Sidemount BCD Options

[ScubaWithTurk]

How much larger is the K2 than the xdeep? I know or weighs 2 lbs more, but are dimensions that much more?

Size wise, I don't have exact dimensions but I know that I am 5'10"/ 1.778m and it is almost too big for me. Another inch shorter and it would not be ideal for my frame size. I see some people say that a diver that is 5'1" can wear it but as a sidemount instructor who dives SM exclusively, I do not see how that is possible.

 

[Robert H. Diver]

Size wise, I don't have exact dimensions but I know that I am 5'10"/ 1.778m and it is almost too big for me. Another inch shorter and it would not be ideal for my frame size. I see some people say that a diver that is 5'1" can wear it but as a sidemount instructor who dives SM exclusively, I do not see how that is possible.

Interesting, I’m about 6’2” and it fits me very well, my wife is about 5’7”-5’8” and it seems to fit her well too. She hasn’t complained about it, although we have only ever used 2 SM bdc’s. The first was the Nomad LS, it beach-balled too much with our LP85’s. What I don’t like about the K2 is the adjustment plate things that the shoulder and waist strap are attached to. That and the butt plate just seemed s but bulky to me. I talked to another member on here who had made a custom plate, he sent me the CAD drawings which I sent to my brother who is making me some. The first photo is mine, the second is the other members picture. The plate will be moved all the way down since I’m taller. And I believe he was just going some fitting in that photo. We’ll see how it turns out.

Hope all that made sense^^ LOL.

 

[ScubaWithTurk]

Interesting, I’m about 6’2” and it fits me very well, my wife is about 5’7”-5’8” and it seems to fit her well too. She hasn’t complained about it, although we have only ever used 2 SM bdc’s. The first was the Nomad LS, it beach-balled too much with our LP85’s. What I don’t like about the K2 is the adjustment plate things that the shoulder and waist strap are attached to. That and the butt plate just seemed s but bulky to me. I talked to another member on here who had made a custom plate, he sent me the CAD drawings which I sent to my brother who is making me some. The first photo is mine, the second is the other members picture. The plate will be moved all the way down since I’m taller. And I believe he was just going some fitting in that photo. We’ll see how it turns out.

Hope all that made sense^^ LOL.

That makes sense. I don't need a butt plate since I dive ALs.

As for the fit, I found the bottom of the BCD too low and the top too high when I put it on. Not ideal for me. Seems like it was designed with someone who is 6' or just over 6' as the model.

I will say that I have not been diving in it. Just tried it on at the shop I was working at and did not like the fit at all. Nothing terrible about the rig as a whole but it is not for me.

I would be interested in hearing how it turns out for you.

 

[Robert H. Diver]

That makes sense. I don't need a butt plate since I dive ALs.

As for the fit, I found the bottom of the BCD too low and the top too high when I put it on. Not ideal for me. Seems like it was designed with someone who is 6' or just over 6' as the model.

I will say that I have not been diving in it. Just tried it on at the shop I was working at and did not like the fit at all. Nothing terrible about the rig as a whole but it is not for me.

I would be interested in hearing how it turns out for you.

I’ll definitely give an update, might be a couple months before I sidemount again…going to be doing mostly warm tropical diving soon.

 

[ScubaWithTurk]

I’ll definitely give an update, might be a couple months before I sidemount again…going to be doing mostly warm tropical diving soon.

That is all I do and I still sidemount!

 

[Robert H. Diver]

That is all I do and I still sidemount!

It’s just easier for us to take our aluminum backplate BPW’s for single tank shallow reefs. They pack SUPER small.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

@ScubaWithTurk

I don't know about others but I was trained by Don Pierce (trained by Steve Martin) to use two D-rings for HP100 steels. I don't use a butt plate as the bottom of my cylinders do get floaty.

As I'm not nearly as experienced as you, i don't know if this comment had any value to you. Maybe someone starting out reading this.

I don't put a lot of stock in SM advice from SB. I prefer to get that on FB where the real expertise exists (my opinion).

 

[happy-diver]

Yeah I slapped this one together from bits and pieces, I'll fit some loop bungees later one day maybe

DIY Flexible Sidemount Backplate Brainstorming

Silly question, but how do you convert a softplate for backmount into a sidemount system? You don’t, really. Adds faff and loses some adjustability on the SM side, lose the advantages of a hard plate on the BM side. Pirahna sells a pair of SM plates that work pretty well if you’re going the...

scubaboard.com

and build a DECO wing from an MSR water bag

A really cheap Amazon wing I think

Yeah!

 

[sprockjohnson]

You can make a simple Razor type harness using plates from places like Pirahna Dive Mfg. If size and weight are your concerns then this might be the solution as the lack of a plate means the harness can be adjusted for any height of diver and weighs very little depending on how many do-dads you put on the webbing. This also would solve any brand conflicts if you just ordered plates and webbing and put it together yourself along with the wing of your choice. I made one with the afore mentioned style shoulder and lumbar plates, a bunch of 2" webbing, various sliders and D-rings, DIY welded sliding D-rings (not really necessary but nice with AL80's...), and a wing I bought on eBay which can also be found on AliExpress. Just a thought.

 

[Josh the diver]

DiveRite recently brought a new side-mount harness to the NSS-CDS winter workshop, it’s called the Nomad Ray I believe. It’s similar in style to the Xdeep or Katana 2. It’s currently soft launched and I would imagine they will be officially releasing it in the next couple months.

saw some pictures of it today. I am not impressed.