Advice On Hose Routing For Hollis Sms100d, Apeks Dst

[Zeke XA3]

So ive just bought a SMS100D and 2 new DST with XTX50s in prep for traveling to Mexico to complete cavern/Intro to cave and possibly full cave certification.

However i seem to be having problems with my hose routing or at least i think i have problems.

Previously i have dived on the SMS75 and a custom Hollis 25lbs wing with attached NOMAD butt plate and it worked like a dream, clean and easy.

I jumped in the pool with everything assembled today. So two left post tanks, orientated the 1st stages in towards chest, swivel turret inside and sealed chamber pointing out. HP hoses, 6 inch, run down tank to be twisted up and in to be read. Long hose run down tank under bungee back up and around neck, clipped off on right shoulder D Ring. Short hose run around neck and on short necklace.

Problem comes with the two inflator hoses. Both end up with a big bow when down across chest but nice and straight when raised for deflate. Im running 15 and 18inch hoses to see the difference at the moment. With the 1st stages the 2 LP ports are grouped close together and i have the outer one with the LPI hose plugged in and the Reg hose behind. Idea being that this stopped the LPI getting caught when lifting for deflate whereas the reg hose can slide out from underneath.

Im going to grab the camera for tomorrows session and see if i can grab some photos to explain but if anyone else dives the same setup and has photos it could be a great help.

I will also try tomorrow, swapping one inflator hose to bottom, possibly primary. See if there is a way i can attach secondary inflator hose to shoulder strap to keep it out of the way. I also have extra short LP hoses and may swap short hose reg to left side attachment so it come straight from 1st stage to my necklace without going round the neck.

 

[Razorista]

Sounds like you are using 4-port DSTs, right?

 

[Zeke XA3]

Yeah, hard enough getting the DIN version here let alone the 5 port version!

 

[tbone1004]

well i hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you may be very disappointed with the SMS100 in mexico... not the right rig for that style of diving, made worse by not having 5th ports. Who are you taking the course from? I would highly recommend considering returning the sms100 and either going with the Katana from Hollis, or getting either the xdeep or Razor if you're cave diving is going to be primarily in mexico. The 100 is not designed for that kind of diving, and it frankly doesn't do it well, no matter how many mods you do to it.

Regarding hose routing. it is quite easy to not use the 5th ports, and many of us in Florida don't. The drysuit hose on the right can be normal length and just go down and come back up with the long hose, and the left side hose should be shorter, but it has a bit of a bow to allow flexibility when no mounting. A potential problem with super short inflator hoses is that when you push the bottles forward things can start kinking and binding which is bad.

 

[Zeke XA3]

hmm, ive heard lots of good things about the 100D from several instructors and cave divers which is why i went with it.

Im will be traveling for diving for around 6 month so prefer to have one piece of kit rather than my current 3!

Ill be doing my course with Alessandra in Tulum, she was my IDC instructor and i very much liked her knowledge and teaching style.

I had the option of picking up the dual bladder for less than a single bladder locally and since i live in the North Aus any future tech diving wil probably be in thailand/indo so a little to warm for drysuit.

I must admit since purchasing it i am disapointed by just how big it is and how awkward it seems having the plate on top of the wing instead of under it!

 

[Zeke XA3]

After another little session in the pool this is whats ive ended up with.

Both LPI swapped to the bottom and OPV to the top. Primary LPI coming across chest and small loop of bunges to hold it in place. Secondary LPI disconnected and running straight up shoulder strap and secured under velcro tab.

During drill, very easy to reconnect secondary LPI and use to infalte. Both tanks can swing on the short LPI hoses for pushing fine.

As for the SMS itself, well even with maximum adjustment the chest strap sits around my stomach and when upright/walking etc the OPV really dig into my shoulders. Ignore the bright blue weight belt, havent got as far as weighting yet!

 

[tbone1004]

that harness is not fit to you at all. I would highly suggest trying to return it and going with the Razor. If you are not diving with steel tanks, the SMS100D is about the worst sidemount rig for al80's, especially travel. Also you'll note that I very rarely advocate those two rigs because I do florida style cave diving which is what the SMS100 was designed for, but for what you are doing, you will literally be fighting it tooth and nail the whole time.

 

[Zeke XA3]

Ive got some more contacting to do re my other planned dives but i was leaning towards the stealth 2.0 more than the razor for a dedicated sidemount kit for the caves if the 100 didnt work out. Ive also got some instructors who use the 100 for cave diving getting back to me on hose configuration but i think im gonna have to go with a fully customisable harness system due to my size!

But gain would still like to hear from people using the 100!

 

[tbone1004]

I have used the 100, my nomad XT is set up the same way. I don't dive the razor style harnesses hardly ever. I don't use the 5th ports. Inflator hose on the left curls up and around next to the short hose so they should be on the same side. No one I know uses the dual bladder, but you have it set up the way I would set it up in that situation.

If I were you, unless you are needing to dive doubles, ditch the 100D, get the Stealth 2.0, and just dive single tank sidemount if you don't want to carry 2 bottles. You will be significantly happier.

 

[Razorista]

While tbone1004 is certainly right with his recommendation even the SMS100D can be made to work decently.
It just will not work the way shown in the picture Zeke XA3 has posted.

Even heavy steel tanks do not work well with the tank attachment method shown, nothing does.

If you want to use the advantages of turreted first stages you have no choice but to learn a sidemount bungee attachment method and stop clipping like stages.
With an inflator on each side the SMS100D is especially uncomfortable.
With the right setup it can be a massive and bulky but acceptable platform to work with.

Will never match a sidemount harness though.

A cave instructor recommending it is hard for me to understand, it is bulky even for an open water rig and useless in restrictions even backmounters could pass.
The dual bladder is a lot more dangerous than useful.

But simply selling it and buying something will not help.

Setting up the tanks for the SMS like you would for a Razor or Stealth would already be an improvement.
Using a Stealth or Razor without changing the setup will just be another total desaster for you @Zeke XA3

One example would be upgrading the DST to 5ports (a $29 replacement part you can get anywhere Apeks is sold or ebay).
You would need that for Stealth and Razor anyway and it could also help on the Nomad.

For this Hollis you could connect the regs with short hoses to the 5th ports, 25-35cm inflator hoses and not cross the chest with the corrugated hoses but out both under the arm on the side it is connected.

But if you want any method to work with aluminum tanks you first have to solve tank attachment - that should be priority now.