Regulator configuration suitable for single tank AND sidemount?

[Lemming]

Hi all,

I'm soon to get kitted up for sidemount diving prior to a cave course, but hope to keep diving single tank for the majority of my open water recreational diving.

I'm aiming to avoid doubling up on gear too much, for the sake of a) cost and b) weight / bulk when travelling. So as far as regulators go, I'm trying to figure out a setup which will serve me for both, without having a dedicated set of sidemount regs, and then a dedicated single tank set.

I just wondered if there are other people out there doing the same thing and if anyone has any advice? I'm perfectly happy with carrying a few tools and swapping hoses around to suit, I accept there's no avoiding that! I'm just trying to figure out the minimum amount of gear required for a setup which will safely serve me in both configurations. And what hose lengths would be optimum.

Any and all constructive advice much appreciated.

 

[runsongas]

Are you planning to buy a sm reg package or convert an existing set? With a package you would need an extra hp hose at minimum. Tradeoffs are that the spg is on the small side if you run the Slimline 1.5 inchers. And you will need to stick to traditional length inflator hoses instead of the short inflators off the fifth turret port if you didn't want to carry extras of those. If you convert an existing set, you could just live the longer spg hose and bungee to the tank to cut down on one hose.

The other option is to monkey dive on single tank and just move one second stage around as needed. This doesn't work that well for colder areas though.

 

[tbone1004]

swapping over isn't hard. The regulators obviously can swap over, the SPG can swap over, and the long hose can swap over. Inflators may be able to swap over if you don't use custom length inflators.
Secondary, and HP hoses will have to be swapped as well as a couple port plugs. If you don't mind taking the 5 minutes to swap them around, it's not that bad.

I use mostly standard DIR length hoses on my backmount rigs. Sidemount I use 9" HP hoses, 9' long hose, 36" secondary hose *I think, could be 32...?*, and short low pressure hoses *though not as short as the Razor guys, but whatever is the shorter of the two length hoses that @cool_hardware52 supplies with his wings*

 

[kensuf]

I recommend dedicating a set of regs to sidemount and keeping it different from your single tank reg. Because you will need two first stages, each one having it's own pressure gauge, to do sidemount anyway, you're only talking about adding one regulator into your collection.

Added bonus - by not constantly reconfiguring your regs every time you go diving, you'll reduce the risk of accidentally cutting an o-ring, cross-threading a fitting, or stripping a fitting. And you'll even save yourself some time to boot.

 

[Colliam7]

Hi all,

I'm soon to get kitted up for sidemount diving prior to a cave course, but hope to keep diving single tank for the majority of my open water recreational diving. . . . Any and all constructive advice much appreciated.

My reply may not be particularly helpful. given your stated goals ('I'm aiming to avoid doubling up on gear too much, for the sake of a) cost and b) weight / bulk when travelling.')

BUT . . . I have a dedicated set of regs for SM, that I carry in addition to my single tank reg set. I just got back from a week on Bonaire, and carried both. In fact, I even took the tools I could have used to do some conversions (adjustable wrench and hex key set), but elected to take the SM reg set in addition. I got all my gear in a carry-on bag (all the regs) and one checked bag (wetsuit, fins, BP/W, SM BCD, etc), which was under 44 pounds, so no charges for baggage.

I use a 6" SPG hose on both my SM regs, so I could conceivably just carry two 6" hoses, along with two first stages, and the longer HP hose I use on my single tank rig. I use a long hose (84" hose) and bungeed necklace alternate (32" hose) on my recreational (single tank) reg, and those would actually work well (split up) on my two SM regs. I use a 9" inflator hose on my (left) SM reg, and a longer hose on my single tank reg.

So, in concept, you could just carry:

a) two first stages
b) two second stages
c) two LP second stage hose (e.g. an 84" and a 32")
c) two LP inflator hoses (e.g. a 9" and a 30")
d) three HP hoses (e.g. two 6" and a 30")

Frankly, I find it easier to carry the extra, already configured SM reg set. But, that is just me.

 

[northernone]

I've gone single sidemount to avoid constantly swapping regs and hoses.

Otherwise it's a lot of swapping hoses and unnecessary wear.

The third option, depending on your environment and team requirements you could dive with not optimal hose routing but the results aren't clean at best and at worst adding unnecessary risks.

Regards,
Cameron

 

[stuartv]

I have a Perdix AI and 2 transmitters that I move between regs. I have no HP hoses on my SM, BM doubles or single tank setups.

 

[stuartv]

My SM regs have swivel turrets and a 5th LP port. The left tank reg has a long-ish inflator hose that came with my Apeks SM rig (versus the 9" inflator hose that some people use). I have a 7' hose on one reg and a 32" hose on my alternate 2nd stage. And the aforementioned pair of AI transmitters.

If I carry a 22" reg hose (for my alternate 2nd stage) and a few wrenches, I can easily convert my SM reg set to BM doubles or BM single tank. I would also carry a 40" reg hose for use in single-tank configuration, if I didn't want to deal with a 7' hose on my primary 2nd stage.

 

[Lemming]

Thanks for the replies everyone, that's all very helpful advice. I think I'm getting my head around it now!

I would ideally like a dedicated set for SM doubles and then another for BM single, but I think it'll be worth it for me to keep the costs and bulk down to be able to convert between them. I take the point about the risk of damaging threads / O rings by constant changing, but I figure I'll probably be doing most of my diving in each area in either SM or BM, so shouldn't have to change too often. And I'll be very careful when I do swap them.

I've gone single sidemount to avoid constantly swapping regs and hoses.

Point taken, but do you not have to at least swap over one 2nd stage for a single tank SM "monkey dive", in order to facilitate air sharing?

 

[AJ]

I have dedicated my stage reg to sidemount for now. Not ideal, but better than reconfiguring my primary BM set. You could consider a low cost reg set. Makes things a lot easier.