Sidemount BC Styles

[CWSWine]

I still on the quest for the perfect backmount single/double wings that works perfect for both and I think in the sidemount world the same holds true for the perfect Aluminum and Steel tank wings. Most of these manufactures make wings of different lift for big steels, small steels and aluminum tanks (some manufactures as many as 6 different wings) but when comes to sidemount wings they try to convince us that one or two size fits all. In backmount we have plate that all we have to do is switch wings but side mount they wants us to by another rig for warm and one for cold water diving. It might be better giving the users a choice between a perfect steel wing and a perfect lighter aluminum wing and let them decided which one is best for the diving they are doing. Then put some research into a harness that the wings can be EASILY switch between wings so the same harness can be used for single tank rec dive in warm waters or heavy drysuit diving in the northern cold waters. Most sidemount divers that I know have two completely different rigs they use going between warm and cold water diving, it would be nice be able to switch wings and have one rig that would do both well not one rig that does both just OK. XDeep is close to the perfect system now if they would release a 20 to 25 lbs wing and 45 to 55 pound dual bladder they would cover the complete spectrum of diving from warm Mexico caves to deep dark cold waters of the Great Lakes. I wish some of the manufacture would think out the box instead reinventing the rec BC into sidemount rigs.
Just thinking out loud!

 

[Doppler]

This is an impractical wish... the location of the mass when tanks or tank is backmounted demands lift in a completely different region to that needed when tanks are at the diver's side.

YOU MAY get a SM wing that provides lift somewhat suitable for a single aluminum cylinder but the harness will not allow you to backmount it.

 

[CWSWine]

I’m talking about manufacture make a single sidemount harness and adapting different size wings for different diving conditions for sidemount diving only. If you are cave diving in Mexico with a couple of AL80 you need 50 lbs of lift and huge BC like the SMS100. But if diving the cold waters of Great Likes it would nice to have a 50 lbs of lift for huge 120’s and even a dual bladder wing would nice touch. I own XDeep and have the XDeep 37 lbs wing and I also dive it with a 6 liter MSR bag and Dive Rite trim pillow. I don’t want a sidemount rig that can dive backmount, it's hard to make one product do several different diving styles well. I want to have choices in wing selection just like the backmount guys without having to purchase several different BCs.

 

[Doppler]

Can I take it you meant to write... You do NOT need fifty pounds of lift in Mexico?

I suggest waiting to see what Chris at HOG comes up with... And the SMS75 from Hollis

i have yet to need fifty pounds of lift for anything, but at least now I think it's clear what you would like.

Do you not find the Xdeep profile unwieldy. Looks to me like the lift is on the back and not on the hips

 

[flots am]

If you are cave diving in Mexico with a couple of AL80 you need 50 lbs of lift and huge BC like the SMS100. But if diving the cold waters of Great Likes it would nice to have a 50 lbs of lift for huge 120’s and even a dual bladder wing would nice touch.

At a minimum, you only need enough buoyancy to compensate for change in the weight of your gas during the dive, and wetsuit compression. The rest should be handled before the dive even starts, by selecting gear that doesn't make you tremendously negative.

While the SMS50 does have a relatively small lift capacity, it's plenty even for dives in very cold water with thick drysuit underwear and a lot of lead.

flots

 

[ianr33]

The rest should be handled before the dive even starts, by selecting gear that doesn't make you tremendously negative.

flots

Bit if I'm diving sidemount 104's , a couple of stages and a deco bottle(s) I AM going to be negative at the start of a dive. The gas alone will weigh around 35 pounds. No getting around that!

 

[CWSWine]

Lanr33 and flots those are perfect examples of why we should have different size wings. Lanr33 would needed 40 to 50 lbs of lift and having a dual bladder would be a plus but flots only needs about 20 1o 25 lbs lift. Currently Lanr33 would be best suited in SMS100D but if he wanted to travel to Mexico and dive warm water he need to purchase another BC like the SMS50. If Lanr33 could just swap out wings like you do with back plate he wouldn't have to purchase two BC.

Most of my side mount diving is in the XDeep but the XDeep wing was overkill of couple AL80 in warm water diving so my solutions was to come with different wings and here is what I have done.



The wing on the far left is the XDeep wing with 37 lbs lift - the one in the middle is 6L MSR bag that I would guess has about 18lbs to 22 lbs lift - the far right is Dive Rite Trim Pillow with about 10 lbs of lift. I have dove all these with my XDeep and the 37lbs works great with small steels but over kill for AL80 - MSR bag is great with a couple AL80 and the Trim Pillow works good for single and little light duty for dual al80. It would be nice if manufactures of sidemount BC would support the concept of using different size wings just like they do in back mount instead of saying that one or two complete different BC to fit all you requirements. Plus BC are expensive and lot cheaper to switch wings. The key is making the harness easy to swap out wings like the XDeep.

Anyone agree?

 

[CWSWine]

Can I take it you meant to write... You do NOT need fifty pounds of lift in Mexico?

I suggest waiting to see what Chris at HOG comes up with... And the SMS75 from Hollis

i have yet to need fifty pounds of lift for anything, but at least now I think it's clear what you would like.

Do you not find the Xdeep profile unwieldy. Looks to me like the lift is on the back and not on the hips

Yes, I do me NOT needed.

First of all I have owned a lot SM BC over the years and everyone expect the Recon took some sort of trim weights. Diving wet in the XDeep requires me to wear NO trim weight what so ever. I setup my weight in 10 to 15 of water without the wing and get weight so I can hold my depth with just my breath and hold trim without moving - then I put the wing on and place the wing so provides lift without affect trim. Even diving wet with LP85 and I have lot air in the wing it still provides lift with out affecting trim, that is the beauty of the system. Of coarse, I add enough weight to make the difference in air used during the dive. Diving dry in the Fusion with LP85 I'm head heavy and have to revert to heavy fins to correct it but still no trim weights up high.

Just as a note, there is two ways to setup the XDeep wing - rec or tec mode. In rec mode the bungee are closer to center of the BC and allows the BC to expand but in Tech mode the bungees are more to the outside edge and doesn't allow it bellow quite so much.

Edit: Just check my log book and diving wet with LP85 took 3lbs of trim weight in the upper pocket to maintain trim only.

 

[flots am]

Bit if I'm diving sidemount 104's , a couple of stages and a deco bottle(s) I AM going to be negative at the start of a dive. The gas alone will weigh around 35 pounds. No getting around that!

35 pounds is 433 cubic feet, so yes,if you're bringing that much gas, you're going to need a bigger wing. Probably a scooter too.

flots.

 

[CWSWine]

Here is a interesting comparison between the SMS100 and the XDeep. I took the XDeep and SMS100D and lined up the waist belts and they laid the wing in the same position it would be if I was wearing it. As you see by the picture that XDeep wing is position over the lower part of the SMS100D with less than a inch of the SMS100D wing below the XDeep Wing. You also can see there is quite a bit of wing on SMS100d above the XDeep wing that will at least some lift up toward you shoulders where it's not needed. Looking at the picture I would say that the XDeep lift is more toward the hips where need than the SMS100D is more spread out and higher than the XDeep.

The XDeep even sets lower on the back than SMS50


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