Sidemount and helmets in open water

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When was wreck penetration - especially in narrow passages where "rusted jagged metal edges" is an issue - redefined as "open water"? I must have missed that memo.

I'm glad to hear that. It opens up my diving opportunities quite a bit. :)
 
3) It takes more technique to dive with a buddy since you can't look at each other without blinding him.
4) Light signals are not an option unless you have unusually agile neck muscles

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Normally I have backup lights mounted on the helmet and the primary on my wrist.
 
I would like to thank all the participants of this thread for making my friday afternoon at work go by much faster. Funny read.
 
I already hinted in the original post that this thread is meant more for amusement than to really accomplish something significant.

I think it is hilarious how much a small piece of plastic can influence discussion and first impressions at dive sites.

It reminds me a bit of the sidemount experience as a whole.

So here is another thought:
Is there any alternative to using a helmet in open water?

Think about it: could you give up the freedom of movement of not running the cable down your arm and also having no weight on the hand?

Same with only the backups on the helmet, compared to the primary light worn there too.
It is an advantage to be using a tank light, heavy and high powered handlights with a long runtime are too voluminous to be worn on a helmet elegantly.
In the long run you will extend your dive times more and more and a handtorch or helmet mounted backups cannot keep up with that.

The combination of helmet and light cable is a current optimum configuration and it will probably take a few more years for that to change.

So we will see helmets in open water sidemount more often for sure.
Acceptance still seems to be problematic almost everywhere with only a few exceptions, however.
 
I already hinted in the original post that this thread is meant more for amusement than to really accomplish something significant.

I think it is hilarious how much a small piece of plastic can influence discussion and first impressions at dive sites.

It reminds me a bit of the sidemount experience as a whole.

So here is another thought:
Is there any alternative to using a helmet in open water?

Think about it: could you give up the freedom of movement of not running the cable down your arm and also having no weight on the hand?

Same with only the backups on the helmet, compared to the primary light worn there too.
It is an advantage to be using a tank light, heavy and high powered handlights with a long runtime are too voluminous to be worn on a helmet elegantly.
In the long run you will extend your dive times more and more and a handtorch or helmet mounted backups cannot keep up with that.

The combination of helmet and light cable is a current optimum configuration and it will probably take a few more years for that to change.

So we will see helmets in open water sidemount more often for sure.
Acceptance still seems to be problematic almost everywhere with only a few exceptions, however.


I think I'll disagree with seeing more helmets for OW sidemount in the near future, or at all. But that's just for the Pacific Ocean......and the Carribean....maybe the Red Sea as well......certainly inland Canada.....eastern US seaboard too.....but other than that, who knows?
 
Acutally the guy with the Hello Kitty helmet must be at the Red Sea this very minute :wink:
 
I think I'll disagree with seeing more helmets for OW sidemount in the near future, or at all. But that's just for the Pacific Ocean......and the Carribean....maybe the Red Sea as well......certainly inland Canada.....eastern US seaboard too.....but other than that, who knows?

And the U.K. too.
 
hmm... protection isn't actually that bad.

I just realized that my helmet hit the same overhang on a drop-off the second time 2 years apart.
Almost had forgotten about that dive two years ago.

Felt like a deja vuè, should have remembered perhaps. :wink:
 
hmm... protection isn't actually that bad.

I just realized that my helmet hit the same overhang on a drop-off the second time 2 years apart.
Almost had forgotten about that dive two years ago.

Felt like a deja vuè, should have remembered perhaps. :wink:

Really?
You hit your head on an "overhang" and your helmet protected you?
Very funny...

Sorry, but I don't buy that.
Can we maybe just let this thread die in peace?
 
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