Interested in sidemount

[JamesK]

I am interested in trying sidemount. I have been cave diving since 2002, and now feel it's time to try another configuration. I have a while to play around in open water quite a bit for the next 10 months or so before I even see a cave. I get about 5 dives a week in. I consider myself a DIR diver, but also understand that it does not work for everything.

I tried watching the Dive Rite videos, but with the internet here in Cuba being slower than 56k, I can't view them.

The forum here has been great, but it is just bits and pieces that I am trying to put together like a puzzle that I don't know what it is supposed to look like!

So I come to you, the experts, with my hands outstretched, and my mind wide open. Help me not only build a good sidemount setup, but help me understand the in's and out's of sidemount. This will be a setup for open water in the Caribbean, and just some basic cave diving. No exploring or sumps.

My questions are many, but some that I am wondering about are:
Can I use any of my current setup?
I have AL80s that I use now, but can easily purchase AL100', 60's, and 40's, and steel HP100s. I honestly would prefer the AL80's if they are possible to use. Reg's are not a problem, as I have my stage bottle regs with me.
My current gear is a Halcyon SS 6lb back plate with solid harness, and a Halcyon Eclipse 30# wing. I use a Helios light that is typically side mounted. I only have a wetsuit down here, but do own a drysuit and can have it shipped here if need be.

Thank you.

[gschaut]

I am a brand new rookie in side mount. So I will not offer any wisdom, I'm still way down on the learning curve. But....

Two thoughts- you can't learn side mount from reading about it. My experience was that I needed help, in the water, from an experienced side mount diver to get the configuration right. The good news about side mount is that the configuration has a thousand different adjustments you can make to tailor the system to your body and your equipment. The BAD news... is that side mount has a thousand different adjustments. And you are going to need help to get those adjustments even close enough to correct, for your style of diving. Most side mount divers I've talked to keep making minor adjustments for years. Fine tuning the setup.

Second thought: Start out by buying a copy of "Side Mount Profiles" by Brian Kakuk and Jill Heinerth. It gives you a great deal of information about side mount, it's capabilities and limitations. Read the book, decide what type of diving you are going to be doing, purchase the equipment, then GET HELP configuring the equipment to your body and diving style.

[JamesK]

Thanks! I will check for that book now. I know I can't learn anything from reading about it, but getting advice from the experts, even if online, is helpful. I also have the advantage of being able to have a great ocean available every day to dive in, and a video camera to have my dives taped so I can see exactly what I am doing and have it evaluated. I would LOVE to do a sidemount clinic with someone, but unless someone can come to Guantanamo, I doubt that can happen soon!!!

Again, thanks for the recommendation on the book, and for your words of wisdom. Even hearing from a rookie is helpful, as it gives the same perspective I am looking at this task as.

[rongoodman]

I'd recommend taking a look at Steve Bogaerts' Razor II. It works well with Al 80s and is probably as close to a Hog/DIR harness as you'll see among the various sidemount options.

[adza]

I've dived with 3 configurations:

Dive Rite Transpac (setup for sidemount)
Dive Rite Nomad XT
Armadillo

All 3 of them were comfortable to use and felt natural to dive with right from the word go - although the Transpac needed a bit more work as it's not a 'Native' setup like the other two.

I personally preferred the Nomad XT a little more, (even though I'm currently diving the Armadillo). (I like the Quick Release buckles and the chest strap, which aren't available on the Armadillo).

Edit: I am a taller person (6' 2) and have been told that others that are shorter struggle with the Armadillo.

[gschaut]

I've dived with 3 configurations:

Dive Rite Transpac (setup for sidemount)
Dive Rite Nomad XT
Armadillo

All 3 of them were comfortable to use and felt natural to dive with right from the word go - although the Transpac needed a bit more work as it's not a 'Native' setup like the other two.

I personally preferred the Nomad XT a little more, (even though I'm currently diving the Armadillo). (I like the Quick Release buckles and the chest strap, which aren't available on the Armadillo).

Edit: I am a taller person (6' 2) and have been told that others that are shorter struggle with the Armadillo.

5'9", 260lb and am diving a Nomad XT. As you said, a bit of "adjusting" to get it to fit to my body. But I really like it.

[JamesK]

I am 6' and 180lbs.

I really like the look of that Razor. I think I can actually make the plates and parts in our metal shop here. I wonder if I can buy just the wing. It looks like such a simple system. I like simple.
The Armadillo looks nice, as do the Dive Rites. I would love to look more in to all of these options.

[JamesK]

I should add, that I also have a Halcyon Explorer wing. Doubt that helps any, but I might be able to do something with it.

[saxplayer1004]

http://utdequipment.com/product_info...roducts_id=210
You can buy the wing there, and if you have the option to make those plates, they're pretty easy and I think someone posted plans for them on here.
Unless you can sew really well I wouldn't recommend trying to retrofit that wing, just buy another one.
Unlike what was said, you can in fact learn to sidemount by watching those videos if you're good to begin with. If you know what it's supposed to look like and you know how you feel in backmount, you can fix a lot of stuff. The rest can be done by having pictures of you taken in the water and getting critiqued if you don't have access to an instructor. Not the easiest way or the fastest, but I've been diving sidemount for a while and I'm still tweaking stuff almost every dive. You read about something someone else did that you didn't think of and try that out. Unfortunately that mentality clashes with DIR, but that's sidemount for you. That book is great, but does not help with gear configuration at all. The armadillo manual online is really helpful and there's a couple other pdf's that work really well.
http://www.sidemountscubadiving.com/...8/Default.aspx
Great resource there as well

[wingman]

I should add, that I also have a Halcyon Explorer wing. Doubt that helps any, but I might be able to do something with it.

Yes, you can sell it.....