Side Mount Aluminum 80s, setup with no weights?

[NAM001]

One thing you will need to adapt to, is "re-calibrating" your senses. For instance I thought and felt that my cylinders were in trim, until I saw them on camera, and realised a change I'd made while fixing one problem had caused another

I was able to chat to @RainPilot , who figured out the problem, we met up for a dive, he simply changed the rear bolt snaps for a size smaller and changed the way they were attached to the sling. We took one short dive where he made minor underwater tweaks which, when we got onto dry land, fixed so they were permanent and hey presto. No way would I have been to sort that without a second set of experienced eyes and hands.


Regarding precise gear configs, this being SB, some people will have entrenched views insisting their way is the best and only way. Certainly for some parts of a config there is a proper and best way, but for other parts of the rig, what might be optimal in one circumstance, may be sub optimal in others.

For example. Most of my SM is warm ocean diving in big currents. Because I won't be wearing a D/S and I don't like tec shorts, I have a storage pocket on each tank, and on my harness have attachments to keep my reef hook and pointer tidy and streamlined but in easy fast reach.

However if I'm making a wreck penetration, then this config offers too many negatives and entanglement possibilities, so I have minimalist cylinder harnesses and store all my line reels, smb etc on my rear butt plate. I don't like stuff on my rear plate, but for an overhead it's a necessity and the best way, so I'll tolerate it. On OW ocean dives, this isn't a necessity - driven by other circumstances so I don't need to tolerate stuff at my rear

Other people might feel differently and are happy with stuff at their rear - it's not an issue and what works best for them and their diving..

So for secondary gear, and rigging, don't be afraid to experiment as long as isn't detrimental to the primary rigging and keeping the cylinders correctly positioned

Friday i am getting tin the water at MAMOTH lake in clute TX with a buddy with a camera for that purpose.

You and I have thought processes that are very similar.

 

[NAM001]

The attached is my SM waistbelt, with a fixed loop at the back and a sliding D-ring. I've been changing to the front ring at 150 bar, that felt awesome. Then I saw some pictures and the tank butts were high. I either I need to change earlier, I also think I need to tighten my bungees more and that is contributing. Not sure but I'll try some stuff, learn stuff, buy stuff and then I'll try some other stuff.

how do yo u keep those d rings form rolliing and teh round side moving to the upper or the lower of the slide. iF the belting gets any slack the d - ring rotates. it would be mi=nice if the d ring had a stub on each end of the flat side to keep it form rotating or welded to the sliding center if it is a set up like that. the normal slide it is not a problem but the wider ones that have aa moving center post is the problem.

 

[ToneNQ]

how do yo u keep those d rings form rolliing and teh round side moving to the upper or the lower of the slide. iF the belting gets any slack the d - ring rotates. it would be mi=nice if the d ring had a stub on each end of the flat side to keep it form rotating or welded to the sliding center if it is a set up like that. the normal slide it is not a problem but the wider ones that have aa moving center post is the problem.

The ring is free to roll, even with the belt tight. There is another groove that you can thread through which makes the rolling d-ring much tighter. Its then like mounting the d-ring on a tri-glide, which do not glide, or slide. If I get what you mean there is no rotation, the flat side of the d-ring stays under the belt. There's middle bars on the sliding portion that stops rotation, the rolling d-ring sits in that groove of the sliding d-ring.

TecLine Sliding D-Ring for SIDE 16

Once the tank is clipped off the d-ring rolls to the back, with nothing clipped it just sits there. There are 90⁰ welded/fixed and 45⁰ bent sliders on the market but I'm liking this for now.

 

[NAM001]

The ring is free to roll, even with the belt tight. There is another groove that you can thread through which makes the rolling d-ring much tighter. Its then like mounting the d-ring on a tri-glide, which do not glide, or slide. If I get what you mean there is no rotation, the flat side of the d-ring stays under the belt. There's middle bars on the sliding portion that stops rotation, the rolling d-ring sits in that groove of the sliding d-ring.

TecLine Sliding D-Ring for SIDE 16

Once the tank is clipped off the d-ring rolls to the back, with nothing clipped it just sits there. There are 90⁰ welded/fixed and 45⁰ bent sliders on the market but I'm liking this for now.

The little slop in the belt allows the unrestrained d ring to move a bit and then fall through the sliding portion. It would be wonderful if the d ring were welded perhaps to the sliding piece. but then it would never lay flat as is. It could if it ere designed to have I think the only way to make it work is with the belt pulled snug and still i dont know what keeps the corners of the d ring in place unless the belt width makes that happen. the d ring itself could be made with a saddle that rides on the center part. to keep from falling in and still being able to push it flat . Any other d ring setup is good to go when you put it on. I dont think i can say the same for this. click on a thumb nail there is a 2nd pic that shows the annoyance the best. I might try using some tie wraps to fix the
d-ring to the slide piece.

View attachment 592601

 

[ToneNQ]

.....snip.......

Yeah, that would make my OCD act up. My ring it reasonably locks in and only rolls.

Another guy I know through other people just fitted some fancy Sump UK rings that replace the rear loop and the sliding d-ring with a single bracket. Pics look fancy but I haven't seen them in the flesh.

 

[NAM001]

Yeah, that would make my OCD act up. My ring it reasonably locks in and only rolls.

Another guy I know through other people just fitted some fancy Sump UK rings that replace the rear loop and the sliding d-ring with a single bracket. Pics look fancy but I haven't seen them in the flesh.

there are some steve martin videos where they use those UK things a lot. they also have an interesting buckle that is like a sliding d ring with out the d ring and the center piece is basically the saddle I would like to see attacked to the center roller piece. ill put up a pic when i find it again.

 

[Diving Dubai]

@KWS

What you might be looking for is like this 35MM ADJUSTABLE STAGE D RING & CURVED SLIDER

I thought you were using steels, in which case you shouldn't' need a sliding ring?


On my rig (X Deep Stealth Tec 2.0) My cylinder starts off attached to a fixed drop ring at the rear.

My wing was supplied with a sliding ring set, which you move cylinder to once it starts becoming buoyant - and I used that for a few dives.

What I found was there was a trade off with the slind action having enough resistance to stay in position vs being able to move it along the webbing underwater (I wasn't wearing gloves)

I cam upon the realisation that I didn't need it to slide (I had to unclip to move it to that ring in the first place), then when the cylinder got near to the reserve I would use the front ring. So I replaced my sliding ring with a fixed ring set to the correct position (and chose a welded ring that stayed at 90 degrees to my belt) In this way. while I'd added 1 extra ring on each side - I'd made (for me) the system easier to use, and because the ring was fixed, it could be permanently set in the optimum position

Especially with side mount but it applies to all gear, one should examine the purpose of that that component, and when the purpose is understood examine the best solutions to meet that purpose

In this case for me, I needed a mid clipping position, but I didn't; need it to slide, and I find its really easy to transfer the cylinder to under water


As an added advantage (for me) on occasion on a crowded boat getting the cylinder onto the rear rings while sat ready to roll can be awkward. so I merely clip it to the centre rings, roll, then transfer it to the back rings underwater when its easier. I like having options so that I can adapt to meet unforeseen circumstances

 

[NAM001]

here is a pic of the buckle i was referring to ignore the standard looking one it is the other that was interesting to see work

 

[NAM001]

@KWS

What you might be looking for is like this 35MM ADJUSTABLE STAGE D RING & CURVED SLIDER

View attachment 592603


I thought you were using steels, in which case you shouldn't' need a sliding ring?


On my rig (X Deep Stealth Tec 2.0) My cylinder starts off attached to a fixed drop ring at the rear.

My wing was supplied with a sliding ring set, which you move cylinder to once it starts becoming buoyant - and I used that for a few dives.

What I found was there was a trade off with the slind action having enough resistance to stay in position vs being able to move it along the webbing underwater (I wasn't wearing gloves)

I cam upon the realisation that I didn't need it to slide (I had to unclip to move it to that ring in the first place), then when the cylinder got near to the reserve I would use the front ring. So I replaced my sliding ring with a fixed ring set to the correct position (and chose a welded ring that stayed at 90 degrees to my belt) In this way. while I'd added 1 extra ring on each side - I'd made (for me) the system easier to use, and because the ring was fixed, it could be permanently set in the optimum position

Especially with side mount but it applies to all gear, one should examine the purpose of that that component, and when the purpose is understood examine the best solutions to meet that purpose

In this case for me, I needed a mid clipping position, but I didn't; need it to slide, and I find its really easy to transfer the cylinder to under water


As an added advantage (for me) on occasion on a crowded boat getting the cylinder onto the rear rings while sat ready to roll can be awkward. so I merely clip it to the centre rings, roll, then transfer it to the back rings underwater when its easier. I like having options so that I can adapt to meet unforeseen circumstances

Im not really sure how things will end up and certainly watching the videos can get you thinking of stuff that is not really necessary as an only solution. I was watching a video of hte QD modification for hte rig. I could use it but looking at the parts I dont understand why the need for the upper belting. I would think only the waist up belting would be needed. I suppose if I was a slim trim guy none of this would matter. not the situation though. It looks like an advantage when you go from say a sskin or 2mm shorty to a full wet suit or DS that ends up making it too tight to put on and harder to get off. I have the parts to do a DIY a quick release buckle on both sides. Will probably use it on one side only though. I found a lot of readjusting was needed going from a skin to a 3mm shorty as far as location of shoulder d rings and bungy position.

 

[Diving Dubai]

Ahh I see. Harness adjustment

I don't need to make much adjustment between Thin and thicker suits I have two sets of bungee with quick release screw gates, so I swap those over, and I weave my waist buckle in a way that makes it easier to move. Similarly on my rig shoulder straps aren't an issue to slightly lengthen and shorten if required. I suppose 15 mins total twice a year.

My advice as always it to start with the basics and then only change one thing at a time, because you don't know the impact it will make, and what seems like a good idea on dry land can prove to be a poor one when you're kitted up with cylinders and actually in the water