Sidemount choices

[TigerDiver8]

Well everyone with all that said. I ordered the Hollis SMS 75. It should be in tomorrow, then its straight to the pool to start working with it.

I want to thank you so much for all your input.

What do you think about beach entries (single and doubles SM) I am Southen California and have anywhere up to 5 foot waves rolling in.

 

[victorzamora]

Well everyone with all that said. I ordered the Hollis SMS 75. It should be in tomorrow, then its straight to the pool to start working with it.

I want to thank you so much for all your input.

What do you think about beach entries (single and doubles SM) I am Southen California and have anywhere up to 5 foot waves rolling in.

For shore entry, the only advice I can give is to have your bungee NOT over your valve while at the surface. Clip on your neck, clip on your tail, get your hoses set. When you submerge and start swimming is when I'd plop the bungee on my tanks

 

[tbone1004]

I wouldn't put the tanks on the butt rails, but I'd rather dive doubles on a beach entry anyway.

Here's what I'd do
Clip the necks off up high on the top d-ring. clip the bottom clips to the hip d-rings. This keeps the tanks in front of you instead of creating a wider profile for the waves to catch, and the extra height keeps them out of your knees at the expense of a bit higher CoG. Once you get to a point that you can get under, then clip the top clips to their normal spots, and then move the bottom to the butt rails one at a time, then snap the bungee on.

Sidemount isn't my favorite gear config for beach entries, doubles still have their merit. You really don't gain anything by diving sidemount in this situation if you're planning on carrying everything into the water already imho

 

[victorzamora]

I wouldn't put the tanks on the butt rails, but I'd rather dive doubles on a beach entry anyway.

Here's what I'd do
Clip the necks off up high on the top d-ring. clip the bottom clips to the hip d-rings. This keeps the tanks in front of you instead of creating a wider profile for the waves to catch, and the extra height keeps them out of your knees at the expense of a bit higher CoG. Once you get to a point that you can get under, then clip the top clips to their normal spots, and then move the bottom to the butt rails one at a time, then snap the bungee on.

Sidemount isn't my favorite gear config for beach entries, doubles still have their merit. You really don't gain anything by diving sidemount in this situation if you're planning on carrying everything into the water already imho

IMHO, that's far too much work and too many chances to go wrong. Moving 37 clips two dozen times isn't how I'd do it. Get everything in the right spot the first time, walk in mostly sideways, call it good. When walking OUT, you can pull the lower clips off...but I don't think it buys you anything to have to move things around as much as you're describing.

Also, big piece of advice: Get your sidemount configuration smooth and clean in a pool before heading to OW.

 

[BigTex1836]

I'd rather dive doubles on a beach entry anyway.

After shore diving SoCal for the first time last summer and getting knocked about by 5-6's, I'd have to agree with going back mount.

 

[tbone1004]

After shore diving SoCal for the first time last summer and getting knocked about by 5-6's, I'd have to agree with going back mount.

That
sidemount is a tool for me not a way of life. I prefer to dive backmount doubles *small ones, usually no bigger than HP100's, usually lp72's*, in every circumstance except a cave. For tropical stuff I'm considering going to STSM for the AL80 because I hate backmount singles. In a cave you can take a leisurely stroll 3 times down to the water to stage bottles and same coming out, though on the way out I usually carry everything out. You also have the independence in a cave, but in an open water environment, I much prefer doubles, especially for shore entry. I can walk a helluva lot easier with doubles than I can with sidemount bottles.