Nomad vs Armadillo

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I do think that the transfer of both technology and technique for sidemount diving, from a relatively limited number of divers in the cave community to the larger (predominantly backmount-oriented) technical diving community, and to the even larger recreational diving community, at least as far as backgas goes, is in a period of early and rapid development...

...But, there is almost an explosion of SM commercial technology and training taking place right now, and SM is 'hot'. Whether that is sustained or not remains to be seen (I suspect it will be).
Exactly. If sidemount diving is becoming more mainstream then there is a much greater need to begin considering/acheiving some consensus on standards, practices and training protocols that may add some sense and some general reasonaing and guidelines to what is currently a fairly chaotic mess in regard to hose routing, gas sharing, emergency procedures, etc.
 
Greetings fellow SM divers and great thread about the variety of SM rigs.
Mainstream? Well it is about time. Like has been mentioned SM techniques have been used for quite some time for many reasons that are as diverse as we our.
I love SM because it provides so many options for specific dive applications. Now to the OP's thread, Pearldiver07 I have a TransPac converted "Nomadish" and as Colliam7 has mentioned it is very versatile. I became interested in SM and ordered the kit from Pete on the DiveRite Tech Tour. It has been interesting to try different tanks and adjustments to diving dry or wet. What I have experienced is not earth shattering but rather quite simple. I can dive large steel tanks and want extra lift or I can dive AL 80's or LP steel 77's use just the dry suit. Strangely enough air consumption is really close to the same ratio once you compare dive time to psi. It is so much more pleasant to work with smaller tanks and kick and sail. They trim out so awesome.
I have been diving around fellows diving 119's and 130's and I hope they have serious deco obligations because they need the lift of the Nomad for sure. But if that is what they choose cool, dive it safe.
I guess what I have been pondering is LESS is MORE sometimes. What is the limit where the added mass of large steel thanks and the lift needed to dive them becomes counter productive. When you watch the Razor videos the simplicity is undeniable. It has prompted me to rethink my rig and configuration.
DA Aquamaster you are very correct on the hose routing standardization. I to agree on your long hose / bungee necklace and it just makes sense.
I am really leaning toward using my TransPac Hybrid and either purchase a Razor or build my own. My buddy did just that before his trip to cave country.
If I want to dive singles, "I can not imagine why" I can convert the TransPac. A little time and I am good. I like that option just switch the wing placement and put the tank bands on.
For SM I am considering a smaller donut wing instead of my bunged Rec wing. It is just overkill. With the Razor I dive dry 85% of the time and do not really need a wing. If I am diving wet AL 80's require little to no weight depending on the suit.
It is just to awesome to have all the options available.
Have fun diving all and as always dive safe!
CamG Keep diving....keep training....keep learning!
 
I have used both the Nomad and the Armadillo. I now use the Nomad. For me it was more comfortable and easier to set up. Both are good units. I did set up the bungiees like the Armadillo. That just works better for me.
 
I now use the Nomad. ... I did set up the bungiees like the Armadillo.
So, you are attaching the bungees to the 1" D-rings on the DIVER SIDE of the harness, and NOT to the D-rings on the backside (which then routes the bungees across the wing)? That makes perfect sense to me, and my only hesitation has been that the strength of attachment of the D-rings on the backside appears a little more solid.
 
Most of the people I have talked to who use what they refer to as the Armadillo system, are using the D-rings on the back side. The reference to the armadillo just referring to the use of a bungee loop attached at a single point (with another small bungee used to locate and grab the large loop when needed). Over the aircell rather than under it makes sense to me and I don't see much of a downside.
 
Over the aircell will keep the tanks higher and also helps restrain lift over the shoulder area...

In fact my number one criteria for any new Sidemount rig I'd look at, apart from being as streamlined as possible of course, is how high the tanks will sit. I'm not happy the way my steels ride on the Nomad. I think what others find acceptable is way too low. I don't want the tanks below my bodyline, yet a lot of people who dive steels seem to dive this way judging by pictures and videos. I've been playing with this for some time and on the Nomad, I'm convinced I can't do any better without modding the buttplate (or switching to carabiners which I'm reluctant to) and the bungees.... the latter is easy, the former is a bit of a PITA.
 
I have found that with a really short leash on the boltsnap and by running the bungees under the valves rather than using choked boltsnaps to clip to the bungee, I can get the tanks right along my sides with my nomad.

But I am not cursed with narrow hips and someone who is fairly skinny may not have that same ability. On the downside, the bolt snaps are a bear to snap on and off the towell bar with that short a leash.

If I lenghten the leash to about 2" the tanks are a breeze to connect and disconnect from the butt plate, and the rig as a whole is much more comfortable and much more flexible in terms of moving through smaller openings. But the tanks now hang a couple inches lower and are an inch or so below my body line. But all things considered, I can live with that.
 
But I am not cursed with narrow hips and someone who is fairly skinny may not have that same ability. On the downside, the bolt snaps are a bear to snap on and off the towell bar with that short a leash.

Yep, that's exactly my problem, small frame. Also I wear dry gloves when not in Florida, which makes the bolt snaps even harder to manipulate with a super-short leash, if at all.

Like you, I also stretch over the valves. When I tried the chokers, the necks slid right down the bungee: it doesn't work if you want to keep the tanks high. I think Armadillo style would work best, but didn't get around to testing that yet.

What would be PERFECT for the towel bars is butterfly snaps in large size, with a large eye you can put your finger through. But nobody makes them! Heck, if I could custom-order some I would.

I may just give in and switch to carabiners eventually, don't know yet. At this point though with so few dives, I'm not really focused on ride height... there are (a lot of) other areas of improvement to tackle first :) especially before I create a potential (if minor) entanglement issue.
 
Check out TDS and CaveDiver.net for some other bungee options. Lots of links exist and with pictures too. I have had very good luck with using 1 continuous bungee which runs under each armpit and behind the back of the neck. The tanks ride right up in my armpit and in line with my body.

I've also been using a Xlarge bolt snap for the lower attachment and that works well for me even with dry gloves.
 
So, you are attaching the bungees to the 1" D-rings on the DIVER SIDE of the harness, and NOT to the D-rings on the backside (which then routes the bungees across the wing)? That makes perfect sense to me, and my only hesitation has been that the strength of attachment of the D-rings on the backside appears a little more solid.

I made my own copying the Armadillo. Instead of using the "round" cord I use a flat stretch "cord". I sewed each side to 2 inch webing. I just loop the stretch stuff around my thermo valve. I have my valve in ward with the knobs up. Thats just my comfort.
 

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