I have been getting more and more interested in sidemount. I'm NOT going to jump into it soon, but I am trying to learn more about it, for future use. I have read a lot here and other places on the 'net. I have watched numerous YouTube videos. I have read Rob Neto's book twice. I think I know just about as much about SM as one can learn from reading. Which is to say, just enough to be dangerous.
The short version of my question is:
Is there any real downside to using an xDeep Stealth Tec for diving with just 2 AL80s?
The long version is:
If I go sidemount, one of my uses would (eventually) be diving dry, in cold water, with 2 x steels plus 2 x AL80s. The Stealth Tec looks like it would be a good rig for that usage.
Another rig that looks good is the Hollis Katana, but that seems like it doesn't have enough lift to really be safe with my intended usage. It only has 35# lift, and that is not enough for me when diving in BM doubles. My limited understanding of sidemount does not reveal any reason to me why that much lift would be enough in SM if it's not enough in BM. The difference is down to the weight of a manifold, right?
Assuming I am correct in ruling out the Katana, then the question is whether I would really need a separate rig for, say going to MX and diving in a 3mm wetsuit with 2 AL80s. I understand why an overly large wing is undesirable in BM. But, with the Stealth Tec wing design, it seems like it would not share the same drawbacks as BM has. The wing has 50# of lift and I might only be using 15, at most. So the Tec wing would have very little air in it. But, does that really actually make it harder to deal with than, say, their Rec wing (18# lift)? With the way it is designed, it just looks (to my obviously inexperienced eye) like it wouldn't make much difference at all - unlike using a 50# wing for BM single tank.
If it IS advantageous to have a smaller wing on the Stealth harness, for warm water with AL80s, then am I also correct in thinking that the Stealth setup is nice, like a BP/W, in that I could just get the Stealth Rec wing, reposition some D-rings, and then be optimally setup (for warm water and 80s)?
Thanks!
The short version of my question is:
Is there any real downside to using an xDeep Stealth Tec for diving with just 2 AL80s?
The long version is:
If I go sidemount, one of my uses would (eventually) be diving dry, in cold water, with 2 x steels plus 2 x AL80s. The Stealth Tec looks like it would be a good rig for that usage.
Another rig that looks good is the Hollis Katana, but that seems like it doesn't have enough lift to really be safe with my intended usage. It only has 35# lift, and that is not enough for me when diving in BM doubles. My limited understanding of sidemount does not reveal any reason to me why that much lift would be enough in SM if it's not enough in BM. The difference is down to the weight of a manifold, right?
Assuming I am correct in ruling out the Katana, then the question is whether I would really need a separate rig for, say going to MX and diving in a 3mm wetsuit with 2 AL80s. I understand why an overly large wing is undesirable in BM. But, with the Stealth Tec wing design, it seems like it would not share the same drawbacks as BM has. The wing has 50# of lift and I might only be using 15, at most. So the Tec wing would have very little air in it. But, does that really actually make it harder to deal with than, say, their Rec wing (18# lift)? With the way it is designed, it just looks (to my obviously inexperienced eye) like it wouldn't make much difference at all - unlike using a 50# wing for BM single tank.
If it IS advantageous to have a smaller wing on the Stealth harness, for warm water with AL80s, then am I also correct in thinking that the Stealth setup is nice, like a BP/W, in that I could just get the Stealth Rec wing, reposition some D-rings, and then be optimally setup (for warm water and 80s)?
Thanks!