Question Air Hog

[Marie13]

Increased experience can have some pretty dramatic improvements to air consumption but the lung volume difference will still be there. Taking a sidemount course might be a big benefit that you both really enjoy. Even an extreme difference in air consumption could be easily offset with one vs two aluminum 80s (or preferably tanks sizes and types being relatively proportional to body sizes and desired buoyancy characteristics). Notable side benefits being a good sidemount instructor will help you both have a setup that is more comfortable and streamlined, refine your weighting, small tips on reducing air consumption based upon observing your actual diving, etc, etc..

Sidemount mostly likely isn’t going to help the OP at all when vacation diving. Most ops seem allergic to SM from everything posted.

 

[GiraffeMarineSalvage]

Sidemount mostly likely isn’t going to help the OP at all when vacation diving. Most ops seem allergic to SM from everything posted.

You raise a good point in terms of many places not being receptive to sidemount yet, and for a charter boat focused on taking as many divers as possible it's not a good fit.
In my personal opinion to get the most out of scuba many people would benefit from the increased flexibility and refined streamlining of sidemount, plus things that are not sidemount specific but worth refining at the same time like breathing and buoyancy.

 

[L13]

Sidemount mostly likely isn’t going to help the OP at all when vacation diving. Most ops seem allergic to SM from everything posted.

If you happen to go to Cozumel, Roberta's Dive Shack was very accommodating to SM.

 

[Open Ocean Diver]

Thanks for all the great tips and advice everyone.

This guy makes side mount diving look so sexy… doesn’t seem like he's wearing lead or has air in his BC if he has one at all… look like just a harness.

 

[L13]

… doesn’t seem like he's wearing lead or has air in his BC if he has one.

Depending on tanks (Steel vs. AL) and suit choices, I sometimes dive sidemount without lead.

 

[Open Ocean Diver]

Depending on tanks (Steel vs. AL) and suit choices, I sometimes dive sidemount without lead.

In the video though the tank has a flat bottom. Wouldn’t that make it a aluminum tank?

 

[Marie13]

Thanks for all the great tips and advice everyone.

This guy makes side mount diving look so sexy… doesn’t seem like he's wearing lead or has air in his BC if he has one at all… look like just a harness.

Trim on those tanks is crappy. Those are aluminum tanks. I much prefer steel and that’s what I dive.

 

[RobPNW]

Buddy needs a bigger tank.

Buddy needs to calm down.

 

[Open Ocean Diver]

Buddy needs to calm down.

Or do more vacation dives.

 

[Jcp2]

Trim on those tanks is crappy. Those are aluminum tanks. I much prefer steel and that’s what I dive.

Isn’t this a Florida vs Mexico style thing?