directing valves inside (to the chest)?

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vovanx

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pl. Earth
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wouldn't it be better to place tanks in such way that valve handles would look inside rather than outside?
I feel it would be much easier to close/open left tank with the right hand and right tank with the left hand.

a bit shopped example below:
 

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If you actually have sidemount tanks and not front mounted I think you will find that hard to do. Also in that pic the regs would be facing down exposing them.
 
It will be hard if you have more than 2 tanks - e.g. stage/deco hanging in front of the bottom tanks, rather than on top of them (behind).

And if you use the common "not sidemount" tanks you will have the right regulator facing down anyway.
 
I’m a beginning SM diver but it really isn’t that difficult to manipulate valve knobs with them outward.

Oh, and I have my first stages pointing down (right/left valves). It just happened that way. I’m doing OW diving so I don’t have to worry about cave damage.
 
Try it in the pool. I suspect you'll find it very difficult to reach the valve as it will end up under the rig strap. You'll probably find it virtually impossible to feather the valve with the same hand as the tank. Which means you'll always need extra space under you so your arm can fit under you and possibly so your elbow can stick out as you can reach the valves, which kind of defeats the whole purpose of tech sidemount.

Now if you are one of those "sidemount" divers whose tanks hang down a foot below you then maybe not...
 
That was actually how I learned it in my horrible, no-good PADI sidemount course, just to unlearn it quickly when I took cavern. My chest area is already crowded enough that I don't need another thing, i.e., the tank valves, cluttering it up. And why would I want to reach across my body to operate a valve, when I can do it just as conveniently and perhaps simpler (right hand for right tank, left hand for left tank) with the valve pointing out configuration?
 
I’m a beginning SM diver but it really isn’t that difficult to manipulate valve knobs with them outward.

Oh, and I have my first stages pointing down (right/left valves). It just happened that way. I’m doing OW diving so I don’t have to worry about cave damage.

I dive my first stages this way as well. I am OW diving now as it is easier to wrap the bungies around the tank handle without undoing the snap bolt but when I start caving I will change to first stages in and use the snap bolt to wrap around the tank neck.
 
I’m a beginning SM diver but it really isn’t that difficult to manipulate valve knobs with them outward.

Oh, and I have my first stages pointing down (right/left valves). It just happened that way. I’m doing OW diving so I don’t have to worry about cave damage.

You willl find a lot of people dive with knobs out and 1st stages down, even in the caves. I currently have mine this way, but have also experamented with having knobs pointed downward and 1st stages inboard, clocked at an angle.

I think Brian Kakuk has a good video that shows this configuration. One advantage of this configuration, is that it allows SPGs to point up/inward and sort of rest right between my armpit and clavicle area.
 
You willl find a lot of people dive with knobs out and 1st stages down, even in the caves. I currently have mine this way, but have also experamented with having knobs pointed downward and 1st stages inboard, clocked at an angle.

I think Brian Kakuk has a good video that shows this configuration. One advantage of this configuration, is that it allows SPGs to point up/inward and sort of rest right between my armpit and clavicle area.

I have a Perdix AI and 2 transmitters with my SPGs bungeed back to first stages. For some reason I’ve not yet figured out, it’s easier for me to get bungees (loop bungees, SMS75) around valve knob with first stages down. Did one dive with first stages up and it was horrible with the bungees.
 
I have a Perdix AI and 2 transmitters with my SPGs bungeed back to first stages. For some reason I’ve not yet figured out, it’s easier for me to get bungees (loop bungees, SMS75) around valve knob with first stages down. Did one dive with first stages up and it was horrible with the bungees.

Yea, I can see how having the 1st stages up, can cause issues, but some people seem to make it work. I have been pretty happy using the Dive Rite ring bungees and stage tank straps. This system also can crowd the space up by the tank valve. I plan to give Brian Kakuk's configuration another try with my newest reg set at some point.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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