Sidemount VS Backmount in caves

[karstdvr]

Now, I agree that we don't want to have the part staff involved more than needed in the design approval process, but that also requires due diligence to ensure designs are fully considered and vetted. If the NSFA screws it up, it undermines their ability to have a free hand in future projects.

I'm happy to provide input to the NSFA on any future plans, and I'd have been happy to give suggestions on this design, including the consideration of the design relative to the average water levels and the degree to which the design should accommodate low water levels. However, to be fair the first I heard of the step replacement was the notice that it was starting. .

I am a founding member of the NFSA, and have been involved with all build processes, plus involved in building the steps at Emerald. Replacing something versus new construction doesn't involve as much design and approval. But all work at the park requires an approval process with the project being supervised along the way, and having specific standards that must be met. There is some room for improvisation and changes in the original design which requires approval- for example when we added new tank benches at Madison, we were able to get sidemount friendly ones approved. Any input in new construction eg Madison is welcome,but please realize we are dependent on the state's guidelines.


Sidemount versus Backmount???
Whichever causes the least cave damage. Bedding plane- sidemount, fissure crack-back mount, big cave passage- whatever keeps someone from putting hand prints in the floor

 

[Aquabot]

What I see at the actual dive sites, as in off the internet, is that no one really cares if you dive back mount, side mount, or something else.

Truth!!

 

[OMANDIVER]

Thanks so much for all the responses guys. My reason for asking is nothing more than pure curiosity at this point. It appears that there are:

a) people who are strictly backmount cave divers. A lot of GUE community would fall here.

b) Then there are strictly sidemount divers who do not see the benefit of backmount in a cave.

c) Finally there are those who switch from one configuration to another depending on where the dive is happening.

I was wondering if we were to ask all fully certified cave divers from all agencies where they fell into these categories then how would the cave diving community be distributed into the above classifications.

Without looking at statistics can we assume that class b has grown slightly and c has grown considerably while class a has shrunk?

I suppose most cave divers started off as technical divers on backmount and then decided to try sidemount for cave diving, liked it and stayed with it. There are lots of backmount cavedivers but not so much in Mexico where if you want to get off the beaten track sidemount is useful. Also if your buddies are all on sidemount in a cave it is better both from a restriction pov and ooa.

 

[Six Feet Under]

Also if your buddies are all on sidemount in a cave it is better both from a restriction pov and ooa.

That was reason #2 for me switching - all my friends dive SM and really only dive BM when they're using a rebreather. Reason #1 was simply being tired of lugging BM doubles around. They suck to get filled, they suck to load into my SUV, they sucked putting on tank racks, and they suck trying to climb up stairs to get out of the water at sites. Much easier to carry tanks one at a time prior to getting geared up (especially in this heat), or load them into my tank cart and put the rest of my gear on top of them, then walk to the water and gear up.