Butt rails, drop d's or waist d's

[JonG1]

Just wondering about preference, I've been diving steel 12s on drop d's and found it worked well, swapped to waist d's I'm preparation for adding a stage or stage which I thought would be easier with the SM cyls on waist d's and stages in drop d's at rear.

Needs some fettling to get sorted and it looks like boltsnaps will need relocating around the cylinder to torque them higher.

Just wondered if people stil used butt rails or dropped d's and if so why, or is the waist d an altogether better option, especially if using sliding d's.

 

[Marie13]

I have a Hollis SMS75 with “door handles” on built in butt plate. I use the door handles for my primary tanks (LP85s) and I’ve added a drop D ring on my left hip for AL40 deco bottle. Just practicing at quarry now with it ahead of deco class this summer.

 

[tursiops]

I prefer door handles for steels, sliding waist Ds for AL. It is all rather personal, depending very much on YOUR dimensions, how you rig the tops pf your tanks, and your tolerance for being imperfect.

 

[JBFG]

Drop D for my steel 12l and hip D ring for ALs.
I do not use a butt rail and my tanks are in trim. i would think it would be harder to clip all the way back at a rail.

 

[JonG1]

So if using drop d's where do you clip a stage or deco bottle, same place?

 

[Marie13]

Drop D for my steel 12l and hip D ring for ALs.
I do not use a butt rail and my tanks are in trim. i would think it would be harder to clip all the way back at a rail.

It is kinda a PITA.

 

[JBFG]

So if using drop d's where do you clip a stage or deco bottle, same place?

Stage always go on hip d ring

 

[grantctobin]

So if using drop d's where do you clip a stage or deco bottle, same place?

Faber 13L or 19L to Sump UK drop D-ring adjacent to waist plate for primary cylinders, AL40 or AL80 to left chest ring and left waist standard d-ring. You’ll have to elbow the primary cylinder out of the way to clip in a standard dir-rigged stage bottle. Done properly, it should ride tight and parallel. Anything after that first bottle gets leashed off of the same left drop-d. Some will put bottles on both sides but it’s rather cumbersome depending on how they’re riding and what mix is in them.

 

[Cdncoldwater]

I dive a Nomad XT with steel tanks, I use doorhandles on a butt plate and reconnecting the bottom bolt snap can be a PITA. I don't dive AL and haven't trained in deco diving so I can't add anything on drop or swiping Ds.

 

[JonG1]

Faber 13L or 19L to Sump UK drop D-ring adjacent to waist plate for primary cylinders, AL40 or AL80 to left chest ring and left waist standard d-ring. You’ll have to elbow the primary cylinder out of the way to clip in a standard dir-rigged stage bottle. Done properly, it should ride tight and parallel. Anything after that first bottle gets leashed off of the same left drop-d. Some will put bottles on both sides but it’s rather cumbersome depending on how they’re riding and what mix is in them.

I've seen a lot if SM divers clip the primaries to waist d rings and stage/deco to drops at rear.

Is there a reason why you do it the opposite way Grant.