sidemount, the new "DIR"

[DevonDiver]

I resent sidemount being sold as the best, better, or only way to dive multiple tanks.

I've yet to see that (and I keep a pretty close eye on the market). Where did you see it?

 

[Hetland]

I've yet to see that (and I keep a pretty close eye on the market). Where did you see it?

I can't walk into or out of a diveshop without hearing the word sidemount, either from another customer, of from a dive shop employee. Same goes for many caves and springs. Thankfully I can still dive boats without hearing it.

No offense, but your own signature contains five instances of the word "sidemount", a photo of two sidemount divers, and a drawing of a sidemount diver. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that, you're marketing your business, and I would do the exact same thing if I were in your shoes, I'm just using it as an example of what I see at many dive shops and dive sites.

The same thing will happen with rebreathers in a generation or two of technological development (it's actually already started). It will be marketed as the only way to dive, what all the cool kids are doing, etc. It's the nature of the business, and our nature as human beings.

 

[Pullmyfinger]

Do it now.....before it becomes cool. ;-)

 

[Kevrumbo]

+ ∞

sidemount IS the new DIR... for people who follow for the sake of following. I too was seduced by the siren song of being able to see my valves, and having two fully redundant scuba systems. While I felt I had gotten my gear dialed-in, I never felt 100% comfortable with hose routing, and I constantly wondered why I wasn't putting all that unused real-estate on my back to use as a storage area for breathing gas. It seemed to create more problems than it solved. Once I started carrying a deco bottle, I was convinced that sidemount wasn't for me. There may come a day where I'll want to squeeze into a space that won't allow for backmount doubles, but I can always find a place to dive that doesn't.

I'm fine with everyone using what works for them, but I resent sidemount being sold as the best, better, or only way to dive multiple tanks. It has advantages and disadvantages, just like everything else.

I can't walk into or out of a diveshop without hearing the word sidemount, either from another customer, of from a dive shop employee. Same goes for many caves and springs. Thankfully I can still dive boats without hearing it.

No offense, but your own signature contains five instances of the word "sidemount", a photo of two sidemount divers, and a drawing of a sidemount diver. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that, you're marketing your business, and I would do the exact same thing if I were in your shoes, I'm just using it as an example of what I see at many dive shops and dive sites.

The same thing will happen with rebreathers in a generation or two of technological development (it's actually already started). It will be marketed as the only way to dive, what all the cool kids are doing, etc. It's the nature of the business, and our nature as human beings.

Life is one big trial & error experiment -with lots of individual trials & errors.

I dive UTD Z-system sidemount because it still retains fundamental DIR precepts with regard to Primary Long Hose. I've had my initial "teething" problems with it, but have managed to work through it.

Frustration yes, but feigning resentment because of the hype?

 

[Ste Wart]

Life is one big trial & error experiment -with lots of individual trials & errors.

I dive UTD Z-system sidemount because it still retains fundamental DIR precepts with regard to Primary Long Hose. I've had my initial "teething" problems with it, but have managed to work through it.

Frustration yes, but feigning resentment because of the hype?

Reply by kevrumbo on December 6, 2011 at 1:42amYeah AG, I'm doing that now on the boat when gearing/kitting up. . .
Another note/comment when doing two bottle deco on technical Z-sidemount:
I'm clipping the two AL30 deco bottles, one on each side for better balance --and using the PADI DSAT mnemonic to keep track of them: "Right side Rich" for Oxygen bottle, and "Left side Lean" for Eanx50


:-D

PADI invented |Right Rich left Lean?

 

[Kevrumbo]

PADI invented |Right Rich left Lean?

Don't think they "invented" it per se, but that's what their textbook reads...

 

[DevonDiver]

Don't think they "invented" it per se, but that's what their textbook reads...

Amongst other things...

"For multiple cylinders
a. A second cylinder may go on the right, though if scootering (not part of the Tec Diver course), it is common to wear all stage/ deco cylinders on the left. Some divers prefer to wear them all on the left (aluminum) regardless.
b. If wearing a second cylinder on the right, be sure the long hose ends up outside the clips and D-rings so the cylinder does not trap it.
c. When stacking cylinders (a second chest/shoulder D-ring on the same side may help)
• The cylinder you will stage (leave) first or use first (while worn) goes on top.
• The cylinder you’re breathing from goes on top.
d. If carrying right and left, always put the same cylinders in the same place. The tec community standard is to wear the higher oxygen cylinder on the right (right – rich, left – lean)."

 

[Kevrumbo]

I tuck the long hose primary under the harness waist belt; for my X-scooter dives on the wrecks of Bikini Atoll (and especially on the Aircraft Carrirer USS Saratoga), all deco bottles will be on a leash and when needed each will be clipped and breathed off from the left side, while unclipping any used stage/deco cylinders and transferring them them to the leash. . .

 

[DevonDiver]

I can't walk into or out of a diveshop without hearing the word sidemount, either from another customer, of from a dive shop employee. Same goes for many caves and springs. Thankfully I can still dive boats without hearing it.

That is very different to what you said before: "sold as the best, better, or only way to dive multiple tanks."

No offense, but your own signature contains five instances of the word "sidemount", a photo of two sidemount divers, and a drawing of a sidemount diver. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that, you're marketing your business, and I would do the exact same thing if I were in your shoes, I'm just using it as an example of what I see at many dive shops and dive sites.

No offense taken.

In context with the last point, is there any mention or inference in my signature block that sidemount is "the best, better, or only way to dive multiple tanks"?

The same thing will happen with rebreathers in a generation or two of technological development (it's actually already started). It will be marketed as the only way to dive,

Somehow... I think we're going to look at rebreather adverts in a generation or two and NOT see them marketed as "the only way to dive".

See the theme here?

It's the nature of the business, and our nature as human beings.

Scuba instructors marketing the scuba training they provide does, indeed, seem like the nature of the business. It would be obtuse to market training they couldn't provide. It'd be ineffectual to not market training they could provide.

However, it would be unethical to make false or misleading claims about the training they could provide. Which is why most tend to avoid making such claims...

 

[rjack321]

However, it would be unethical to make false or misleading claims about the training they could provide. Which is why most tend to avoid making such claims...

A great many instructors couldn't dive their way out of a paper sack, regardless of what equipment they were wearing. Is it ethical for a sucky diver to even be an instructor??