MichaelMc
Working toward Cenotes
Do you know which side mount rig is better for a very small person, and for carrying the small tanks?
See these Future Sidemounter and Is Side Mount the new DIR??? Building resentment towards us as a group... for how there are Mexico style rigs for neutral/buoyant/small tanks and beefier Florida rigs for big heavy/negative steel tanks. For small tanks you would just need a Mexico rig, and some of them, particularly the Stealth, are also useable closer into the heavy gas/tank load category.
A Mexico sidemount rig is just a web and a few steel bits harness for weighs and to clip tanks on. Plus a bladder attached to it or your body, often held down on you by just thick bungee cord and a strap with some velcro. Plus often a clip on butt pocket for DSMB etc.
The webbing can go as small as you want. The bladder can be as small as an MSR water bladder with an inflation hose and dump valve added. DECO - Dive Equipment Company - Sidemount - BCD's. The tanks have their limits on small, but 2x AL30s could be sweet.
I'm a reasonably trim, 5'9" ~140 lb,, and strong guy. For small tanks, I like my XDeep Stealth tec with redundant bladder, which I got for small tanks, up to, for me, max say 2x LP85 + a two AL stages/deco. Which leaves the small gas/tank load camp, but is does not venture far into the big serious camp. Sometimes the bottom dump feels a bit far to reach, which the tec's solid plastic back protective plate does not give many options for raising closer to my shoulders, although you could route the dump cord various ways. I wanted redundant bladders, as I have a very thick suit, and a broad (small-ish) tank range. I think the tec was the only redundant Stealth at the time.
The stealth classic bladder assembly is more compact with a tiny bit less lift, and may not handle big tanks as well. Its blabber is separate from the harness so its positioning, should be more controllable. Or fit a shorter spine and arms better. I think for just small tanks it would be a good option. Even better than the tec, as the tec's bigger tank capacity is not needed. You seem to give up some ease in handling bigger tanks, but it would seem more suited to a smaller frame. It certainly seems used with 2x AL80s. See rddvet's comments between the tec and classic stealths, Future Sidemounter. XDeep does have a nice weight pocket system, thought you could add it to other Mexico rigs as well.
If you're *just* using tiny tanks, or even *just* AL80s, the Deco rig would be very small. I've considered it as a super small travel option.
One advice, from tbone, was to drive to CaveAdventures in North Florida as they have rental of most all the rigs.
The Stealth tec with 2x AL40s or 2x LP50s is all I know. I did read a lot, or even all, of the sidemount forum before buying.