Andrew Dawson
Contributor
Well, I am going on my first tropical vacation in 10yrs...last one was Saba back in 2011...before that was a tec diving trip on a liveaboard in Truk Lagoon.
Going to Cozumel first itme in Aug, next month. I very, very rarely dive warm water.
I have:
a full dive gear kit for cold water diving including a year old XDeep Stealth Tec 2.0 in sidemount setup [steel72s slung with MK25s and S600s tuned myself] [50 dives in SM, no formal in-person SM instruction]
You have a little bit of your old warm water setup: 3mm wetsuit does not quite fit as well now #dadbod, BCD is an old rental from 2005 you got for free, but from a reputable shop and the BCD is in good condition a Seaquest ProQD Small. My perfect fit is size ML, but it sorta fits. No backmount regs...so your SM setups need to be converted to a BM setup. Boo Total needed: BM regs, 3mm wetsuit that fits, better BCD, extra AL80 per dive.
I wonder:
Do I build a tropical/travel SM setup, leaving my SM regs untouched [save for removing the drysuit LP hose], and rocking the XDeep [which looks about the same size as that jacket style Seaquest], warm water wetsuit [prob rental], and SP jet fins? This would include cam bands for the lower side of the AL80s [most likely] and I do need to bring 2 tank hose holder bands for the long hose
Or
Do you build out the svelte [maybe sorta compared to a cold water kit?] old rental BCD backmount kit and your spliced info BM former SM regs?
I have the 5' OMS sausage, booties, masks, everything is as top notch of functional condition as I can make it, all in divable condition [or at least ready for a test ha ha], etc.
I plan on doing 6 days of boat diving...and I would not be surprised if the boat got tossed around a good bit out there as it is open to the sea. So, I have never SM boat dove before. Lots of boat diving in boats where you walk to a giant stride platform and had ladders to climb to exit the water.
So, for those who have sidemount dove [anywhere but maybe know cold water gear] and been to Cozumel...or if you just want to comment some pearls of wisdom...what would you do?
Going to Cozumel first itme in Aug, next month. I very, very rarely dive warm water.
I have:
a full dive gear kit for cold water diving including a year old XDeep Stealth Tec 2.0 in sidemount setup [steel72s slung with MK25s and S600s tuned myself] [50 dives in SM, no formal in-person SM instruction]
You have a little bit of your old warm water setup: 3mm wetsuit does not quite fit as well now #dadbod, BCD is an old rental from 2005 you got for free, but from a reputable shop and the BCD is in good condition a Seaquest ProQD Small. My perfect fit is size ML, but it sorta fits. No backmount regs...so your SM setups need to be converted to a BM setup. Boo Total needed: BM regs, 3mm wetsuit that fits, better BCD, extra AL80 per dive.
I wonder:
Do I build a tropical/travel SM setup, leaving my SM regs untouched [save for removing the drysuit LP hose], and rocking the XDeep [which looks about the same size as that jacket style Seaquest], warm water wetsuit [prob rental], and SP jet fins? This would include cam bands for the lower side of the AL80s [most likely] and I do need to bring 2 tank hose holder bands for the long hose
Or
Do you build out the svelte [maybe sorta compared to a cold water kit?] old rental BCD backmount kit and your spliced info BM former SM regs?
I have the 5' OMS sausage, booties, masks, everything is as top notch of functional condition as I can make it, all in divable condition [or at least ready for a test ha ha], etc.
I plan on doing 6 days of boat diving...and I would not be surprised if the boat got tossed around a good bit out there as it is open to the sea. So, I have never SM boat dove before. Lots of boat diving in boats where you walk to a giant stride platform and had ladders to climb to exit the water.
So, for those who have sidemount dove [anywhere but maybe know cold water gear] and been to Cozumel...or if you just want to comment some pearls of wisdom...what would you do?