New sidemount rig

[loosebits]

Finally got my Nomad and got it in the water yesterday. After making some adjustments after the first dive I simply fell in love with the thing. I had no issues with my trim or buoyancy and the reduced drag made it feel like I was single tank diving. The best anaology I can think of is diving doubles feel like you're driving a tank. They are stable as hell but doing anything but being level and face down requires quite a bit of effort (e.g. rolling to dump a drysuit valve). Sidemount however feels like you're piloting an airplane. You can roll, you can swim on your side, anything. Felt like I was diving a single 80 but with a pair of 121's.

Still have some minor issues to sort out. Edd at Cave Adventures is going to show me how to get the wing flipped over so the inflator is on the bottom and the pull dump is on the top (because of the loops on the wing that the harness threads through to keep it flat, there's more to it than simply turning it over). Also I had a hell of a time clipping the tanks to the buttplate. I've heard complaints that the buttplate on the rig is a little narrow and now I know what they mean. I think lenghtening the line holding the clips to the tanks will resolve that.

I also need a better method to attach the clip to the long hose that is easily breakable if I have to donate it while it's clipped off. I tried a thin zip tie but when I practiced donating it, it didn't break but streached. Perhaps a thin o-ring will do the trick.

I put a full review out on http://txcavers.com

 

[texdiveguy]

Finally got my Nomad and got it in the water yesterday. After making some adjustments after the first dive I simply fell in love with the thing. I had no issues with my trim or buoyancy and the reduced drag made it feel like I was single tank diving. The best anaology I can think of is diving doubles feel like you're driving a tank. They are stable as hell but doing anything but being level and face down requires quite a bit of effort (e.g. rolling to dump a drysuit valve). Sidemount however feels like you're piloting an airplane. You can roll, you can swim on your side, anything. Felt like I was diving a single 80 but with a pair of 121's.

Still have some minor issues to sort out. Edd at Cave Adventures is going to show me how to get the wing flipped over so the inflator is on the bottom and the pull dump is on the top (because of the loops on the wing that the harness threads through to keep it flat, there's more to it than simply turning it over). Also I had a hell of a time clipping the tanks to the buttplate. I've heard complaints that the buttplate on the rig is a little narrow and now I know what they mean. I think lenghtening the line holding the clips to the tanks will resolve that.

I also need a better method to attach the clip to the long hose that is easily breakable if I have to donate it while it's clipped off. I tried a thin zip tie but when I practiced donating it, it didn't break but streached. Perhaps a thin o-ring will do the trick.

I put a full review out on http://txcavers.com

A small zip tie should give when twisted and tugged..? I have never dove a pair 'yet', but have dove with others using the set-up....they reflect your comments as to the general ease and less drag and comfort after a short learning curve.
They are pricey at around $600.00-699.00 retail.

 

[JessH]

If you ever come dive Lake Travis let me know so I can check it out.

~Jess

 

[loosebits]

I may not have had the zip tie tight enough thus giving it room to twist instead of snapping but it's something I definitely need to get working reliably. Don't want Rick to die again while I fumble with a clip.

Jess, we were planning on doing Travis last weekend but other issues got in the way. I'll definitely let you know next time we're down there.

 

[JessH]

How are you routing your hoses? It seems to me that if your short hose is on your left tank and it is long enough to route behind your neck and into your mouth comfortably then it would also be long enough to donate. It may not be ideal for swimming out of a cave but it would allow you to always donate the reg that is in your mouth and if you then need to swim out you can switch your buddy to the long hose once things are under control. Of course if you do this you may not want your reg to be on a traditional necklace. I have heard of some divers putting bolt snaps on both of their regs and cliping off the one that they are not using to a bungy necklace so that it is readily available like a traditional backup reg would be. Another option might be the Manta reg necklace, I have found that it is very easy to put a reg into and take it out of.

Another option would be to use some sort of octo keeper for your long hose instead of clipping it off. I personally don't like the idea of the breakaway bolt snap because it can not be easily restowed.

~Jess

 

[loosebits]

My necklace is easily broken away and its on a 40" hose so long enough to donate however the long hose will be cliped down on top of it preventing it from coming free.

Never even thought of an octo keeper.. forgot all about those things (been donating out of my mouth for so long I forget that this is a situation OW divers face). Thanks!!