Attaching Gear to Sidemount Cylinders? Pros/Cons/Suggestions

[SlugLife]

I'm exactly the opposite of Tbone

I detest pockets on my thighs or junk attached to butt D-Ring.

Therdo efore I have equipment pockets on both my tank cambands. To stop them moving about they have a D-ring either side, so stuff in pockets can be clipped off, or spools hung on the rings

On the neck of both tanks I have a SS ring attached to the choker, so equipment I use on each dive in current, like a pointer stick, reef hook and hook extension line, gets secured under the bungee loop on teh tank and then again clipped off on the ring.

I have nothing clipped onto my harness.

I don't cave dive, but do make deep penetrations into wrecks


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Thanks for the additional perspective and photos. I might do something similar, using a ring near the top of the tank as a temporary clipoff point as you described.

I often use a 2ft pointer as well, mostly for very-poor visibility as a feeler-stick. It tucks in my backplate-rig nicely (photo), but wouldn't work with my sidemont rig the same way. I was thinking I'd secure it to one of the tanks.

I could do something similar to the pocket shown, and make it flat against the tank. I think I have some pockets, which would work great for that.

I do like the idea of nothing (or close to nothing) clipped to the harness.

I glued pockets to my wetsuit, but so far they're under-used. I like my don & doff procedure to be fast, because the clock is usually ticking when I arrive at a dive-site & the longer it takes to get prepped, the less time I have to dive. I usually don the wetsuit at the dive-site, because ... well ... it's Texas. To use those pockets, I have to take stuff out and put stuff back in, which defeats the purpose.

I don't do restriction diving yet, but I could always streamline further when I get there.

 

[stretchthepenn]

If you're using a full-on lift bag instead of a DSMB, you can flat-fold the lift bag, place it on the right tank's top side, and tuck the bag under the long-hose keeper. Properly stowed, the bag will be out of the way, streamlined, and easy to grab-and-deploy. And, if you get into using deco bottles, it'll be sandwiched between your primary and deco tanks, where it'll be extra-secure.

 

[SlugLife]

If you're using a full-on lift bag instead of a DSMB, you can flat-fold the lift bag, place it on the right tank's top side, and tuck the bag under the long-hose keeper. Properly stowed, the bag will be out of the way, streamlined, and easy to grab-and-deploy. And, if you get into using deco bottles, it'll be sandwiched between your primary and deco tanks, where it'll be extra-secure.

Currently, I dive with 1x DSMB and 1x Lift Bag. The lift-bag by far takes up the most space & the DSMB more easily fits in the pouch. I think I'll try flat-folding the lift-bag against the tank like you suggested.

I lack the training/experience to be using deco-bottles at this time, but that's a good point you bring up. Anything attached to the tanks could interfere with additional tanks, depending on how it's attached.

 

[lermontov]

In tighter overheads the only thing I have clipped on my harness is a reels and arrows and cutting tool -everything else is in dry suit pockets -basically to try and reduce any snag points to an absolute minimum. if im diving wet then i have overpants with pockets. Any gear not needed on the immediate dive is put away

 

[Bowers]

I have been playing with my rig a lot the last few years. I found putting a backup light on each tank worked well, but then found putting them on top my shoulders worked even better. I clip them through a paracord loop that is at the same triglide as my shoulder d-ring then point the light behind me and stow it (opposite direction on shoulder strap as compared to bp/w light stowing). My mask, notes, and a few odds and ins like spools or mesh salvage bag all go in a butt pouch. Cutting devices on right kidney half under the wing and left shoulder just below my shoulder d-ring. Safety spool, primary reel and camera go on butt d-ring under pouch. Main line markers on goodman handle with more in pouch if needed. I’m pretty happy with accessibility and streamlining with this setup, but who knows, i may change it up by next year lol.

 

[SlugLife]

I have been playing with my rig a lot the last few years. I found putting a backup light on each tank worked well, but then found putting them on top my shoulders worked even better. I clip them through a paracord loop that is at the same triglide as my shoulder d-ring then point the light behind me and stow it (opposite direction on shoulder strap as compared to bp/w light stowing). My mask, notes, and a few odds and ins like spools or mesh salvage bag all go in a butt pouch. Cutting devices on right kidney half under the wing and left shoulder just below my shoulder d-ring. Safety spool, primary reel and camera go on butt d-ring under pouch. Main line markers on goodman handle with more in pouch if needed. I’m pretty happy with accessibility and streamlining with this setup, but who knows, i may change it up by next year lol.

That's a pretty good rundown.

I think shoulders might work for backup lights as you described. I tried putting cutting-devices on the shoulders and it was not great for easy-quick access, so I moved them below the chest-d-rings. However, for backup flashlights, they're supposed be out of the way & the clips on the d-rings would make them accessible.

Currently, I have a couple small cutting devices just below the shoulder d-rings, but I might move them to near the waist-strap buckle.

I'm definitely a fan of changing things up.

 

[SlugLife]

What harness do you have? Some of them don't have chest straps though you can make one with a piece of bungee, it just connects the two chest d-rings together and allows you have slightly looser shoulder straps

Quick update: I got my sidemount setup in the water finally. I do think I'm going to add the chest-strap as you suggested. The main reason being I noticed the shoulder-strap position was somewhat inconsistent between dives. That's likely partially due to needing adjustment, which will be fixed in time, but I think I'd have a better time and more consistent results with a chest strap.

 

[DogDiver]

This whole thread can be very subjective. If you talk to 10 sidemount divers. You will get 12 different gear configurations. If you really want to get your gear set up correctly drive down to north Florida cave country and get an experienced instructor to show you the real way.

 

[SlugLife]

So, I finally tried something fairly basic attached to the tank. One of these pockets: DGX Gears Glue-On Thigh Pocket attached to one tank. The method of securing was a hose-clap just under the top flap of the pocket, and then some paracord out the drain-holes, which is clamped under the bottom hose-clamp. I wanted to make it so the top hose clam didn't have to be precisely positioned, which is why the top is extremely secure with zero play, but the bottom has a small amount. The pocket was positioned to be on the underside of the tank when in horizontal trim, leaving plenty of room for stowed hoses between the bolt-snaps & the pocket.

The initial test-dive had the pockets completely empty. The donning, doffing, and dive was as if the pocket wasn't even there. I was able to easily open, close, and reach into the pocket. There was no interference with stowing the long-hose. I also added a d-ring as a temporary clip-off point, but forgot to test using it.

Next dive, I'll probably shove a finger-reel, 1 DSMB, a cheap flashlight, and spare bolt-snaps in there. The idea being nothing too heavy, vital, bulky, expensive, or easily damaged.

This whole thread can be very subjective. If you talk to 10 sidemount divers. You will get 12 different gear configurations. If you really want to get your gear set up correctly drive down to north Florida cave country and get an experienced instructor to show you the real way.

Agreed, and I somewhat knew that going in. I wanted to hear the pros, cons, and creative-ideas people have come up with.

I may have found a local sidemount instructor, but I have a couple concerns. Travel and spending more on a class might be a much better option, if/when I do a course. For more about my trying out sidemount itself, see this thread:

"Sidemounting With Benefits" - Lessons from a newbie Sidemount Diver

 

[mdwalter]

If you can't fit what you need in the butt pouch, get a bigger butt pouch. Or for larger things like primary reels or frequently used things like nav kit, just clip it to your butt D ring or butt plate. DO NOT strap any gear (including weights) to your tanks. Besides becoming a serious entanglement risk, it also requires you to move all that stuff over every time you change tanks (between dives, between days, etc). Mount all the gear you need on your harness (out back where it is not in the way or hanging down) and it will always be there when you need it.
I like to keep the items I plan to use clipped off to the butt D ring for quick access and the items I may need (emergency or unplanned needs that may come up) in the pouch. My arms are long and still flexible enough to reach up between my should blades from below, so if I needed a large lift bag for the dive or wanted to carry a DSMB that does not fit in the pouch I would bungee it in the middle of my back under the wing so I can pull it out if needed (and it's not in the way and nobody really even notices it's there, so not Christmassy at all).