WTB: small SM travel setup, SMS50, small wing, etc

I'm traveling to Mexico in a couple months and not sure if I want to haul my big SMS100D with me via air travel.

I currently have my travel "rig" that is a home made harness that I usually just stick a single SM AL80 to either side and monkey dive. I've even used this rig before and rented a jacket BC (removed the cam bands on the back) to put over my harness and was able to sidemount that in a cave successfully.

However, I would like something a little more "complete" for traveling with.

I'm looking for either one of the old DR butt lift wings, or even a small wing that has the power inflation port on it. I don't wish to pay $$$$$$$$ for certain new harnesss wings either.

I'd also be very interested in seeing if anyone has an SMS50 they would like to let go of.

I am also open to other options too. I just need something small and light that's easy to cram in a suitcase for flying with. My only other BC is a HOG BP/Wing combo, but that's also pretty bulky to travel with too.

Let me know what yall got! :)

Just get a small, cheap, used OW BCD, and use it like you mention in paragraph 2. You aren't going to get any cheaper, or more complete.

take a look at the new HOG sidemount rig. It's HIGHLY configurable, small, inexpensive, light, etc. You can find them at HOG dealers such as Amigos Dive Center and DiveRightInScuba.

Yes Jordan, I will post that I'm a distributor for HOG here.

I know you said you don't want to pay money for a new branded SM wing, but the Stealth wing is pretty nice. I have the whole stealth setup that I bought specifically for travel ease. You can buy just the wing although it's not the cheapest. I know a few people that have built their own harness and throw the wing on top.

Steve, aren't you a HOG dealer? :rollguy

Richard, sorry, I'm not a HOG dealer. I'm a distributor. I sell to dealers not to the public. Also, those dealers are in Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, etc, not NA.

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Originally Posted by whodunit68

Richard, sorry, I'm not a HOG dealer. I'm a distributor. I sell to dealers not to the public. Also, those dealers are in Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, etc, not NA.

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Lol. I'm aware. Just wanted to pull your chain since I've seen you get crap a couple of times. Esp on TDS

I know but I have to play straight so as not to leave any doubt in the minds of dealers.

Dayo scuba has a very nice sidemount harness that would work. Its the seac ks01. Check it out

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Hell, just get you a set of these and a couple of D rings:

http://ep.yimg.com/ay/suspenderstore...-2-wide-30.gif

Remember, red goes on the left.

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Originally Posted by OFG-1

Hell, just get you a set of these and a couple of D rings:

http://ep.yimg.com/ay/suspenderstore...-2-wide-30.gif

Remember, red goes on the left.

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LOL... actually I do want to find some loud webbing to use for my harness one of these days. Why's all our gear gotta be black!?

The Seac setup looks nice and compact, similar to the style of the SMS50's small package. Just want something at a used price since I won't be using it very often.

yeah, the stealth wing is way too much for what it is :(


A friend sent me a link to this... Im thinking it may be the way to go:
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif
http://www.diveequipmentco.com/bcd-s...ladder-22.html


Thanks for all the suggestions so far :)

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Originally Posted by corvettejoe

...A friend sent me a link to this... Im thinking it may be the way to go:
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif
http://www.diveequipmentco.com/bcd-s...ladder-22.html...

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That will work fine with 80s.

Joe, come see me. I've got what you want. ;) it just came in from seac.

Thanks for the suggestions all.

I think I am going to order one of the MSR style finished bags like this one:
http://www.cavediver.net/forum/showt...-MSR-like-wing

TJ, I'll see if I can stop by soon before I order the MSR style wing to check the seac setup out.

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Originally Posted by corvettejoe

...
A friend sent me a link to this... Im thinking it may be the way to go:
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif
http://www.diveequipmentco.com/bcd-s...ladder-22.html

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I have it but been sitting in the closet. There's another thread a couple of months back where cheap rigs using the bladder were discussed. Also, SMS50 is a great travel rig. Visit leisurepro.com and they sell them used at a decent price.

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Originally Posted by midway

I have it but been sitting in the closet. There's another thread a couple of months back where cheap rigs using the bladder were discussed. Also, SMS50 is a great travel rig. Visit leisurepro.com and they sell them used at a decent price.

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Thanks for the tip on the used SMS50... that's just about the price I'm willing to pay for this...

Now to figure out... $120 more into my monkey rig (only $60 invested total so far, but needs lots of adjusting, sew it up, etc) or just put that into the used SMS50 (ready to go, and I already love my SMS100's fit and finish)
Part of me wants the DIY route though. You get more weird looks and comments from it "Uhhh, you're diving in that?"... uh huh! I made it myself with macaroni and paste! :D

I'd go DIY. The SMS50 has a lot of flaws. On the other hand, it would still be a bit of a DIY project to get the SMS50 diving just right.

I have a DR trim pillow if you are interested

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Originally Posted by victorzamora

I'd go DIY. The SMS50 has a lot of flaws. On the other hand, it would still be a bit of a DIY project to get the SMS50 diving just right.

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What are the flaws of the SMS50? I just ordered one

You can make it work. Weighting is a little critical so the thing doesn't feel like a rock on your back. What are you planning on using it for?


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Originally Posted by lilsumo

What are the flaws of the SMS50? I just ordered one

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Well, the "Open Water" version has the over-the-shoulder LPIs.....which is atrocious for sidemount, and worse for overheads.

As for the rig itself, it's useless for steel tanks.....which is fine, but the planned attachment points are WAY too high for alu tanks. The door handles they use are shaped great, but are NOT where you attach alu tanks to. You should attach alu tanks to your waist.....a la Razor/Stealth. The SMS50 supports that fairly easily, and the buttplate makes a good spot to clip reels/spools to afterwards.....but it's more work that needs to be done. The corrugated hose also sucks, it's the same super stiff, brittle one that the SMS100 uses. That needs to be replaced immediately.

The other glaring, and most obnoxious, flaw is the bungee system. Hollis rigs are infamous for their miserable bungee setup. It's true, that bungee SUCKS. Put an "Old School" style bungee on there and it makes it pretty tolerable.

So, long story short, IF you get one do NOT get the Open Water version......and then if you replace the hose with a Dive Rite style hose, place attachment points on your waist strap, and put an Old School bungee on it you'll be off to a pretty good start.

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Originally Posted by Akroedge540

You can make it work. Weighting is a little critical so the thing doesn't feel like a rock on your back. What are you planning on using it for?


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I had plan on using for single tank stuff mainly and I dive dry sometimes in the quarry with 2 steel 85's

It's gonna be tough with the 85s. I doubt you will be able to get the weighting right without limiting yourself on the amount of gas you can use. Victor is right about an old school bungee kit and a dive rite hose though. Now for aluminums the 50 will work just fine. I prefer the xdeep for that though,


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Originally Posted by Akroedge540

It's gonna be tough with the 85s. I doubt you will be able to get the weighting right without limiting yourself on the amount of gas you can use. Victor is right about an old school bungee kit and a dive rite hose though. Now for aluminums the 50 will work just fine. I prefer the xdeep for that though,


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Well its paid for and on its way, so i am stuck with it and have to make it work

Where do I find the old school bungee kit?

Only 18lbs of gas is a pair of cave pumped LP85s. Definitely workable. I agree, weighting properly is going to be the problem. You want to have enough lead that you don't float too bad with nearly empty tanks, and still have enough lift to swim with a flooded suit.

Caveadventurers


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What kind of LP85s? Fabers MIGHT allow you to get away with them, but you'd have to be fairly buoyant on your own. That means ZERO warm water diving for you with those tanks. The shop I worked at was a Hollis dealer.....so I've had PLENTY of exposure to the SMS50. They also started getting into cave diving, and Faber LP85s were everywhere. In a drysuit, some divers could get away with them and ZERO lead.....but that also limited them on can lights, reels, spools, O2 bottles, etc. They were also not capable of floating on the surface with those, so ZERO boat or OW dives with them. With just a pair of AL80s, you could float at the surface with two full tanks if your weighting was JUST right.....but not in too big of surf.

Let me mention, I say all of the above as someone who has worked with over a half dozen SMS50 configurations on over a dozen divers in all sorts of conditions (fresh, salt, shore, boat, flat, waves, etc). Seriously, it's just not a good sidemount rig.

As for "bought and paid for".....it doesn't mean you're stuck with it. If I were you, I'd return it....especially trying to dive it with steel tanks? Pick up a Stealth or make your own (lot of work but very cheap), or suck it up and buy a Hog SM rig or a Hollis SMS75 (great rigs, they're just bigger).