Ok, first of all here is few pictures of
UTD Isolate-able Sidemount Manifold mounted on my
xDeep Stealth 2.0 sidemount since I use that.
Now, I have dove a sidemount (not only Stealth) without sidemount manifold for a while and think that having isolatable manifold is one of the greatest ideas of last sidemount times.
Firstly it brings good, proven consistent with backmount DIR configuration. Whoever dives DIR backmount system knows that its been developed to the point that any failure has a proper and thought through solution and so is the same in sidemount equipped with manifold.
There is lots of cons for using on both safety / emergency procedures but also on comfort of donning a bottles and gearing up on boats etc.
After diving sidemount the standard way, long hose stuffed on cylinder and simulating emergencies and applying the solutions my opinion is that sidemount system without manifold is more of a solo diving configuration.
As I have mention there will be a quite few situations that this manifold saves lots of problems or even saves a diver life, here is one ...
You are diving cave / wreck (overhead), no vis or no light condition, your dive buddy runs out of gas, Me and assuming all of us cave / overhead divers were trained to turn to your dive buddy tap the reg in his mouth and just take it.
What if your dive buddy breathes from necklace at this moment ?! since you switch the tanks once a while ?! Imagine, no light, no vis, you are holding the line for dear life with one hand. You are out of breath taking the reg from your buddy and there is a SURPRISE ! 22 inch necklace, now imagine donating diver thinking : don't pull (imagine your drowning buddy pulls after first two gentle ones when it doesn't go !) let me explain to you with sign or even touch language that if you will be patient for another minute or two I will give you the good one after I find it and don't forget to open the valve again since I wasn't breathing from it. Some probably will survive, others ... well I'm sorry.
Its not the only advantage but life worth one right ?
I recommend this manifold for every sidemount diver.
Sebastian J.