SM vs. BM

[kwinter]

isolater failure is probably as rare as being struck by lightening.

I've been struck by lightening twice, but I've never had an isolator failure. Backmount has its place, especially on boats. When you close the isolator, you are no longer diving doubles, you have independent twins. This has the same exact redundancy as sidemount. There may be other advantages and disadvantages, but the OP only asked about redundancy.

[mdax]

How about people dive the rig that matches the cave?
For example, if you are in the worm hole passage in side mount without a tank off you are banging up the cave, you are a douche. If you are in jug hole in back mount wriggling through the restriction you are a douche.
Which rig you choose should be based primarily on removing any cave impact.

[Danseur]

And while we're at it: What's the better party, democrates or republicans? Should you get a Dodge truck or go for Ford? And finally, are you a boob-man or butt-man.

Go with what you find is the coolest, that's what everyone does. Both works just fine unless you really want squeeze into a tiny hole.

What do have against us Libertarian, Chevy Driving, "leg man" types!?

[Danseur]

I've been struck by lightening twice, but I've never had an isolator failure. Backmount has its place, especially on boats. When you close the isolator, you are no longer diving doubles, you have independent twins. This has the same exact redundancy as sidemount. There may be other advantages and disadvantages, but the OP only asked about redundancy.

Still have a single point of failure (catastrophic) in the manifold, isolated or not.

[Nitrogenius]

As already stated by a lot before indirectly.
Redundancy should not be the denominator to decide for or against sidemount
If redundancy is a factor then you can achieve the same in BM with Independent Doubles..
A closed isolator does not make the Doubles independent IMHO only not having the manifold to start with does..


On the other hand even when I like diving sidemount a lot and by now I chose it as my primary way to dive I still see it as one of the potential tools to conduct a dive.
There are situations where even in Caving Backmount is the better setup..
And in Open Water Extended OC Decompression diving you can make use of the space on your back pretty fast..
I'd prefer 2 tanks on my back when I'd need to dive with 6 tanks at a time..
On the other hand that scenario is very unlikely as for such dives I take my breather and that sits on the back anyways

[Kelly Jessop]

.
There are situations where even in Caving Backmount is the better setup..

This thread is deviating away from the OP, but I agree. In systems where there are fissure cracks primarily,backmount keeps a narrow profile and reduces contact with sidewalls. I know everyone says they will turn sideways and avoid contact,but this isn't so. For the area just upstream of the Black Lagoon,this isn't working too good; the fissue crack area 200 ft upstream looks like the Titanic ran into an iceberg.

[divindoc]

All other things being equal, my neck prefers SM

[RGU]

[My question is if you dive BM and isolate then switch regs every 200 or so psi how is this any less redundant that SM(besides the slim chance of isolator failure)?

Twenty years ago I spent a lot of time diving independent twins. If you dive thirds, you actually only need to switch twice during the dive. Sometimes I would switch again during decompression. I had black and yellow Poseidon second stages and always knew the yellow regulator was on the tank over my right shoulder. SPGs were also different to avoid confusion. I use a manifold now as it’s more politically correct, but I think the independents were just as easy to use.

[shellmoundal]

I dive SM because I don't want the back problems that so many BM divers have. As you get older you will appreciate SM for what it is. I do like the fact that in SM I can feather the tank in the vent of a complete failure. I am sure that is possible in BM but my arms won't reach my back like they use to. Also, diving in the horizontal position is more normal in SM. Your neck and head are not restricted in any way.
Dive what best fits you. If BM is more comfortable than BM it is. Try not to be a crowd follower. Crowd followers can follow the crowd to the end of a cliff and BINGO.

[Webmaster]

Actually redundant vs. mostly redundant. It becomes more of an issue when you are pushing stuff in lower vis. or where you may be actually or effectively working by yourself for other reasons.