Learn Backmount First

[elan]

So let's say $80-100 on the bcd $300-600 on the manifold and bands and then $350-900 on the tanks so added up on the low end your looking at about 700$ difference

600 on the manifold and bands ??????
You have to change your shop
Brand new bands will be around 200 max and the crossbar under 100
You can get used bands ina 100 range.

 

[coldwatercanada]

I wonder if its on the shipping fees from the usa to the distrubitor?

 

[elan]

I wonder if its on the shipping fees from the usa to the distrubitor?

In most cases I order the stuff from the US and if its more than one item it usually turnes out to be cheaper then buying local. Tank seems to go for a similar price so I just buy local
And as majority of us lives close to the boarder you can also ship to any UpS store near the border and pick it up

One of the stores sometimes tried to make up to 60% on some of the stuff I just told them its cheaper for m to get it from the US and if he wants some support he better give the adequate price. He was chosing the latter in most cases

 

[Teller]

The cost of sidemounts is easily 800 bucks to a grand less!

I have heard people say this before but I think its irrelevant. The only thing you really save on are the bands and the isolator valve. New DR bands are about $110 and a DR isolator valve is about $60. Less than $200 dollars is probably not a big deal to most divers considering the thousands they have spent on the rest of their gear and training.

 

[Hollis Gear Nick]

OK, the one point I don't get is mentioning the regulators being cheaper.

My backmount setup consists of:
2 1st stages
2 2nd stages
1 long hose
1 short hose
2 inflator hoses (wing/drysuit)
1 spg hose
1 spg

Now my sidemount setup consists of:
2 1st stages
2 2nd stages
1 long hose
1 short hose
2 inflator hoses (wing/drysuit)
2 spg hoses
2 spgs.

So my sidemount would actually be more expensive. Well if it was not for the fact that my SM rigs are Dive Rite and my BM are ScubaPro.

Forgot to mention manifold and doubles bands

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Forgot to mention manifold and doubles bands

You forgot to read JamesK's actual post.

 

[JamesK]

Forgot to mention manifold and doubles bands

You forgot to read JamesK's actual post.

LOL... Me thinks that his post was a joke because of how many posts in this thread discuss that!

 

[beanojones]

I have heard people say this before but I think its irrelevant. The only thing you really save on are the bands and the isolator valve. New DR bands are about $110 and a DR isolator valve is about $60. Less than $200 dollars is probably not a big deal to most divers considering the thousands they have spent on the rest of their gear and training.

And those tanks can only be used as a set, which means that other tanks are needed. Breaking them down costs time and money.

Sidemount tanks are just tanks. They in no need to own duplicate tanks. No need to break them down. Unmatched tanks in sidemount is a minor deal. In doubles it is impossible.

There is a reason why SM is the rage. Because it is easier, cheaper, and modular. Modular is always cheaper

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

SM isn't always easier.

SM is fairly modular.

SM isn't any cheaper when compared to BM doubles in doing double-tank dives. If you want to bring in up singletank dives into the equation, and you're going to be using the same tanks as you were for double-tank diving, then maybe you have a point.

There would still be adjustments to be made to the SM tanks, whether you use cambands or hose clamps, they'll still be there and attachment points(bolt snaps or worse caribiners or butterfly clips) will still be loose - this may introduce danglies and snag points to a recreational setup. Then you'd still have to rearrange your hoses.

Point being, SM tanks/regulators still require adjustment to be used properly as a recreational single tank setup. Going through that work costs time(and money?), just like breaking apart doubles.

There's no need to stretch out for an excuse to make SM cheaper. Modular isn't always cheaper, it could be argued that BM doubles are just as modular.

 

[markmantei]

SM isn't always easier.

SM is fairly modular.

SM isn't any cheaper when compared to BM doubles in doing double-tank dives. If you want to bring in up singletank dives into the equation, and you're going to be using the same tanks as you were for double-tank diving, then maybe you have a point.

There would still be adjustments to be made to the SM tanks, whether you use cambands or hose clamps, they'll still be there and attachment points(bolt snaps or worse caribiners or butterfly clips) will still be loose - this may introduce danglies and snag points to a recreational setup. Then you'd still have to rearrange your hoses.

Point being, SM tanks/regulators still require adjustment to be used properly as a recreational single tank setup. Going through that work costs time(and money?), just like breaking apart doubles.

There's no need to stretch out for an excuse to make SM cheaper. Modular isn't always cheaper, it could be argued that BM doubles are just as modular.

It takes about 3 minutes to add or remove the hoseclamps 2 sidemount tanks. You "could" dive with the hoseclamps still attached, the dangley bolt snap is about 1 inch long, but it is not a big pain to remove the hoseclamps. If you were using cambands it would be even easier. I agree that pricing (excluding tanks) is about the same, but you cannot compare the time to break down tanks between the two. Yes, you need to do some adjustments to regulators (BM/SM doesn't matter), so I probably would avoid doing that on-site between dives, but switching a second stage from one reg set to another and changing the SPG doesn't take long and certainly would be feasable to do anytime anywhere.