SMS100 vs Nomad XT

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FWIW I dont have any problems with the webbing on the sms100, it doest pull to the side being that there is a chest strap that prevents this. This is with steel tanks and stages. The wing is way nicer then the nomad, its more streamlined, doesnt taco or bump up like the nomad, no trim weights needed but use them because I need the 4lbs of weight, could just put it on my hips. I have dove both and prefer the Hollis. I did modify the bungie into loops coming from the inside of my back and moved the inflater to the bottom. Also added d-ring holders to the buckles that come off the wing to the waist strap, this makes the wing wrap around your waist when inflated instead of spreading out. Cons: wish I could ditch the shoulder pads, cant on the Hollis.

JamieZ
 
FWIW I dont have any problems with the webbing on the sms100, it doest pull to the side being that there is a chest strap that prevents this. This is with steel tanks and stages.

The entire strap doesn't pull to the side, it's just the top layer of the webbing which isn't held down by the chest strap. It's especially evident when slinging a stage on top, which is the only way I've dived the SMS100. If you top mount your stages, next time you do a stage dive, look for the gap between the 2 layers of webbing.
 
Rob I understand what you're saying now but haven't really noticed a problem with that either. Maybe being the rig wasnt yours it wasnt adjusted to your liking. You can snug that top webbing down pretty tight. You could always attach the two pieces of webbing together via some sort of sex bolt or stitch it or 2 holes and a tie wrap. I do like the thicker, stiffer webbing though on the nomad cause its just what I'm use to with my backmount setup. Oh, I top mount stages.



Jamie

Here it warmed up down there finally.
 
It can definitely be modified. I just wish Hollis didn't skimp on the webbing. I like some aspects of the system. I just like more aspects of the Nomad. However, when my wing finally needs to be replaced (likely soon), I'm going to explore other options. It's more the Transpac that I like than the Nomad.
 
One of the really nice, but somewhat unadvertised things about the SMS100 is that the wing is removable, and you can buy it separately. I have been thinking about getting the just the wing for a sidemount setup, as I am not a fan of the horseshoe type wings for this sort of diving.
 
It only recently became something you can purchase separately. Probably the reason it's not advertised much.
 
Took a modified SMS100 on a dive today. This rig has the shoulder strap position changed, additional bars on the butt plate portion of the harness, a different bungee system, and the LP inflator coming off the bottom.

I like the shoulder strap position better, but the way this mod was done, it's not easily repositioned.

One of the issues I had with the rails on the standard rig are they are too close together. I am pretty flexible and can easily do valve drills in backmount, however, I had a very hard time reaching the rails the first time I tried this rig. Additional rails have been installed on this rig in a more outer location. However, because of the location where they had to be placed, the stability I'm used to having in my Nomad wasn't there. My cylinders wouldn't stay where they were supposed to, moving quite a bit with my movement.

Finally, I had the hardest time purging air from the wing. There were times I had to go vertical to get enough air out (not a good thing in a cave). After the dive I examined the rig and noticed the shoulder exhaust is located on the underside of the wing. In all fairness, it's supposed to be located on the "top" of the wing, but because of the design, the exhaust lays down toward the front. One of the reasons I like my dump on the shoulder is the ease of dumping air without having to leave my horizontal position. This isn't possible in the SMS100, at least a complete purge isn't.

I was hoping the SMS100 would work out better than it has, but, at least for me, it hasn't. Again, this isn't to say the Nomad is perfect by any means. I have made extensive modifications to my Nomad to make it work for me. The difference is the modifications I've made haven't required an industrial sewing machine or relocating dump valves.
 
I saw what Edd did with his rig except for the alteration of the chest strap, which I assume he raised it up higher on to the shoulder straps?

I didn't like the way he did the bungees attached to straps coming from the back, if this is the way he still has them, inflate the wing and the straps limit air movement to the exhaust valve on top and get tighter, doesn't make sense to me. Talking to Edd he doesn't agree but I had the straps running from the back and it did limit or slow down dumping from the top exhaust.

Both my buddy and I dove our Hollis's for the week we were down and neither one of us had any problem dumping air from the exhaust on top with inflater on the bottom while in any position, we didn't try it head down, feet up...In trim it was no problem, not even remotely a problem, wasn't even something we discussed when it came to problems with the rig. Dumping the wing fully can be done and done easily on our rigs.

I saw where he put the door handles and where he added another set, unless he changed this since but I found it unnecessary and so did my buddy...Neither one of us has any issues on where they are or adding stages to the ones there. Have absolutely no issues reaching the handles, found it quite easy.

My rig and his has needed no industrial sewing, found no need to make the shoulder straps go straight down, have no problem adding backup lights to the way they are and stability the way they are angled is a non issue.

Guess everything is based on what you are use to, like you, I have dove both but prefer the Hollis by far. I hated the nomad when I dove it....but in defense of the nomad it wasnt adjusted to my liking, it wasn't mine to modify to my liking and the wing couldn't be modified to my liking even if I was allowed to. In my opinion its not a good design....I dont like the design of any of the dive rite wings or some of halcyons. I like longer, narrow wings that lay mostly flat when inflated, dont taco. My backmount wing is a Oxycheq.

Its easier to get a rig to the way you like it when you own it and I would never buy a nomad over a Hollis cause mine works the way I want it to. Which like I said I wouldnt be able to do with a nomad unless I changed the wing out, its terrible IMHO.
 
. . .
Its easier to get a rig to the way you like it when you own it and I would never buy a nomad over a Hollis cause mine works the way I want it to. Which like I said I wouldnt be able to do with a nomad unless I changed the wing out, its terrible IMHO.

Jamie, would you share some pics of what you've got / done?
 
I saw what Edd did with his rig except for the alteration of the chest strap, which I assume he raised it up higher on to the shoulder straps?

I didn't like the way he did the bungees attached to straps coming from the back, if this is the way he still has them, inflate the wing and the straps limit air movement to the exhaust valve on top and get tighter, doesn't make sense to me. Talking to Edd he doesn't agree but I had the straps running from the back and it did limit or slow down dumping from the top exhaust.

Both my buddy and I dove our Hollis's for the week we were down and neither one of us had any problem dumping air from the exhaust on top with inflater on the bottom while in any position, we didn't try it head down, feet up...In trim it was no problem, not even remotely a problem, wasn't even something we discussed when it came to problems with the rig. Dumping the wing fully can be done and done easily on our rigs.

I saw where he put the door handles and where he added another set, unless he changed this since but I found it unnecessary and so did my buddy...Neither one of us has any issues on where they are or adding stages to the ones there. Have absolutely no issues reaching the handles, found it quite easy.

My rig and his has needed no industrial sewing, found no need to make the shoulder straps go straight down, have no problem adding backup lights to the way they are and stability the way they are angled is a non issue.

Guess everything is based on what you are use to, like you, I have dove both but prefer the Hollis by far. I hated the nomad when I dove it....but in defense of the nomad it wasnt adjusted to my liking, it wasn't mine to modify to my liking and the wing couldn't be modified to my liking even if I was allowed to. In my opinion its not a good design....I dont like the design of any of the dive rite wings or some of halcyons. I like longer, narrow wings that lay mostly flat when inflated, dont taco. My backmount wing is a Oxycheq.

Its easier to get a rig to the way you like it when you own it and I would never buy a nomad over a Hollis cause mine works the way I want it to. Which like I said I wouldnt be able to do with a nomad unless I changed the wing out, its terrible IMHO.

Okay, I get it. It's pretty obvious you love the Hollis system, even without repeating yourself several times.

My observations really have nothing to do with what I am used to. I've tried several different systems in the water, including home branded systems. I'm simply reporting the issues I had in regards to diving a sidemount rig. It's an opinion, that's all. I don't steer anyone toward either rig. In fact, I have a student trying to decide between both right now for a class in May. My advice to him was to come out and dive both the first day and make a decision then. What works for me, works for me. It doesn't have to work for anyone else.
 

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