Which sidemount to get?

[SuPrBuGmAn]

When I dove HP130s BM on my Nomad, I did it without a plate or any additional support. It seemed fine, but it was only for a few dives.

 

[SangP]

I am using the OMS setup with the Tesseract Wing and their addition. On my last trip, I started in Backmount doubles, then went sidemount using the OMS sidemount system and then removed that and put on an STA for a round of single tank dives. I found the system worked well for all three. I have an aluminum BP.

The OMS sidemount system is a bit bulky to pack compared to other systems but seems to stay secure to the wing and worked well in the water.

FWIW Sang I know a few guys using the transpak and not adding the plate and they dive double LP95s. It works fine for them but I personally have not tried it.

Thanks guys, so it is possible to use a soft pack without a tank plate but it might be better.

I'm wasn't satisfied with the current crop of bp designs n designed a lighter al plate some time ago.


This was an earlier autocad design:


Which brings the point of what is the biggest issue about using a bp or a softpac for me. I know that the waist straps are suppose to be around the midsection n kidneys like on this video: TransPac and TravelPac Sizing - Dive Gear Express
However, this setup is rather uncomfortable n I would really prefer the straps be around the hips similar to the armadillo which allows a lot of weight to be supported by the hips instead of around the midsection.

I am now seriously thinking of adapting a rock climbing harness with semi rigid shoulder supports, a soft back pad and a padded hip supports.

Perhaps I'll contact Tobin to see if the idea has a future.

Cheers,

SangP

 

[Dive-aholic]

The Nomad works fine for doubles. I only dive backmount when teaching, but I've done almost 50 backmount dives in my Nomad and haven't had any issues. The Recon looks a little too narrow to accommodate doubles and the SMS100 doesn't look durable enough to last long carrying the cylinders back and forth to and from the water (although I haven't seen one in person). I've been diving a Nomad for almost 3 years. I have made several modifications to it, but the harness and wing are still essentially the same (next time I'm sick and out of the water, the harness will change slightly).

 

[SangP]

Couple more questions before I decide on either getting the Nomad or making my own.

1. can I use my eclipse wing or some other wing on the transpac harness for rec diving?
2. Is it ok to use the transpac/nomad with the waist straps lower around the hips instead of the standard sizing directions n would it be as stable?
3. Can I fit some other side mount wing on the transpac/nomad rig like a oxycheq or hollis?

Thanks

SangP

 

[Dive-aholic]

The Transpac is designed for 11 inch center bands. You can use another wing, but securing the wing so that it won't taco when in sidemount may be an issue. I don't think it will be very easy to modify the harness to lower the waist strap. I'm not sure why you would want to do that. While that is desirable in climbing harnesses, it's not necessary in sidemount. The way I wear my sidemount rig, I don't think lowering the waist strap would be as stable. I keep my crotch strap pretty tight and use it to pull down on the crotch strap in the front. That helps to produce a more stable harness in sidemount.

 

[SangP]

Hi Rob,

Thanks for the reply, I understand that it isn't necessary to have the straps lower around the hips but for me it's just more comfortable than having it above my navel. I'll give your idea a try n see how comfortable it is !

Why would another bungee wing like the recon or sms100 wing taco? If I'm using a single tank wing like the eclipse I would place it in front of the transpac so it is less likely to taco.

SangP

 

[Dive-aholic]

The Recon and SMS probably wouldn't taco. The Nomad wing is already positioned in front of the Transpac. It's the tabs that are sewn into it that keep it from tacoing, not the position.

 

[Colliam7]

R your referring to these plates? Dive Rite Stabilizing Plates reviews and discounts, Dive Rite

Yes.

I know a few guys using the transpak and not adding the plate and they dive double LP95s.

When I dove HP130s BM on my Nomad, I did it without a plate or any additional support. It seemed fine, but it was only for a few dives.

Good points. I have used the stabilizer plates for BM doubles since I got the TransPac, simply because it was recommended, and I have never actually tried the harness without them, for BM doubles. Sounds like you can get by without them.

Why would another bungee wing like the recon or sms100 wing taco? If I'm using a single tank wing like the eclipse I would place it in front of the transpac so it is less likely to taco.

True. I was referring primarily to other horseshoe / lobe wings – a Halcyon Explorer, for example. With the Nomad there are two features that dampen the tacoing effect: 1) the bungees, which stretch across the wing lobe, from the back of the harness to a D-ring in front, and which would work for any wing that you might substitute, and 2) the tabs sewn into the Nomad wing casing near the bottom of each lobe, through which the waist strap is threaded, thereby holding the bottom lobe tips in close to the body. Without that point of attachment, there might be a tendency toward tacoing, which would have to be addressed somehow.

I would really prefer the straps be around the hips similar to the armadillo which allows a lot of weight to be supported by the hips instead of around the midsection.

I may be misunderstanding your comments, but it sounds like you are looking for a rig that is similar to some backpacking systems, where the weight of the pack while hiking is supported by the hips, rather than the shoulders. It would seem that this shouldn’t be a particular issue for a scuba harness since, in the water, you are horizontal (for the most part) and weight distribution, other than for trim, shouldn’t be a primary concern. (Yes, carrying BM doubles on land, if you have a significant distance to travel between car and dive site, might be a concern.)

Couple more questions before I decide on either getting the Nomad or making my own.

You are experiencing one of the exciting things (for me at least) about the current state of sidemount equipment development. While the rapid introduction of commercial SM rigs (Nomad, Razor, RECON, Armadillo, PROFILE, etc) has increased the ‘accessibility’ of SM to a broader audience of divers, the development is in some ways still in its adolescence, and there is a lot of appeal to ‘gearheads’ (I say that positively, as I fear I am one) – people who want to tweak their set up, refine it, experiment with it, etc. I did a presentation on sidemount diving last night to our scuba club, and had a conversation afterward with a member who is a very enthusiastic vintage equipment diver, about the similarities between vintage and SM in this regard. For the vintage folks, a bit of engineering goes on, because parts and specific equipment may no longer be commercially available. For SM, a bit of engineering goes on, because what is available may not suit everyone and it is fun to try different alterations. So, we benefit from the years/decades of tweaking and refining that people like Lamar Hines and Steve Bogaerts have done on their own gear, but still find ways to try and improve commercial rigs to meet our own individual needs.

 

[Colliam7]

I just returned from a dive trip, and used my SMS100 in a single tank BM config (they wouldn't let me sidemount, ugh, resort operators :/).

I am curious. Why wouldn't the resort let you sidemount? Was it just because they didn't want you / anyone using doubles in general?

The OMS sidemount system is a bit bulky to pack compared to other systems ...

Are you referring the the PROFILE system - the soft plate and buttplate - or to the whole rig (harness, wing, and soft plate)? What was it about the system that seemed bulky? (I am not looking for a way to disagree with you, just trying to evaluate the pros and cons of the OMS rig.)

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

1. can I use my eclipse wing or some other wing on the transpac harness for rec diving?

Probably not, Halcyon gear tends to have some sort of internal sensor that flips out when its around stroke gear. I tried using a Halcyon primary once in a sidemount cave, the damned thing imploded at the mouth of what was essentially a very tight, hairy firehose of a restriction. I was angry and laughing all at the same time.

Half the above post was made in jest, the other half... not so much :/ I'm sure you can figure out which is which.