take my cylinder hardware!I had a fabulous time.... and will definitely be taking my Sidemount on all travel from now on.... If you intend to take your SMS75, i definitely wouldn't look to back mount it..... use Sidemount, as you're used to..... and enjoy.....

 

[a878bob]

I've been to caribbean mult. times on SM. I will usually single SM. I have SP quick release cam bands with a handle and upper clip. Change out or adjust in seconds. I use the normal yoke al80's. If rolling off a 6 pack, clip, clip, and off I go. Then bungee up when in. Then just hand it up and walk out. If off a bigger boat, I will set my cylinder on the dive deck, jump in, and pull my cylinder in, and walk out with it when done. Easy peasy, couldn't imagine doing it any other way. I had to convince Wayne at Aggressor, but otherwise, no issues at all. Most people are jealous and wonder why they don't do it.

 

[DevonDiver]

I can fit my featherweight DIY sidemount, regs, computer, Force Fins, mask, DSMB and spool, boardies and rash guard into my 35L daysack; with room for some underwear, spare t-shirts, netbook, chargers and toiletries.

Makes for some very easy, very lightweight, dive travel around Asia... (it's carry-on also...)

 

[MSargeant]

Hardest part about travelling with my sidemount stuff was fitting my XXL Hollis F1 fins in the bloody suitcase, everything else went in the bag. Have since moved on from the mahoosive fins.

 

[decompression]

Hardest part about travelling with my sidemount stuff was fitting my XXL Hollis F1 fins in the bloody suitcase, everything else went in the bag. Have since moved on from the mahoosive fins.

Same here, I switched to Aeris Accels, super light fin.


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[MSargeant]

Same here, I switched to Aeris Accels, super light fin.


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Apeks RK3 for me even the super size is comfortably small