Hollis SMS100

[DanSledge]

I dove my Hollis SMS100 in the pool for the first time yesterday. I had a hard time getting hold of the butt dump cord because its located right where the tanks rest when attached to the butt rails. I was wondering if anyone else had issues with this or has any advice. I have heard of switching the power infrator from the shoulder down to the butt and moving the butt dump up to the shoulder. Does this work out well?

[Xenia]

Works very well for me but I do not have a Hollis, I have a custom rig. I think the dump valve at the bottom is quite useless, but then again there's such a variety of sm configurations that someone may prove this wrong.

[gearhound]

Switching is the way to go. However, with the Hollis, the shoulder straps can interfere with the dump valve when switched. It all depends on how you have it set up (ie. tied to the shoulder d-ring or not).

[CaveMD]

Switching is the way to go. However, with the Hollis, the shoulder straps can interfere with the dump valve when switched. It all depends on how you have it set up (ie. tied to the shoulder d-ring or not).

I disagree, if anything the dump valve location on the Hollis is the best available for swapping inflator location. The centrally located pull dump like the jt is a substantially less effective position

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[whodunit68]

I have the Hollis and I did the switch. It has worked out extremely well. Reaching the dump valve on my shoulder is pretty simple.
The first part of your question...I did run into the tank being in the way but I only dump air a few times during a dive and usually mostly towards the end of a dive on ascent so the tanks are lighter (even when I was diving 104s). Those big beasts were tough to move but I found that the location wasn't impossible to deal with though it is far better now.

[gearhound]

The shoulder strap may interfere with the operation of the dump valve. If you look at it compared to the Armadillo, you'll notice that the shoulder strap on the Armadillo does not go over the dump valve.
When we switch, we usually run the string of the dump valve through some surgical tubing and then attach it to the shoulder d-ring. When we did this with the Hollis, it jammed open a couple of times. This was solved by gluing a "hood" over the dump valve that allowed it to operate freely.
Others may not experience this problem, but we did.
Rest assured, that I am not telling you to throw your Hollis away and buy a different rig. I'm just letting you know a problem that we encountered. We are humans, we can adapt. That's part of the fun of sidemount.

[WJH]

I have the Hollis with the original inflator and dump valve position and love it as it is. I have never used the butt dump valve, as I consider it to be a backup accessory, though I can reach it with no trouble. Never needed the butt dump on my doubles rig either, though. The inflator/deflator does the job, and couldn't be more handy.

WJH

[SLIM]

What size tanks are you using? how long is your leash on the cam bands? where do you have the came bands located? Just think, all that can make a big diferance.

SLIM

[CaveMD]

I have the Hollis with the original inflator and dump valve position and love it as it is. I have never used the butt dump valve, as I consider it to be a backup accessory, though I can reach it with no trouble. Never needed the butt dump on my doubles rig either, though. The inflator/deflator does the job, and couldn't be more handy.

WJH

Butt up going through a downward restriction and your inflator gets bumped.



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[skip]

I dove my Hollis SMS100 in the pool for the first time yesterday. I had a hard time getting hold of the butt dump cord because its located right where the tanks rest when attached to the butt rails. I was wondering if anyone else had issues with this or has any advice. I have heard of switching the power infrator from the shoulder down to the butt and moving the butt dump up to the shoulder. Does this work out well?

I too cannot operate the butt dump valve easily. And like others I don't use it, but rarely, I can manhandle the tank to get to it, but it's not something I use normally. I've thought about switching them so the inflator/deflator hose is attached down there, but I haven't, and probably won't bother cause it works as is.

skip