Sidemount or Backmount?

[karstdvr]

I have two or three students who switched because of shoulder problems that made shutdown drills very taxing.

This I can understand,because many people with rotator cuff or impingement syndrome will be unable to do shoulder scaption and external rotation. I do find it amusing the people that use back issues as the reason for sidemounting,when I see people lowering tanks into the water that are using terrible body mechanics,and in fact putting greater stresses on their lumbar region than if they backmounted. Steve,you've been around for awhile,and probably remember when nitrox became mainstream in the mid-90s. I recall the claims that it would give you increased bottom time,stay deeper longer,make you feel better,solve pi to the 200th place etc etc. I see sidemounting having the same similarities with the same commerical market forces at play.

 

[Vegan Shark]

When I took a Nitrox course the pamphlet of "benefits" included pretty much everything except it making you breakfast in bed. The instructor insisted diving nitrox makes you much warmer, like going from air to nitrox would be like going from a wetsuit to a drysuit.

 

[Doppler]

This I can understand,because many people with rotator cuff or impingement syndrome will be unable to do shoulder scaption and external rotation. I do find it amusing the people that use back issues as the reason for sidemounting,when I see people lowering tanks into the water that are using terrible body mechanics,and in fact putting greater stresses on their lumbar region than if they backmounted. Steve,you've been around for awhile,and probably remember when nitrox became mainstream in the mid-90s. I recall the claims that it would give you increased bottom time,stay deeper longer,make you feel better,solve pi to the 200th place etc etc. I see sidemounting having the same similarities with the same commerical market forces at play.

LOL... very true, mate! LOL

 

[olphart]

I'm a little confused by the argument that a total reg failure in a non-manifold system denies the use of that air supply.
Given the event of a first stage failure that closes off the gas, (not sure how that could happen, but let's allow the very worst case scenario), if your tank is available i.e. sidemounted, or a stage, you could even remove the first stage while breathing off the other tank and feather the valve when you absolutely needed that air. Hell, if you were quick and didn't screw up, you could move the reg over to the other tank. It wouldn't do the reg much good, but it would work.
Admittedly, a very farfetched scenario, but having had Doppler make me swim around until I was bored stupid feathering my valve, (thanks Doppler!), plus very early in my diving days I tried the Mike Nelson method of free flow breathing, (use your imagination, it does work), it beats drowning with a tank of air strapped your body.
Desperate times require desperate measures.
Or am I missing something?

 

[PfcAJ]

Way worse than the BM method: turn off post, switch to backup reg.

feathering switching regs and/or breathing off the valves is ridiculous.

 

[olphart]

Way worse than the BM method: turn off post, switch to backup reg.

feathering switching regs and/or breathing off the valves is ridiculous.

Have to agree that it's not nearly as easy, but switching regs is ridiculous?? Switching regs or freeflow breathing is pretty much a non event for anyone certified OW. Feathering isn't much harder than trying to figure out which post is turned off

 

[PfcAJ]

Way worse than the BM method: turn off post, switch to backup reg.

feathering switching regs and/or breathing off the valves is ridiculous.

 

[Ragnar]

Personally, I think there are both pros and cons to the consideration of simplicity and safety with either configuration. Let's not try to portray sidemount as some sort of complex 'voodoo' diving when it isn't. It's pretty straightforward... even novice OW divers are learning it.



The gas management and dive planning considerations for sidemount or backmount are virtually identical. It's not complicated.

It's not VooDoo, but it is different, yet a lot of people are treating it THE SAME, that's the problem I have with it. We'll see what GUE comes up with but I'd bet that the minimum gas calculation will not be the same as for doubles. There are a lot of reasons for this such as gas sharing complications etc. One example is since they will be using sidemount only for restrictions that require it then it must be assumed that a gas sharing event would be in a single file formation in order to get through that restriction on the way out unless the plan is to be switching tanks between team members, which I highly doubt in a confined area.....who knows, will be interesting.

It seems that the sidemount crowd simply refuse to acknowledge the usefulness of having a manifold which makes some things so much easier and is why almost all cave without restrictions has been explored using that system, there's a reason!

---------- Post added December 16th, 2013 at 10:45 AM ----------

Desperate times require desperate measures.
Or am I missing something?

Being desperate and uncertain of the outcome of a dive is what should be avoided by using the proper gear, training and planning! Goes without saying right? Do that and you'll never have to feather a valve. When I dive I know I have enough gas for whatever comes up. Need my gas?.....no problem, I have enough, that's how ya have relaxing fun dives, not practicing James Bond stuff

 

[karstdvr]

It seems that the sidemount crowd simply refuse to acknowledge the usefulness of having a manifold which makes some things so much easier and is why almost all cave without restrictions has been explored using that system, there's a reason!

I agree. I've been cave diving for 20 years,and sidemounting for over 10 of that,and I for one like the simplicity of the backmount manifold system. I've had to move most of my diving to sidemount because I am either diving small cave,or off a canoe,but I like manifolded doubles. Backmount systems have lost favor,not because of utility,but because of market forces and peer pressure. I say peer pressure,because the same thing that drives people to sidemounting,is the samething that makes young kids buy Nike,Polo,Hilfiger. There isn't a time anymore that I don't here someone at a dive site being belittled-"when are you going to get those tanks of your back". I personally feel a well equiped,and well rounded cave diver is the one that can use both tools proficiently.

---------- Post added December 16th, 2013 at 10:45 AM ----------

 

[olphart]

Being desperate and uncertain of the outcome of a dive is what should be avoided by using the proper gear, training and planning! Goes without saying right? Do that and you'll never have to feather a valve. When I dive I know I have enough gas for whatever comes up. Need my gas?.....no problem, I have enough, that's how ya have relaxing fun dives, not practicing James Bond stuff

This is of course a given. This scenario would "never" arise with proper gas management, training and buddy discipline using either system.
I was simply responding to the position that in sidemount it is possible to have your gas unavailable, whereas in backmount it couldn't happen.