Do main tanks reg swaps (L/R) involve a gas-verification protocol in technical sidemount?

[JBFG]

I only do gas switch and tracing protocols when I switch to my deco gas(es).
I know that my necklace always has gas that I can breath at any OC depth so switching back to back gas is easy enough.
Going back to deco gas requires gas switch protocol, always.

 

[AfterDark]

I changed many instances of 'gas-switch' to 'gas-verification' in the OP and the title. To help focus the question.

Yes, main L/R (back/bottom gas) second stage swaps are not a gas switch, when that is what actually happens.

The concern was that the second stage swaps are 'pick a second stage off the body or gear and put it in the mouth.' Is there a concern for being habituated to doing that without verifying what gas it is, once some second stages on the body/gear are a different gas?

@ScubaWithTurk suggests that the (main) L/R bottom/deep second stages being necklaced or clipped off makes a difference.

I don't do sidemount but have used IDs since the 1970's which requires the same reg switching. My universal solution to your posted concern has been to configure each of my second stages so that each one feels different in my hand, they also each have different style and color mouthpieces for when the vis is good enough I can see them. I use elbows, snap clips, and on/off valves on my regulators none are configured the same. When I grab a second stage I know by feel if it is the right one before it goes into my mouth.

 

[tbone1004]

seconding most of what's been said.

In what is nearly universally accepted as the "standard" for sidemount configuration has the short hose on the left bottle and on a necklace/suicide strap. The right bottle has the long hose that is hog looped per Hogarthian standards. I say nearly universally accepted because there are obviously still exceptions, but that is definitely the predominant configuration around the world.
In this case, gas switch protocols are the same as they are in backmount. If switching to the short hose for sanity breaths/checks, then you just switch, no issues at all. If going to stage/deco bottles, you start from the long hose, then validate the bottle/second stage on the deco bottle, switch to that second stage, clip off the long hose, and off you go. When going to a different deco bottle, you switch back to the long hose which is the only regulator clipped to the right shoulder, then stow the stage/deco bottle, and off you go.
I do not know anyone that stows the long hose on the bottle when not in use. It is quite a PITA and serves no benefit. In any cave dive you should only ever switch 4-5 times while on your backgas, and if you're breathing them down to empty in OW it's only 5-6 times. I am not aware of any switch procedure that has been adopted for checking the function of your secondary second stage when using backmount singles/doubles because the two regulators are the only two that are ever loaded in that configuration. If you're that concerned about switching back to the long hose, you can pull it over your head in the same step as a modified s-drill, but I don't see that being necessary

 

[J-Vo]

As stated previously it is generally not an issue.

Being someone the does hypoxic sidemount, this is where problems come in.

We generally leave our travel gas reg in place during the bottom phase. This is simply because deco adds up fast, stowing regs takes time, and your going to be pulling it back out in a few minutes anyway. Now you have three regs over your shoulder and your switching two of them repeatedly.

For me my short hose and travel Have 90 degree elbows, and the long hose does not. The short hose is bungied. My travel will also have the MOD labeled on the vent. Now I can tell them all apart.

I know someone who has 90s on all regs and has a bad habit of not clipping the long hose. I have seen this person switch to 21/35 at 275'.

 

[rjack321]

In technical sidemount, when changing between the regs for the left and right main (back/bottom gas) tanks, is there a gas-verification protocol such as used when going to a different gas in technical diving? In terms of knowing what gas you are breathing. Such as: checking depth, tank, tracing reg, involving buddy?

I ask in the context of looking ahead to using stage or deco bottles.

In backmount, except ID, we do not accustom ourselves to switching between regs without verifying. Except..., for switching to the necklace in need or when swapping back to the long hose after an OOG drill or necklace reg check.

SM diving is the same.
The necklace 2nd and the long hose which is clipped to the right shoulder are both backgas and you dont verify switching to them or between them. Just like you don't verify the switch to the necklace or the switch back to the long hose afterwards - although you should always do a buddy check and a flow check in both SM and BM. Especially when doing any kind of valve drill in either configuration. Similarly, you don't verify the long hose gas in backmount when taking a gas break on O2. The left and right SM tanks are also the only tanks which stay on throughout the entire dive (unless your an idiot using the UTD Z-system but that is a nightmare)

Stages and deco bottles are stowed regs and the bottles are off. Stage and deco 2nd stages should never be left where they can be confused in a panic with the necklace 2nd or long hose 2nd (in SM or BM). Don't leave those hanging around your neck or anywhere else like that when not in use - restow them properly. Don't put necklaces or bungies on them. If you need to make one clippable tie an Oring to the hose and use a double ender (eg if the stage strap is broken you want a way to clip it off). Don't tie bolt snaps onto the hose which make it more similar to a long hose.

Verify before switching just like you would in backmount - even if you put a deco/stagebottle on both sides never use position as anything.

 

[rjack321]

As stated previously it is generally not an issue.

Being someone the does hypoxic sidemount, this is where problems come in.

We generally leave our travel gas reg in place during the bottom phase. This is simply because deco adds up fast, stowing regs takes time, and your going to be pulling it back out in a few minutes anyway. Now you have three regs over your shoulder and your switching two of them repeatedly.

For me my short hose and travel Have 90 degree elbows, and the long hose does not. The short hose is bungied. My travel will also have the MOD labeled on the vent. Now I can tell them all apart.

I know someone who has 90s on all regs and has a bad habit of not clipping the long hose. I have seen this person switch to 21/35 at 275'.

This is super sloppy... Stow that reg before someone gets wacked doing that 21/35 switch or worse.