Opinions and reviews on the Halcyon Contour sidemount system?

[Gone for diving]

It seems like sidemount is good to learn and use the idea for slinging bottles in BM, like in CCR, I mount a bungee on my BP its great for a pony or stowing a dpv,
I kinda like sidemount, but it's kinda very messy, I love how doubles are one package, not 2 packages,
Me loving doubles makes me feel naked,
When traveling and having 1 aluminum 80 on my back, I would counsider sidemount in this instance,

 

[Marie13]

SM is so much nicer for moving tanks on land. One at a time if you want.

 

[rddvet]

SM is so much nicer for moving tanks on land. One at a time if you want.

You need to add "in my opinion" to that. That's one of the classic sales pitches they use to sell you on sm and I bought it years ago. Sure it's great for someone like you who's discussed their strength issues which make bm doubles difficult (makes sm make complete sense for you). But over the years I've found lugging a set of doubles back and forth to the water is much easier, especially when adding stages. In the florida or mexico heat with multiple stages and deco bottles, doubles are much nicer (in my opinion). Especially when a set of doubles isn't overly heavy to that particular diver. If I'm at Ginnie and I need to circumnavigate giant unicorn tubes filled with 6 tubers and 5 kids that can't get out of your way, heading to the water once is much nicer (twice if you've got stages and deco bottles).

 

[tbone1004]

SM is so much nicer for moving tanks on land. One at a time if you want.

if and only if you aren't physically capable of carrying the weight of the doubles or you use a cart.

If you look at the definition of "work" as the area under the curve sidemount technically requires more work to get to the water if you are walking to the water twice. Have to pick tanks up twice, have to walk twice the distance etc. If you use a cart then it still takes longer and depending on terrain can be a nuisance.

I've been sidemount cave diving for over a decade and like @rddvet said, if you can carry the doubles they are FAR easier at the surface. One walk, don't have to set them on the ground, don't have to clip in, just jump in and go. I do prefer sidemount for the diving portion so long as I don't have a lot of stages/deco bottles but I like to move around in little stuff. In big cave doubles are definitely easier.