i would like to get into a lot of specialties. i have been looking at getting certified for cave diving in two years when i am down in Mexico for a wedding. i have noticed that you need to use side mounts for this and i have a pretty good idea i cant use my regular bcd for this. i have seen some you tube videos of people using the side mount set up and it doesn't appear that they have a lot of equipment ( one looks like he hardly has a bcd just two tanks and a harness. ) could someone please help with what one would need to have a side mount set up without breaking the bank ( minus the Apeks regulator set up i know i will need. ) it doesn't appear that there is a lot of info online about it any help would be appreciated and like i said it will be two years so please disregard the fact i am considerably new to diving.
help with side mounts
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JamesK
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ASert:
Who said you so?
Ok, that set may have a "fifth port" that some people seem to like. I hate it. I got some Apeks DST:s - affordable to maintain, and they work just perfectly. Hoses bend. I run the reg hoses down the tank, back up again, and under my arm. A 90 degree swivel takes care of the rest. Adapt what you have. You'd need a good sm instructor or an experienced sm diver to help you - on site. Meanwhile, get Brian Kakuk's and Jill Heinerts book "Sidemount profiles". You might want to contact some speleological organizations as they may have side mount cave divers.
"i would like to get into a lot of specialties" --> "getting certified for cave diving"
This is NOT the correct motivation for cave diving. Either you cave dive because you WANT to be under water and rock, or then you do not cave dive. Good reasons to dive in caves include: "Absolutely love the beauty of the speleothems", "It feels good to be in a dark and confined space", "The lure of the unknown", ...
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If your set on using SM then take a course but you do not NEED SM to cave dive.
I just love everything about diving. that is my motivation, i love new things
---------- Post added October 31st, 2013 at 11:03 AM ----------
Thank you probably very good advice.
SanDiegoSidemount
Contributor
There are lots of good reasons to switch to sidemount for all types of diving, not just caves. However, to do so is not cheap: you're looking at replacing your BCD and harness, adding a regulator (if you currently dive singles), adding on a tank, and a bunch of other stuff. If you're on a budget, it might be better to put that in a long-term plan along with SM instruction, etc.
Unless it's a backplate and wing, your current BCD probably won't work for back-mount doubles either. Hopefully that type of gear can be rented or provided as part of the class where you're going.
Welcome to technical diving: you're going to have to replace everything you own. ;-)
If your goal is to dive sidemount, go for it. If you want to learn cave diving, go for it. But you can treat them as separate goals on separate schedules.
Hopefully there are resources you can find for renting/borrowing gear until you have a good idea of the direction(s) you want to go. A requirement of any good technical diving setup (side or back mount) is that it should be able to "scale" well for whatever you want to pursue, so hopefully your next round of gear purchases will result in a more "permanent" setup.
Unless it's a backplate and wing, your current BCD probably won't work for back-mount doubles either. Hopefully that type of gear can be rented or provided as part of the class where you're going.
Welcome to technical diving: you're going to have to replace everything you own. ;-)
If your goal is to dive sidemount, go for it. If you want to learn cave diving, go for it. But you can treat them as separate goals on separate schedules.
Hopefully there are resources you can find for renting/borrowing gear until you have a good idea of the direction(s) you want to go. A requirement of any good technical diving setup (side or back mount) is that it should be able to "scale" well for whatever you want to pursue, so hopefully your next round of gear purchases will result in a more "permanent" setup.
DevonDiver
N/A
To the OP, these link will help you:
Sidemount Diving | Course Notes | Advanced Scuba
A List of Modern Sidemount Diving Systems
Sidemount Diving | Course Notes | Advanced Scuba
A List of Modern Sidemount Diving Systems
Before I got my HOG regulators, I was using a Sherwood SR1 and Scubapro MK2 (Not the Plus one) 1st stage. Didn't bother using the top LP outlet on the SR1's 1st stage and I didn't find anything in the way. Probably also because I was using braided hoses which tended to be more flexible. Not a setup I'd want to use for serious diving but for open water diving in just 10 - 15 metres, it was a fast way to get into sidemount. 
Cave diving is wonderful, but it is very advanced diving, and you will need some very good skills to do it. It does not need to be done in sidemount, but it does need to be done with at least two tanks, to provide complete redundancy in the event of one regulator failing. Most standard BCs won't support two tanks, either in sidemount configuration or on your back, so if cave diving really is a goal for you, you will either need to be able to dive backmounted doubles or sidemount. You can dive backmounted doubles in a backplate and wing setup, which, pleasantly enough, you can also use for single tank diving (need different wings) so you can get used to it while you are still doing your basic dives.
If you are serious about taking cave training, as opposed to doing cenote tours (which can be done in any gear), I can help lay out a training program for you that will make the most efficient use of your time and money. It's a really good idea to acquire facility with the gear AND a high level of open water skill before laying out the money for cave training anywhere.
If you are serious about taking cave training, as opposed to doing cenote tours (which can be done in any gear), I can help lay out a training program for you that will make the most efficient use of your time and money. It's a really good idea to acquire facility with the gear AND a high level of open water skill before laying out the money for cave training anywhere.
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