Sidemount choices

[TigerDiver8]

Hey everyone,

I am trying to decide on which rig to get. The type of diving I will be doing is alot of recreational diving and will train for deep wreck dives. This will be decompression diving. Minimal wreck penetration and no cave diving. I dive off the coast of California at the Channel Islands mostly but will be moving to Florida for a year then back over to Hawaii after that.

I am trying to decide between the Hollis SMS 75, HOG SM or Halcyon Contour. Although like the SMS 100 the Halcyon seems very bulky and alot going on.



What is your positive and negatives to each system.

 

[decompression]

Some solid choices there, and with your changing dive types you'll either need to buy/sell a couple of rigs, buy one that may meet your needs or buy a SM harness with different wings.

The 2 main styles are;
1. Full Harness and wing (SMS 100, 75, Nomad HOG etc)
2. Webbing Harness and wing (stealth, Z system, razor)

Generally the full rigs are for cold water and steel tanks while the webbing systems are more popular in warm water locals.

I like a system that I can swap wings (UTD z system, San Diego) that lets me use what I need without setting up a couple of rigs. Great for travel and flexibility.

I have a HOG which is light and plenty of lift, so it's versatile but not as bulletproof as my UTD rigs.

I've used and taught the SMS 100/75, I prefer the 75 as its a bit more flexible and smarter that the 100.

If you can, dive a few, it gives a good idea of the differences between the systems. I've used all that you've mentioned and many more.


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[TigerDiver8]

I understand the diving environment is going to change for me multiple time. But of those 3 which would u say is the most versatile.

 

[tbone1004]

SMS75 is technically most versatile as it can take backmount cylinders both as singles and doubles.
The Hog is questionable, feels kind of cheap to me and most others
Halcyon is great if you're a big guy *over 6'0*, but it's not the best if you're small.

The Razor is made in California and will work for what you want to do, the Xdeep Stealth would be what I would buy today if I were in the market. I dive a 6 year old Nomad and am happy with it, but would not recommend it to anyone looking today. At the time it was either that or the SMS as the Armadillo didn't have enough lift for what I need, and it was better at the time than the SMS *before Edd switched and started diving his*, so he recommended that. Today I think the ideal solution would be Razor harness, Xdeep wing.

If I were you considering only those three rigs, I would call the guys at Cave Adventurers. After all, Edd designed all 3 rigs, and ask him directly.

 

[TigerDiver8]

Thank you very much

 

[decompression]

Between just the SMS 75, SMS 100, HOG and Contour....I'd choose the SMS 75. Not to big but big enough, solid, proven design and capable.
If I could choose outside of those, I'd choose the XDeep Stealth or the UTD system. Over the years I've grown to favor a harness with D ring mounts over the "door handles" of the others. Plus you can swap wings but keep the harness identical. As sidemounters we are constantly searching for the perfect set up and are constantly changing things. Nice once you get something dialed in to keep it.
I've used the UTD system for about 7 years now, on the west coast and Mexico and really like just swapping wings.


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[Dhboner]

I dive dry with steel cylinders and love my SMS 75.

 

[Curt Bowen]

I dive an Armadillo

 

[canadianoid]

I dive an Armadillo

I do too.. And truth be told it's because of you. Saw you dive the armadillo in 2011 in Port Hardy; I had never seen or heard of sidemount at that point and you looked cool as f**k.. I was inspired. Hope you don't mind me posting the link to the set of pics I used to help me copy your set-up and figure out the sidemount thing.. Great pics by John Rawlings:

Browning Pass - March 2010 - johnrawlings

All the best.

 

[bamafan]

I have a modified SMS100 and a Halcyon Contour. After stripping off the padding from the Halcyon I prefer it to the SMS100. The Halcyon is more stable than the Hollis. The main thing I don't like about either is the door handles / rails sit on top of the wing. This causes your tanks to be high at the start of the dive or low at the end of the dive. Also the modified SMS 100 / 75 have so much lift in the butt area that with large steel tanks such as Faber lp 108's / 120's and several stages I get butt light at the end of a dive. The Halcyon has the lift spread more evenly and doesn't do this to me.

Personally I agree with Curt Bowen in this style rig the Armadillo is the way to go. If you want a modified SMS100 that is basically a SMS 75 I will sell you one for cheap.