My Short Review of the Kiss Side Kick Rebreather/Class with Jon Bernot

[midway]

The advantage is the large amount of bailout you can carry. The O2 is mounted like a stage also, on the top of the sidemount tanks.

Got it.

[Tamara Thomsen]

I've been playing around with sidemount rebreathers for just over 8 years now, and started on a Sidekick about a year ago. After a lot of messing around, I've completely gone away from putting any lead on the unit, and I use only an Al80 for the dil/bailout. If I have to wear any lead, I put it on the shoulders or spine of the harness. By avoiding lead on the unit, I've found it simply breathes a lot better- you're not fighting to keep it in hydrostatic balance. By doing this, I don't have too many troubles in chimneys, and we actually have a lot of these where I dive here in Wisconsin and also in Missouri. I played around too with using steel tanks paired with the sidekick (and also my other sidemount rebreather) and I've gone away from that too. If I need to have larger bailout volume, I simply stack another 80. Trust me, I would have liked to have the weight of a steel tank to get some of the lead off of my harness, but the whole deal just swims better with an 80. I'm not completely settled with O2 bottle yet - have been stacking an Al13 on top of my can, but I think a 2L steel might be the ticket after a student of mine came upon one and we got her going on that - it looks pretty good in the water. And, the new retractible hoses that KISS now has available- that is a definite upgrade that I would suggest- the sideways pulling of the mouthpiece will lessen.

Hope you’re continuing to enjoy the unit. It does take a bit to dial it in, but definitely worth the effort!

[midway]

... By avoiding lead on the unit, I've found it simply breathes a lot better- you're not fighting to keep it in hydrostatic balance. By doing this, I don't have too many troubles in chimneys, and we actually have a lot of these where I dive here in Wisconsin and also in Missouri. ...

Very interesting. Despite the relative simplicity of the rig, how to best tackle WOB issues hasn't been completely figured out yet.

[trout]

As Tamara mentioned, as long as you don't weigh the counter-lung case down with a bunch of lead, the WOB issue is a non-issue. In the 8 months I've been diving my Sidekick CCR, the possibility of switching to OC to navigate a shaft never crossed my mind. It breaths best while horizontal but I haven't yet managed to get it into a position that wasn't at least OK for breathing. I've done my best to put it into as many different situations as possible! I haven't missed any dives due to equipment problems (though I've probably just jinxed myself). Mike Young at KISS has been great about helping to resolve any minor issues. And it's great fun to dive!

[FW]

Very interesting. Despite the relative simplicity of the rig, how to best tackle WOB issues hasn't been completely figured out yet.

Actually the SideKick can have a NEGATIVE WOB. If you set it up right, and roll a little as you breathe, the counterlung will be below your lungs on inhale, and above your lungs on exhale. I have very little problems in chimneys. Like any other rebreather, you have to add diluent on decent, and purge the loop on ascent. The SideKick has an ADV, and an OPV so it is automatic. The only real issue is if you have to remove the rebreather to get through a restriction. If the restriction is horizontal, it is easy. If it is vertical, it is better to go OC through a restriction. Now before you go thinking any other rebreather is better, remember that if there is a restriction, you are going to have to remove the rig, and still faced with a problem.

[Superlyte27]

Actually the SideKick can have a NEGATIVE WOB. If you set it up right, and roll a little as you breathe, the counterlung will be below your lungs on inhale, and above your lungs on exhale. I have very little problems in chimneys. Like any other rebreather, you have to add diluent on decent, and purge the loop on ascent. The SideKick has an ADV, and an OPV so it is automatic. The only real issue is if you have to remove the rebreather to get through a restriction. If the restriction is horizontal, it is easy. If it is vertical, it is better to go OC through a restriction. Now before you go thinking any other rebreather is better, remember that if there is a restriction, you are going to have to remove the rig, and still faced with a problem.

Have you dove the Sidekick forrest? For that matter, which rebreathers have you dove with an ADV? I've dove several. The only ADV that I've dove that really works is the Optima. The ADV on the sidekick barely works at all in even worst case scenario. There isn't even a pittance of gas coming out of it unless I reach up and hit the button. Which is fine. I don't really care for ADV's anyway and even capped the ADV on my second rEvo.... which in 3 rEvo's I've owned and 6 I've dove, only gave you enough gas to not die, but not much else, and only when sucking as hard as you possibly could. So while "the sidekick has an ADV, and an OPV", it's not at all "automatic".

In response to Midway's comment about how to overcome the WoB issues... I think it's pretty simple. You go into it knowing that it's not going to breathe perfectly at certain orientations. No unit is best for everything. If you could find me a sidemounted rebreather that was as simple, easy to dive, and breathed as well as an Optima, for what I could buy a new Optima, I'd need no other CCR. Until then.... If you want perfect breathing all the time in wide open passage get an Optima. If you want a cheap CCR for tight passage that sometimes doesn't breathe perfectly, get a sidekick.

Oh, and the statement about not having weight on the sidekick helping with WoB.... I had no weight. Just the sidekick and LP85. I'm going to try it with no weight and an AL80, but this will require several bottles for bailout... which sucks.

[FW]

Have you dove the Sidekick forrest?

Yes, I own a SideKick, and I test dove all the prototypes for it.

[Superlyte27]

And the ADV works on yours? We're going to need to get together when I get mine.

[Kevin Leonhardt]

And the ADV works on yours? We're going to need to get together when I get mine.

Peter, the ADV can be made to work very well. Kiss can make a taller ADV paddle which makes all the difference. I'll work on a write-up on the modifications I've done to the sidekick and how I have it configured.

[Dsix36]

I have no experience with a sidekick, or any other mainline sidemount RB for that matter. I have to agree that the Optima ADV is one of the very best out there for both function and ease of adjustment to the individual divers preference.

My BOB has an ADV that I made with Apeks atx40 internals and it breathes as well, if not better, than any other that I have tried. MY OPINION is that any plunger style is severely limited in its ability to give gas at a consistent negative pressure to maintain user comfort in all situations and positions. An ADV needs to work from the vacuum of the divers breathing (negative pressure) to be truly comfortable and reliable.