Is Side Mount the new DIR??? Building resentment towards us as a group...

[Imbodie]

So I just went to the website of the guy who was trying out the SM rig. On his website he lists the specialty courses he teaches and SM is not one of them. Since I'm not sure I'll ask.

Is SM an actual course that a person would need to take to buy the rig? In other words, if a OW diver comes into a shop and says he has heard about SM and wants to buy a SM rig, would it be unethical for the shop owner to sell him such a rig without the diver proving he has taken a course in it?

I think this is in jest.... but I'm going to bite...

Nothing unethical about it... however what a missed opportunity to sell a class. SideMount will be the first specialty that I add as an instructor. Not because I want to sell equipment, but because I LOVE diving a side mount rig.... and it was amazing how even 30 minutes with someone improved my form. Do you need a SM card? no where that I have been diving.

Tim

 

[Patoux01]

Obviously there have been some legit reasons given for diving sidemount but I had an interesting discussion with a few dive shop owners on a FAM trip two years ago. They all agreed the biggest reason that SM was being pushed to OW divers was to simply sell more gear.

May I ask then why it is also being "pushed" to newly certified divers? You can actually see many brand new divers starting straight in SM, AFAIK, those don't have their own gear before buying their SM rig?


Edit: And for your other question about ethics, no one ever asked me a card when I bought:
- my SM rig
- my regs with a long hose (booh! Sorry BSAC, I aint trained to learn what a hose is, booh!)
- my fins (yeah, I actually figured out I can wiggle my feet to move in the water, and those long things at the end of my legs make it go faster)
- my masks (even the backup one, no one wanted to see if I knew how to find it with no mask on)
Should I keep going, or do you see where we're coming at?

 

[Imbodie]

May I ask then why it is also being "pushed" to newly certified divers? You can actually see many brand new divers starting straight in SM, AFAIK, those don't have their own gear before buying their SM rig?

My opionion, it's safer (redundancy) and more comfortable than back mount single tanks... ONLY place I would choose to dive back mount single is Buford Cavern and that is because of the hike through the swamp....

 

[Bennno]

Nope, only ginnie, millpond and peacock in Florida.


Move along, move along.

Huh... that's making me suspicious. Next time I'm in Florida I'll just hang around CCDS, wait till Pete insults some people in the parking lot and just follow those guys to wherever they're going.

 

[BDSC]

Another question.

I'm sure prices can be all over the place like on a lot of dive equipment but what is the typical cost for a SM rig?

 

[Imbodie]

Free (build it yourself, not really free) to about $800..... averaging in the $450-$500 range that isn't including two reg sets (and 2 tanks).... or the really cool orange fins that Deep6 has which ROCK for side mount!!!!!!

 

[Patoux01]

Same as a high end BCD I guess. Got mine for ~500$.
So comparing that to a black ice that retails for 400$, I'm taking SM any day (especially since my rig is much more rugged than a Black Ice or other jacket...)

 

[Wookie]

Free (build it yourself, not really free) to about $800..... averaging in the $450-$500 range that isn't including two reg sets (and 2 tanks).... or the really cool orange fins that Deep6 has which ROCK for side mount!!!!!!

I like the orange fins (and all of the other orange stuff too), but pray tell what does fin color have to do with sidemount, backmount, no mount?

 

[Bennno]

averaging in the $450-$500

Averaging? There aren't many rigs that go for less than 500 usd unless they're on sale, no?
I'd say most are between 500 and 700 usd.

 

[BDSC]

I like the orange fins (and all of the other orange stuff too), but pray tell what does fin color have to do with sidemount, backmount, no mount?

Haven't you heard? Orange is the new Black!