---------- Post added January 21st, 2014 at 08:35 AM ----------
gearhound - a lot of good things about these boards but this is the bad part of these boards. you think your narrowing in on something then someone recommends something else to look at, and your back to square one deliberating... LOL. so i haven't even heard of Razor or Stealth before. SMS100 is popular all over the place so I just immediately focused there. Seems as if a large percentage of people were buying it must be good. I just hopped on website for the Stealth II and it looks pretty intriguing. I presume it also does single tank back mount as well. can you, or anyone else, give me some high level comparisons and differences between the Stealth type of rig and the SMS100 and Nomad which are more bulkier versions. I agree with you that I've always been hesitant on the SM rigs b/c they seem bulky ( i guess you need that when diving 2+ steel tanks in cold water, drysuit, etc.) 90% of my diving is open water, tropical water, typically off tour boats with Aluminums. Even if I did buy steels some day, i wouldn't be transporting them with me to my diving vacations. So is this Stealth more better for me.. Which is better Stealth or Razor.. Might has well through UTD in there I guess. is there a ranking of which ones are more functional, versatile, or "better" in a sense.
Well, I'll try to answer this without going into a rant.
The SMS100 is popular because they have a distribution network, not because it's a good rig. If it was, then more people would have bought the Oxycheq Recon, whose design Hollis copied. It needs modifications, and the SMS75 is an attempt to address that.
People will rave about whatever they bought or whatever they sell. They don't want to look like idiots. I'm trying to give you an objective answer. According to your criteria, the Stealth will suit you the best. Single tank side mount with the possibility of moving up into tec. With the loop bungees, it will be easy to carry one tank without adjustments. It will be easy to adjust weights. It packs up nice for travelling. The Razor is the other option. These two rigs were designed by people that actually side mount in passages where side mount is needed. They know what works and what doesn't. The Nomad is another rig designed by someone that does actual side mount diving and has probably explored countless miles of passages. The Armadillo also fits into this category. All the rest are posers.
And with apologies to Seba, I would not recommend the UTD system. We've gone through 2 z-trim wings due to leakage from the seams. And, for me, the manifold system is an expensive solution to a problem that doesn't exist.
Also, with the way they are designed, the Stealth and the Razor will put the lift in the small of your back when you are horizontal, making it easy to keep your trim. All the others will put the air into the shoulder area first before migrating it down lower. Simple physics. When trying to stay afloat at the surface, the Stealth will put all the lift below the waterline, as opposed to the SMS100 which will always fill the shoulders first, which are above the waterline. These are some of the subtle design features that people ignore or don't know about, but make a difference, especially if you're diving somewhere tight.
Anyway, here is a video of Steve Martin side mounting with a single AL80. He's in a Razor here, but is diving a Stealth in his more recent videos. And no, neither rig can back mount a single
but once you make the switch, why would you want to? You've got a jacket bcd for when you have to.
Can you Side Mount Dive with a Single Cylinder..? - YouTube
