Sidemount as a first own setup?

[Walde]

Hi,
I was wondering if my first own setup could be a sidemount configuration?
Where I live the renting possibilities are quite scarce and testing all different configurations is quite difficult.
I know It's not the cheapest configuration to start with, but is there some other reasons not to start with it?
Don't wannna end up with gear that I instantly want to upgrade, because that way it's even more expensive.
I know I have to get course for sidemount but that wouldn't be a problem, already scheduled some other courses too, if there is life after pandemic...
Haven't heard a story about anyone starting with sidemount so that's the reason I'm asking.

 

[Marie13]

Do you know other people who dive SM? It can be quite fiddly and trying to get everything adjusted just so can be quite time consuming. You don't need a class, but you at least need someone who can assist.

Also, what type of diving are you doing? It's not ideal for boat diving and some captains don't like it.

I didn't like it and went to doubles in preparation for tech.

 

[SandyRobinson]

I think a new diver should concentrate on newly developed skills from the OW class and not cause potential issues by diving a set up different than learned in class. Work on your trim, buoyancy, and just being comfortable in the water.

Also, in my experience and as Marie alluded, SM from a boat is a PITA.

 

[MichaelMc]

If you started OW with it I'd absolutely use small tanks LP50(7L) or AL40 just so you do not weigh a ton while others only weight a lot. 2x AL30 would be ideal as OW class training wheels, but you would likely shortly grow tired of their limited gas. They do have some resale value as ponies, some.

Padi, last I looked, provides for Sidemount to be taught in OW class. They allow any one of several specialties to be partially integrated into the OW class, Nitrox, Dry, etc. Sidemount is one of them. So you can. You need an instructor knowledgeably and setup to do that, and ideally other sidemount OW students in the class to get the needed SM specific time. I recall other agencies allow SM OW class as well.

Even at that, some here on the board that teach SM in OW seem to start with backmount, get you breathing it, understanding trim, buoyancy, propulsion, etc, then switch to sidemount for the final few class sessions or dives. For you, that might just be renting backmount for the class for a pool session or two. But there is not much difference from that to doing OW in rental backmount gear, then buying SM gear and getting a tutorial from the knowledgeable instructor. You can also just play around with it, but that depends on you and your circumstance. Not recommended at dive 6. I learned on my own but had 100 dives and broad experience first.

Once past the OW class, or OW in backmount + a SM tutorial, I'd really plan on AL40/LP50s. You do not need to tackle more weight than that and they give you the gas for a typical rec dive. You could use AL30s for a while. I helped teach and dove AL63s, which is not much more air discounting redundancy. I have low RMV though. LP40 are a bit easier to manipulate on land, being slightly lighter, LP50 (7L) have more gas and hang more easily in the water.

Bigger tanks depends on how you dive. For shore dives, ouch. For boat, ok. I do 'single tank' dives with 2x LP50 or 2x AL40, and prefer the 50s. It means i have twice the tanks as backmount or big sidemount. Where I get fills treats 2x tiny tanks as one big tank with a fill card, so no difference there. Our local sidemount instructor (who does cave exploration) has 8 LP50 she uses for herself and students, 4 each over 2 dives. It is a good size for 'single tank worth of gas' dives.

Doing this from scratch at or just post OW, I think I would really recommend the AL30 approach. Getting in/out of the water as a new diver is part of what you are learning. Sidemount adds a bit to that. Gear weight adds a bit to that. AL40/LP50 are fine. But for the first few dives, something tiny like the 30s would be nicer. Being limited to 60cf for your first 20+ dives is not horrible.

Looking at your profile, at 15 I'd recommend the smaller tanks.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I wouldn’t recommend sidemount unless you have serious back issues. And then you better find yourself a darn good instructor. Too many clowns teaching sidemount that have no business doing so.

where do you plan to dive?

 

[Marie13]

@MichaelMc

OP is in Finland. Best translate tank sizes into L for him.

 

[MichaelMc]

I belated realized that. Not sure all the tank sizes have good parallels in actual tanks.

OP,
LP50 2650 psi is 7L steel 182 bar. The same exact size as your 7L tanks.
50 cu ft of air to breath, we measure volume to breath, not internal tank size.
empty about a kg more than the AL40,
but it is more negative in the water so the two are a wash on carry weight across the beach.

AL40 3000 psi. is 5.8L 206 bar
is the same physical size (roughly), aluminum, but 40 cu ft of air to breath.
empty 6.9 kg

AL30 3000psi is 4.2L 206 bar
is smaller in diameter (a small help) but also shorter (a moderate help) and lighter. 30 cu ft to breath.
empty 5.6 kg

I'm fairly sure you have AL40s as they are nice small deco bottles like for 100% oxygen.
I'm not sure they are much advantage over the LP50s.
You may not have the AL30s.

Sort of similar to the AL30s are LP27/4L,
I have an LP27 which is a 4L 182 bar. It's the same diameter as the LP50 just shorter.
Two of those would be fine as small starter tanks. Just not common at all here. Not sure about there.
Not very useful for other things though besides a few rebreathers.

The big point is 7L is a good size once you have this down, and the whole diving thing down.
Something smaller will make learning in class, and your first many dives, with friends or on boats or beach, a bit less of a hurdle.
They may also serve you well for a while. Subject to not letting others with bigger tanks push you to the limits of your air!!

I do not know what sizes are near you.

If you're your high schools lead rugby player, disregard this concern between piddling tank sizes and weights.

From reading European forums, 200 ish bar tanks are likely better for sidemount than your higher pressure ones. The 7L steels are just a little negative, which means they handle nicely. But look to local experts.


You really do need a GOOD sidemount instructor to do this. Not like world class good. But good as in dives sidemount themself regularly and well as their main setup. Typically the standard is that they cave dive them. As opposed to some random OW instructor that decided to broaden their business, bought tanks, strapped them on, and now 'teaches' it.

Given that, it will be easier to do the OW class in rental backmount gear, then tackle sidemount. As your local person who is an actual sidemount instructor may not be spending their time teaching OW classes.

 

[decompression]

Yes, you can do ow in sidemount, yes you can do single tank sidemount. Yes you can only have 1 rig and it can be sidemount.

 

[lermontov]

id say go side mount - and yes its fiddly - down side is you will be task loaded for a time, more so than single back mount but everyone is different and some adapt quicker than others, if you are serious about sidemount then you can buy gear at later stage but for now just rent your backmount gear and get the basics sorted - youve done less than 25 dives if you profile is correct so your still gettring to grips with the scuba thing when youve done enough dives to get comfortable then make the transition

when ur ready get an instructor who actually dives sidemount regularly not a money grabbing twins instructor who's done 4 dives on sidemount

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

Agreed. My personal advice, get a razor setup, (I love the full batwing with weight pickets you can position anywhere on the rig in seconds to perfect your trim) go down to cancun and do the training. Geraldine slozniac if you can get her.

3 days open pool and cenote training that made padi AOW look like clown shoes.

and don’t let any miserable know it all bros bully/shame you about what a waste of time it is or how it’s only for xxxxxxx and there is no reason for it. Etc. Etc yawn..

If I had my time over I would have bought sidemount rig first.