Sidemount for local, walk-in diving, for old farts.

[rx7diver]

I found out the ultimate system for old fart like us. ...

Too funny! I would need to have the trail/MTB/off-road wheels option, though, since my shore entries here most often involve gravel, rocks, tree roots, and fallen branches, rather than paved boat ramps!

rx7diver

 

[grantmac]

I use an old bicycle trailer with 20" wheels. I'll take 2xLP85, 1xAL40 and DPV along some fairly rugged paths. Saves me a whole lot of hauling and folds flat if needed.

 

[happy-diver]

Someday I hope I’ll be able to fully decipher what you say (and intend to say in subtext) @happy-diver ; you would’ve had a brilliant career in political satire
All I know is I can never take it for just face value, and it always cracks me up

That's exactly it mate, let your imagination run wild and see what you learn from the journey
as there is only you down there that you can ask and there are no questions until they occur

 

[chthonicly]

I don't know about that. Subjectively, stability seems to decline when the weight moves further away from your center of mass. From doing various types of workouts I certainly feel less stable doing a farmer's carry with a kettlebell hanging down in each hand than rucking with the same total weight. Plus for balancing on a rough surface it really helps to be able to move your arms around freely as natural counterweights to compensate when you get off balance.

I agree with this if you are thinking of sidemount divers are entering/exiting the shore dive with both cylinders attached vs typical backmount doubles. I find shore entries in places with waves with both tanks clipped to be miserable in sidemount. However, I know of some very bad knee and ankle injuries from people falling in backmount doubles.

I dive sidemount precisely to limit my exposure to those injuries, as I have a reconstructed knee (and I have no desire to have to redo that surgery). But, I'm only carrying one tank at a time in sidemount. Usually I don't have it clipped to my harness, I'm carrying it out to a float, so I can ditch it if I get off balance or use it to help me balance. It's much easier and safer for me to carry one ~45lb load at time to the water, even if it is offset than to try to walk backmount doubles to and from a shore dive.

 

[LFMarm]

When I need to carry tanks for longer than 1 min, I use a yoga strap that holds the tanks from the valves and sits on my shoulders. I can attach the thanks in several different positions so that I can always carry them very low to the ground but not touching. I find this very safe (you can easily “drop” the tanks on the ground, center of mass is as low as possible) and much less tiring than holding the valves in your hands. Compared to twinset you have less weight (no manifold, no BP, etc.) and much lower center of mass. You also have the option of carrying one tank at the time and doing multiple trips but I prefer 2 at the time.

 

[Nemrod]

Older ST SB Members,

Are any of you older, but otherwise healthy, ST SB Members considering switching to sidemount for your local, walk-in rec dives--you know, because you think this configuration should provide a bit more stability as you enter and exit the water?

No.

I have found that boats eliminate the need to walk in. But I walk pretty good, so, no.

 

[USdiver1]

OP here.

I have a good friend who is about 20 years my senior. (His eldest son is about my age.) He used to be very athletic, often competing in local 10K runs and bicycle races, still holding several local records in various age categories. When he was about my age now, he fell in his driveway while he was stopped on his road bike--he wasn't able to get his shoes unlocked from his pedals in time--and suffered a nasty break in his hip.

rx7diver

We all get some degree of osteoporosis as we age, and often the fall and break a hip is actually break a hip and fall, due to our thinning bones. Diving doubles is really not the best form for us more senior types, regardless of BM or SM.

P.S. I was shore diving my BM twin 72s last Sunday; for how many more years, IDK.