Sidemount gear configuration practices - 4 questions

[victorzamora]

Left side has a short hose that is just a little too short for my liking

2. No swivel/angle adapters yet. At this point, not entirely convinced I'm going to need them.

Adding an Omniswivel will both add a couple inches to your hose length AND reduce the hose length needed. Throw one on there, and then route your hose coming up out of the tank. If you're standing up, with 3 o'clock towards your back and 12 o'clock straight up, get your hose pointing in the 1:30 region. Then across your back/neck. Very simple, clean routing that way....and it seems close to what you want.

 

[Colliam7]

4. I took the manifold off my doubles and converted them into my sidemount tanks. The right hand/left hand valves are nice!

Yes, they are. I am going to presume that you position the valve handles 'out', to make them easier to manipulate. But, do you position the valve openings toward your body (i.e. the reg first stages sit up against your body) or do you position them away from your body?

---------- Post added March 19th, 2014 at 08:52 AM ----------

I post the 7foot long hose on the right - clipped to the right upper dring with a dive rite breakaway clip.

The left tank is run on a 22 inch hose directly to the bungee necklace without wrapping around my neck.

Do you use an adapter on either hose?

 

[Jeff_S]

From a training agency perspective it's fascinating to read these posts and see the massive inconsistency in current side mount gear configurations...long hose on the left, long hose on the right, long hose stuffed, long hose wrapped, short hose too long, too short, on the necklace, not on the necklace, etc.

We took a slightly different take on it, in designing a comprehensive side mount system and a training program at the same time. So every UTD instructor teaches the same configuration in the same way. It's a system that works with single or double side mount, is completely compatible with single or double back mount long hose configurations, and it maintains the most critical part of the system, which is always be able to donate a working regulator on a long hose from your mouth.

Not to hijack this thread, but I think the more important question than "how is the gear is set up," is the question of how do we train in the real world of team diving so if someone does need gas, regardless of where the tanks are mounted, they know how to get it. Personally, I'm not comfortable diving in a team where half the time a diver is on a short hosed necklace. That necklace was designed for backup use, not primary use.

Just my two cents.

Jeff

 

[raftingtigger]

Personally, I'm not comfortable diving in a team where half the time a diver is on a short hosed necklace. That necklace was designed for backup use, not primary use. Jeff

So does UTD advocate using 2 long hoses? If so how do you keep them out of the way. BTW, I have no agenda and am a newbie with SM. I really want to know the thought process in how things are set up.

 

[00wabbit]

Curious about this as well. I've considered changing my longhouse to yellow to make it more clear which to choose in OOA. My longhouse is on a breakaway with an o-ring and ziptie so it can be taken easily. If I'm going to buy a hose though I guess I could just put it on the left and dive with 2 long hoses. I wouldn't imagine it would cause trouble since the short hose goes around your neck already.

 

[victorzamora]

No, they placed a bunch of complicated, expensive blocks and hoses behind your back and set up this weird manifold system where you have to turn your tanks off every few minutes instead of just switching regs because they believe a diver can't be trusted to perform the simplest of tasks.

There are THOUSANDS of threads about that monstrosity already. Let's PLEASE keep it out of this thread.

 

[Jeff_S]

Answering the posts, and ignoring the slam from someone who has obviously not seen the Z-System.

A low pressure distribution block, either with or without an isolator, sits behind your head in the same position as the isolator manifold on a set of doubles. Gas from one or two side mount cylinders goes into the block. Long hose, necklace, BC, dry suit comes out of the block. So just like back gas, the long hose and necklace are always on and you can always donate the long hose and go to the necklace. Simple.

Advantages:
1. Scaleable - use one, two, three, four cylinders and plug in underwater as necessary. Switching from single side mount to double side mount only involves leaving one tank on the boat.
2. Mixed team diving - exact same emergency procedures as back gas singles and doubles (in long hose config).
3. Gas reserve - with doubles, one cylinder is always off, so in the event of a failure, rock bottom for one person is always protected.
4. Weighting - designed around aluminum cylinders, so the tanks are not part of the weighting system, so switching from singles to doubles doesn't change the weighting. With steel cylinders, if you take off or pass someone a tank that is part of your weighting system, you become positively buoyant, requiring weight to compensate for that, causing you to go into the water overweighted.
5. The failure point argument - Gas distribution blocks have been used in commercial and rebreather diving for decades. They have either no moving parts of far fewer moving parts than a first stage and are far less prone to any kind of failure than a first stage.
6. Training - agency wide training teaches consistency within the community.

There's a ton of info on the UTD website.

Jeff

 

[Omisson]

Omni-swivels- I can post pics in the AM.

Pics of Hollis 500 se with swivel.

 

[ColdH2O]

Why is it that someone always feels the need to bring up the UTD thing in every thread? We get it, those that have it think it's the best thing since sliced bread! :focus:

---------- Post added March 19th, 2014 at 03:19 PM ----------

Thanks for the post, looks like those fit nice. I tried to put 70's on them but there was no way they would fit, may have to get some Omni's.

 

[Omisson]

I do Tec Sidemount full cave & Trimix with a lot of wreck diving. I have sort of modified a bit from all over.

I use a Hollis 100D with Edd's Mods. I use the old rail in the back center of the tail below the Ed mod bent drings- to clip offs of reels.

I have added a backup mask pouch on the left and a cutting tool pouch on the right belt.

I've mounted a backup flashlight pouch on the right side upper strap above the upper d ring and a mini-fog cutter mounted on the left, just above the re-routed BCD dump valve from the Ed mod.

I post the 7foot long hose on the right - clipped to the right upper dring with a dive rite breakaway clip. That way I can pass off the right tank if necessary moving through a restriction with an OOA DIVER, while maintaining the BCD inflator on the left tank.

The left tank is run on a 22 inch hose directly to the bungee necklace without wrapping around my neck. This alleviates entanglements in an OOA pass-off.

I have spgs mounted on 4inch hoses flat against the tank in a protective Spg rubber case.

I turn the valve knobs out which is an Ed's mod convention.

I use hollis 500se so Both regs have no top or bottom and have installed swivels to ensure a good angle.

I always bring my tank straps and clips so can adjust a rental - I usually dive LP85's cave filled.

Dan

Here are some pics of the modified SMS 100d- I've put the dive rite ring bungee back on (taking off the old school bungee) to see if shortening the bungee run makes a difference.