Nomad for Backmount

[newman_diver]

Hi,

I am considering buying a Nomad setup. I want to get into sidemount but keep diving back mount. Can anyone tell me from experience if the Nomad is a good set up for back mount or if I should have a separate back mount and sidemount rig?

Thanks!

Tyler

[FW]

Hi,

I am considering buying a Nomad setup. I want to get into sidemount but keep diving back mount. Can anyone tell me from experience if the Nomad is a good set up for back mount or if I should have a separate back mount and sidemount rig?

Thanks!

Tyler
It depends on the tank size. The new Nomad is larger, and can handle big tanks.

FWIW, I dove both for a year or so, then broke down all my doubles, and never went back.

[SLIM]

The Nomad is all I use anymore. I nolonger use my BP/W. I think the Nomad works great for BM diving. Have not had any problems with it, even cary several stages also. Just helps out with less gear to take to places when I go on trips to FL. Even used it in St. Croix and Coz.

SLIM

[chimie007]

Hi,

I am considering buying a Nomad setup. I want to get into sidemount but keep diving back mount. Can anyone tell me from experience if the Nomad is a good set up for back mount or if I should have a separate back mount and sidemount rig?

Thanks!

Tyler

Check this out

http://thedecostop.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25837

[newman_diver]

Hi All,

Thanks for the help so far. I'm getting mixed reviews which is making my decision a little difficult. If I buy a Nomad, I don't want to lose the ability of diving with doubles. A lot of people have said

"Once you go sidemount, you'll never go back"

which may be true. I guess what I am asking is if anyone has actually dove backmount with a Nomad and if it works well.

My current cofiguration is:

SS Back plate
55lb. Wing
Hogarthian harness
buttplate
Steel 72's or 104's (doubles)
(1) Alu 40 or 80 stage

I won't be able to try a Nomad out before I buy so I am trying to gather as much info from the field as possible to assist me with my decision.

Tyler

[Slüdge]

I don't understand. Where is it written that if you buy a Nomad you must get rid of your backplate/harness?

[Jerry]

If you already have the plate and harness; keep it. There are many dives where backmount works better than sidemount and vice versa. Use the right tool for the job.

Jerry

[SLIM]

Just use the Nomad for allyour diving both BM and SM. It is a great peice of equipment and works for both very well.

SLIM

[BgDadddy]

The only problem I've run into is if you do a boat dive using a Nomad. When I try to float on top of the water, the thing tries to force me face down in the water and I have to kick my feet a decent amount to stay upright..

Its not much of a problem in the springs, but if you surface a mile away from the boat and have to hang out for a while, I think it would start to get unpleasant pretty quick.

Rick

[newman_diver]

I don't understand. Where is it written that if you buy a Nomad you must get rid of your backplate/harness?

It's not. I am looking at replacing my BP & wing. I must not have been clear about that. I am not going to get rid of my current rig if the Nomad is not very suitable for Backmounting doubles. That is the reason I have started this post. To find out of the Nomad can be a jack-of-all-trades rig.

Tyler

[Slüdge]

The complete quote is, "Jack of all trades, master of none."

Up until last year, when I traded my TransPac sidemount rig for a scooter, I had it for sidemounting, a backplate/wing for doubles, and a Scubapro X-Tec for single-tank diving. One system might do everything fairly well, but not great.

Life's too short to not have all the toys.

[scubadam67]

I use my nomad for everything and it works great. I BM 80's when i'm teaching recreational I mount 100 doubles when i need them and i run everything from al 26's 40's 80's and steel 72's SM'ed. I have also used with my GEM RB It really works great for everything. I do still have my plate and wing but i don't use it

[*Ag*]

The Nomad works great for both. I use it with BM 104s without any problems and SM the stages when backmounting which seems to work great.

[tomhauburn]

Played around with a single tank and OW regs today. First time I had it in the water and it worked although I guessed the weight a little light. I had not really set the rig up for it right but wanted to test if it would work for a trip to Belize for next year. It was not much trouble at all to set up.

[jpdiver]

Hi,

I am considering buying a Nomad setup. I want to get into sidemount but keep diving back mount. Can anyone tell me from experience if the Nomad is a good set up for back mount or if I should have a separate back mount and sidemount rig?

Thanks!

Tyler

I use a Nomad for Sidemount and really like it. I also use it on my rebreather since it allows sidemounting bailout bottles which I prefer. I have used it on double 108's as well. It is OK for that but I still prefer the standard hard backplate and harness. I would never sell that setup.

If I were traveling by plane for a trip that may use both sidemount and backmount, I would be OK just taking the Nomad

[newman_diver]

If I were traveling by plane for a trip that may use both sidemount and backmount, I would be OK just taking the Nomad

Thanks a lot.

[EGIB]

I used my nomad as an OW rig for the first time this weekend. I was teaching and didn't want to borrow one of the shops Bcds...it worked great! It was actually the most comfortable single tank rig I have ever worn...granted that might be because I have so many dives on it.

I really wish I had put a tank boot on the tank I was using though.

P.S. I'm going to try it with backmounted doubles this week, will post an update.

[scblade27]

Do you have to do anything special to backmount tanks on it other than screw them on?

I was thinking it maybe more flimsy than having a hard backplate. I just got one and am still trying to figure out how to do it all.

[newman_diver]

Do you have to do anything special to backmount tanks on it other than screw them on?

I was thinking it maybe more flimsy than having a hard backplate. I just got one and am still trying to figure out how to do it all.

I had a set of plates from my Zeagle that I used. You can buy similar ones @ Dive Rite Express.

http://www.diveriteexpress.com/bcs/transpac.shtml

BC2084 Mounting Plates for Doubles (set of 2) Today $17.75

[EGIB]

Okay on Tuesday I used the nomad for backmounted doubles for the first time. My plan was to use my plastic backplate as a stabilizer but that didn't work out. It wouldn't fit over the nomad without making some drastic changes to the set up. So I went without.

I will say that the wobbliness of my dive may have been due to the fact that there was no stabilizer...it may also have been because I haven't dove backmount in general since April. At any rate the dive went fairly well...I bumped the ceiling a few times on the way in but eventually remembered that I had giant steel thingies on my back and knew that if it was my head hitting the ceiling I would probably have died somewhere after the cornflakes. I did notice I was significantly faster diving backmounted 104s than sidemounted 95s...but that has nothing to do with the nomad.

Unfortunately I think to make the nomad perfect for diving backmount I would need to adjust my buttplate (I like the idea of the buttplate for stage mounting...it may end up not working at all but I'd like to try it). I used the buttplate for my reels but only had a tiny bit of space to clip them, as the 104s covered most of the bars. It would have been difficult to reach my butt d-ring but I could have done it. I really want to make the nomad work for backmount because I am really comfortable in it...even on this dive it was nice to know where every thing was...since I never dive my other harness I have to get used to it in the spring run before the dive.

We did the bone line to the expressway then into the wonder tunnel. The wonder tunnel is a creepy place right now with all that river water in there. Cold too. Cool little dive though. I did have one large problem with my nomad/bakcmount experience...I wiped out when I was pulling the reel out of the wonder tunnel. I had a decision to make...either turtle on my back or put my hand in the sand. I went with hand in the sand. It stands out as one of my most embarassing cave diving moments...and now I've shared it with everyone on the internet. ::Rolls eyes:: Not sure if this was because I hadn't dove backmount in a while or if the nomad just couldnt stabilize the 104s.

All in all I'm ready to do it again tonight. But with 85s.

[FW]

Did you try the metal stablizer plates that DiveRite sells? They help a lot with a regular Transpac.


Okay on Tuesday I used the nomad for backmounted doubles for the first time. My plan was to use my plastic backplate as a stabilizer but that didn't work out. It wouldn't fit over the nomad without making some drastic changes to the set up. So I went without.

[EGIB]

Did you try the metal stablizer plates that DiveRite sells? They help a lot with a regular Transpac.

I'm going to order some. I thought the backplate would work as a temporary solution. We don't happen to have any of the stabilizers at CEE at the moment so I'll have to go without for a little bit. Thanks for the tip!

[EGIB]

Okay I bought some of the stabilizers at Ginnie...much better. Still diving 104s, going to try 85s on Tuesday. One thing I do not like: when I need to float on the surface (for example, when I foolishly go to Ginnie on a Sunday and there are several divers on the steps at Little Devils) it is extremely difficult in the nomad. It is much harder when wearing backmounted tanks than when wearing sidemounted tanks. For this reason I would only used the nomad for backmount in calm conditions (no Northeast wreck diving, but I wasn't planning on doing any more of that anyway). I'll see if this gets better when wearing 85s.

The dive went well...I went into parallel lines. Didn't kick anything up as far as I'm aware...visibility was not great to begin with because of the way Devils is right now.

Well that's it for now.

[newman_diver]

when I need to float on the surface (for example, when I foolishly go to Ginnie on a Sunday and there are several divers on the steps at Little Devils) it is extremely difficult in the nomad.

I have been backmounting 104's with my Nomad and haven't noticed this problem. I'm wondering if either of us is doing something that is causing/not causing this to happen. Are you using any weight?

I dive with 8lbs. in between the rig and the tanks. This is due to the SW, drysuit and heavy undergarments. Also, it helps with stage bottles. I might be able to drop 2lbs., going to give it a try on Tuesday night. We should compare notes and maybe we can figure out why this is happening.

Tyler

[EGIB]

I have been backmounting 104's with my Nomad and haven't noticed this problem. I'm wondering if either of us is doing something that is causing/not causing this to happen. Are you using any weight?

I dive with 8lbs. in between the rig and the tanks. This is due to the SW, drysuit and heavy undergarments. Also, it helps with stage bottles. I might be able to drop 2lbs., going to give it a try on Tuesday night. We should compare notes and maybe we can figure out why this is happening.

Tyler

No...if I used weight with 104s I don't think I would be able to get off the bottom.

Do you use the back padding that came with the nomad? I don't have that cushion or any of the shoulder padding on mine. It would probably help if I moved the tanks up but when I'm in the water I like where they are. I tilt backwards when I am floating, even with the wing fully inflated.

[newman_diver]

Do you use the back padding that came with the nomad?

I do use the shoulder and back pads. I haven't tried it without, maybe one day. I float up and down when i'm waiting to go down. Maybe it's the positioning of the tanks on your back. Hard to say without being there. Good luck figuring it out.

Tyler

[350xfire]

Hi All,

Thanks for the help so far. I'm getting mixed reviews which is making my decision a little difficult. If I buy a Nomad, I don't want to lose the ability of diving with doubles. A lot of people have said

"Once you go sidemount, you'll never go back"

which may be true. I guess what I am asking is if anyone has actually dove backmount with a Nomad and if it works well.

My current cofiguration is:

SS Back plate
55lb. Wing
Hogarthian harness
buttplate
Steel 72's or 104's (doubles)
(1) Alu 40 or 80 stage

I won't be able to try a Nomad out before I buy so I am trying to gather as much info from the field as possible to assist me with my decision.

Tyler


No problem with backmount on the Nomad. My buddy, who is an open water instructor, does it all the time and loves it. All you have to do is take out the sex bolts that hold the wing together and feed the doubles bolts throught the grommets.

[newman_diver]

No problem with backmount on the Nomad. My buddy, who is an open water instructor, does it all the time and loves it. All you have to do is take out the sex bolts that hold the wing together and feed the doubles bolts throught the grommets.

I actually left them in and used the other set of grommet holes. Works great with my tank setup. I was having head-down issues with my old rig so this method corrected it.

I have to say I love the Nomad for B/M and can't wait to give sidemount a try. I've been sidemounting stage bottles and am in the process of splitting up a set of doubles.

[CaverSTAN]

I took my Nomad to Bonair this year, dove it in a single tank config. Dove it in double AL 80's with an O2 bottle. Worked Great! My main OW rig now.

Stan

[BgDadddy]

Ok, I'm digging up an old thread here.

I got rid of my wing & back plate and all I have now is a Nomad. I am going to be doing primarily SM, but I would like to have the option to do back mounted doubles from time to time.

Am I reading this correctly in that the doubles bolts just attach through the grommets on the back of the nomad and that's all that holds the weight of 100lb doubles? The doubles plate looks like it might stabilize the tanks some, but won't distribute the weight any better.

Has anyone tried rigging up something with a back plate instead? I have one lying around here somewhere that I might see if I can attach somehow.

Thanks,

[FW]

..Am I reading this correctly in that the doubles bolts just attach through the grommets on the back of the nomad and that's all that holds the weight of 100lb doubles? The doubles plate looks like it might stabilize the tanks some, but won't distribute the weight any better...,

If you mean the stablizer plates, yes they only keep the tanks from flopping around. The weight gets distributed through all the fabric, and works pretty well. I suspect a backplate would work with the Nomad wing, just used like a Classic wing. Not sure about trim, though.

[MichaelAngelo]

I have both a nomad and my bacl plate and harness. For the last year and a half I have been just doing side mount, but thats due to a back injury. before that and when I finish healing will go back to choosing the right tool for the job. It depends on the dive which I choose.

[Slüdge]

choosing the right tool for the job

Bingo. I'm sure a Nomad will do an adequate job carrying doubles, but how much is a used backplate/harness?

[BgDadddy]

Lol... I have the backplate and a harness is easy to rig up. I just really like the Nomad and don't really want to buy another wing if I can help it. I will though if the Nomad requires too much modification.

[MichaelAngelo]

Lol... I have the backplate and a harness is easy to rig up. I just really like the Nomad and don't really want to buy another wing if I can help it. I will though if the Nomad requires too much modification.
I understand before buying the Nomad I had my custom made BP (its two inches longer between the mounting holes and belt slots. I used this both for cave and wreck and other teck diving)I have both a Diverite classic and an oxicheck for this. I also still have an abs stardard plate. I used to used this with oxicheck single tank wings for short bussiness trips to the west coast mostly where I knew I'd only be doing OW beachdiving. Now the abs is just used to lone to new OW divers who are deciding on which BC to buy. Now with my Nomad I just travel with it. It fits OW or sidemounting anywhere. Again right tool for right job. Again I have not used the back plate due to limitations from an injury. If not for that I would still do my really deep diving Below 220 ft in back mount,for personal reasons. In side mount I can comfortably carry two stage/dec bottles plus a 40 deco. In backmount for me I can comfortably carry 3 stages plus a 40. Since the injury I have really worked on getting better at carring stages in sidemount. Its all very personal to what each individual needs. I love my Nomad but when I go back to BM I will use my BP and harness. Nomad works for everything butperhaps not for everybody. I doubt I will ever sell any of my rigs, just doesn't seem worth the money I'd get. Even my old OW bc an old scubapro (my first converted sidemount) I reconverted to OW and gave it to a new open diver so he can take his time buying a rig that works for him. When he did he did what I asked and gave it to another new diver who used it till he found what he wanted and so on.

[saxplayer1004]

The Transpac has no problem carrying that weight. Ballistic Nylon is some strong stuff. Bordering the strength of Kevlar from tensile strength.
I have the longer XL-T Transpac by 2 inches as well and it's poifect. I prefer having the wing tucked into the waist belt for diving doubles. I felt a lot more stable like that. Was a pain because I had to switch the inflator and dump back, but not a big hassle. Takes all of 30 seconds.

[RN]

I dive my Nomad in doubles. I like not having to remember where everything (d-rings, inflater, dump) is because it's where it's supposed to be on my Nomad.

[laphiloche]

For my christmas dive , i use my nomad on a 2*20 l backmount. He do the job whitout problem
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[w ripley]

Here's a trick I picked up for any Nomad XT Wing users that allows me to dive with my rebreather, which is basicallya set of doubles. The trick is the strap that holds the bottom wing tips together when using a standard back plate.

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