Heavy Feet In Sidemount

[GLENFWB]

I am new to sidemount diving. Here is a brief description of my setup and problem. Suggestions from those who may have fixed a similar issue will be appreciated. I have great mentors who have been helping me. But, my body type is different from theirs, so it is hard to figure out the fix for my heavy feet problem.

I am 6' 3" tall, 240 pounds. I dive either a 5mm or 7mm wetsuit. I have a Nomad rig modified by Ed at Cave Adventures. I have the two pound weights on the shoulder straps. My tanks are LP 108's with the cam bands set only a few inches from the bottom of the tank.

My problem is that when I stop and hover my feet sink from the knees down. I was using Jets and I bought the Slipstream fins to remove some weight. They are lighter, but my feet still drop. I can stay horizontal when I dive a single LP108 with my BP/W. I have borrowed some LP95's to try in the pool. I am going to see if a shorter tank, moved forward will help.

Anybody with a similar body type experienced this situation?? If so, what did you do to fix the problem??

[FW]

I had to switch to lighter fins. Haven't been tail heavy since then.

[billyf]

I had the same issue with the Nomad, I use the dive rite fins and my feet still sink (that’s with LP46’s, LP85’s and LP108’s). I moved the wing down which meant cutting slots in the back of the wing to feed the waist strap through.

You said that it is modified, in what way is it modified?

I have tried several different modifications which change the way it dives, I have undone all of them (except moving the wing down)

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Weights on the shoulders, dumpvalve on the shoulder and inflator off the bottom for the most part is what Edd does. He also swaps the placement of the little hip plates around a bit too.

Moving the wing down is a great idea, he actually should have an extra grommet to move down from the "stock" positioning anyway. He can do this without modifying anything permanantly.

[GLENFWB]

Thanks for providing the info. on the changes...I would have missed some of them. I am going to head home and see if I have the room to move the wing down...work can wait!

BTW, Bugman has been one of the people patiently helping me throughout this process...thanks Mat...I don't care what others say....you alright in my book! :smt081


Weights on the shoulders, dumpvalve on the shoulder and inflator off the bottom for the most part is what Edd does. He also swaps the placement of the little hip plates around a bit too.

Moving the wing down is a great idea, he actually should have an extra grommet to move down from the "stock" positioning anyway. He can do this without modifying anything permanantly.

[NorthWoodsDiver]

What size canister light are you using and where is it mounted? do you have weight on the waist belt or tanks? Where do the tank valves sit while diving?

[GLENFWB]

I have the Dive Rite 900 LED. I have it on the waist belt on the right side. I would like to butt mount it, but I don't want to add weight to the back of my legs at this point.

I have no weights except the ones on my shoulder straps. Tank valves are under my arm pit, but not high enough to push my arms forward like I see some people doing.


What size canister light are you using and where is it mounted? do you have weight on the waist belt or tanks? Where do the tank valves sit while diving?

[NorthWoodsDiver]

Ah ok, so how much weight is on your shoulders? how much weight do you need to remain neutral assuming the tanks are both removed?

I dont have a ton of experience with heavy steel tanks but I know many people are using them as their ballast but if the tanks need to be removed underwater then you become a missile. You may be able to get away with adding more weight to the shoulders to help things along, after all you have a 55lb wing anyway.

going dry would probably solve your problems though.

[chimie007]

I dont have a ton of experience with heavy steel tanks but I know many people are using them as their ballast but if the tanks need to be removed underwater then you become a missile.

I had better trim with my PST "lead heavy" 104s than my Faber "feather light" 85s in SM. I'm getting the "feet down SM syndrome" with the 85s. Never did with the 104s. I suspect I had so much gas in my wing with the 104s that it provided more lift at the waist. The way my wing is setup it tends to fill near my shoulders first.

[OFG-1]

Swim head down, blow a little air in your drysuit feet and butt. Notice, I said a little. I use turtles,and trim the fins every dive. I dive an Armadillo and I need a little lift here and there.

[MORGAN]

...I need a little lift here and there.

Are you talking about diving or cosmetic surgery? :)

Mike

[scblade27]

I have the same issue with heavy feet, even with lighter fins. You can compensate in a drysuit by adjusting the air bubble, but it would be nice to have a balanced rig for a wetsuit as well. Looks like some good suggestions so far.

[OFG-1]

Are you talking about diving or cosmetic surgery? :)

Mike


Well, a little nip here, and a little tuck there, pretty soon I will look like Phylis Diller. Mike, I will PM you a picture of my aged ass, you tell me if I need a little lift.

[MORGAN]

Well, a little nip here, and a little tuck there, pretty soon I will look like Phylis Diller. Mike, I will PM you a picture of my aged ass, you tell me if I need a little lift.

Arrgh! Please don't! I'm still having flashbacks to the pictures of Sid in the backplate & harness!

Mike

[Brian Kakuk]

Try sinching down the bungees around the inside/top of the bcd. this will force more air toward the hips, and while it will reduce overall lift, it will put the volume of air where it is needed more.

Brian

[Spd 135]

Glenn, going dry is the best bet. As that is probably not going to happen right now there are a few things you can try if these other tricks don't work. I have found that sometimes I just have to adjust my body (manually) and make sure my feet are up by bending at the knees as opposed to having my equipment do it for me completely. You may want to go to 5 or 7 mm boots. You can also find an old 5 or 7 mm wet suit and cut the legs between the knees and ankles. Put them on over your wetsuit in the same location. If we add trim weights, why not trim ballast? ;)

[FW]

Swim head down, blow a little air in your drysuit feet and butt. Notice, I said a little.
I do that too, just remember to go head up before exiting to dump excess air, so you don't end up stuck head down!!!

[sgtfelix6898]

I see this problem all the time. Mostly when people just start sidemounting. Just because you do not have a hard backplate, does not mean that you do not need to arch your back. Next time you dive, try arching your back, like proper cave posture, and that should fix the problem. Maybe well enough to take the weights off your shoulders too.

[stairman]

I see a fair difference in 5 and 7 mm legs. 7's are more floaty for sure. Maybe someone should come up with some 7 mm gaitors if this is a common problem .

[Swede]

...Maybe someone should come up with some 7 mm gaitors if this is a common problem .

:blackbar2
...why not just buy one extra size of a normal gaitors and then wrap some neopren inside... much better than ad waights on shoulder (I think).

Edit: profanity isn't allowed on the CDF. Replacing one letter with an asterisk doesn't make it okay. - Moderator

[fixxervi6]

I had the exact same issue, but now I have no weights on and my bands on my 108's are pretty far up the tank.

I switched from size 10 rock boots using turtles with spring straps to size 11 and XXL slipstreams. I just use an extra dose of insulation on my feet so I don't get that lose shoe feeling and that fixed all my issues, worked a lot better than adding lead to my shoulders.

If you can't get that to work I would suggest trying 95/98's, when I dive wet in teh local pond I use 98's and they trim great compared to 108's

[skip]

i've been using manta fins (manta ray fins?). They are seriously positively buoyant (float to the surface on their own). a bit floppy, but very floaty. They are also short and fat.

-skip

[mwhities]

Thanks for providing the info. on the changes...I would have missed some of them. I am going to head home and see if I have the room to move the wing down...work can wait!

BTW, Bugman has been one of the people patiently helping me throughout this process...thanks Mat...I don't care what others say....you alright in my book! :smt081

How many Hooters lunches do you owe him? I owe a TON! haha

Michael

[mwenner]

I am new to sidemount diving. Here is a brief description of my setup and problem.
My problem is that when I stop and hover my feet sink from the knees down. I was using Jets and I bought the Slipstream fins to remove some weight. If so, what did you do to fix the problem??

Hi there, I have read through 3 pages of reply to your question. I've had similar problems, but have a twist to the solution. First all the fins I switched from Jet Fins to, are Mares Plana Avanti X-3's, and my caving boot fits into the foot pocket, sized large. They have ton's of thrust, they float, and are light to carry on sump excursions. I got them at Diver's Supply on special for around $45. The twist is, that I was diving a drysuit, and my legs are thin, so I wanted to get a small gator, until I got better at getting the air of my suit on ascent. I went into Academy Sports, locally, and they have neoprene "rock guards", a 3 mm sheet of neoprene which velcro around your ankles to slow stones hitting your legs while lawnmowing? Whatever..... $5! They worked great for cheap gators. They also made my legs float, too much, so after a year of getting my techniques together, they sit in my equipment bag, and I carry new pairs of them to give to people as diving presents, when they get a new drysuit. Try that, and see if you find them. I know I have the model # around here, somewhere. Good Luck!

[willardj]

I'm using 95's for tanks and a pair of Quattro's fins. My trim seems to be good. I haven't had any problems that I know of and only have about 25 dive's in it now.

[fghray1]

I use these to solve the problem of heavy feet. I had an old 7mm suit with zippers but if you make your own the zippers can be replaced with velco.

[jpdiver]

I had a similiar problem with 108's until I switched to the Nomad. Since you already have one, it is probably the wetsuit. I dive a TLS drysuit and my trim is fine

[fixxervi6]

I can not dive 108's + nomad in a wetsuit has to be drysuit, 98's trim out just fine for me in a wetsuit tho.

[cwick]

I can't dive my 104's wet but my 95's wet work just fine.

[fghray1]

I dive 130's wet with rocket fins and with the ankle pads I do fine. They also make a a regular wet suit into a semi dry by restricting the exchange of water in the suit.

[GLENFWB]

I am going to try some ankle pads, to see if that can help keep my feet up. Thanks for all the input.

[stairman]

Great post Glenn and some good tips. Your long legs probably arent helping much. If you tightened the bungee at the top to force air to the bottom, added 3 lbs to your shoulders, switched to lighter fins, moved your cambands and your wing down and dont want to go to a drysuit right now adding padded gaitors might be a good idea to try next. Sidemount, gotta love it!