Sidemounting bailout with a BM RB, pros/cons

[grantctobin]

The effectiveness of only a bungee will depend on your height. To start, I’d keep the tail of the bottle clipped to your standard attachment point. Given your height, I imagine that’ll be all you need.

 

[tbone1004]

Ok have caved in, just added some loops, will see how they go at weekend.

Do you normally clip off tail to hip ring or a beaver tail or another attachment point further back than hip.

The stage/deco bottle clips in exactly as you normally would. The only difference is that you pull the loop bungee over the valve. The only other consideration you may want to make is to measure the length between the loop and your hip d-ring. Make sure that the bottom clip is the same distance from the valve knob so they ride properly. If you use DIR rigging, make sure the bottom tail is looped in for its "short" position.

@grantctobin why does height matter?

 

[grantctobin]

The stage/deco bottle clips in exactly as you normally would. The only difference is that you pull the loop bungee over the valve. The only other consideration you may want to make is to measure the length between the loop and your hip d-ring. Make sure that the bottom clip is the same distance from the valve knob so they ride properly. If you use DIR rigging, make sure the bottom tail is looped in for its "short" position.

@grantctobin why does height matter?

Assuming a standard length stage kit, I find a bottle will differently depending on waist size and overall height. The left shoulder d-ring and left hip d-ring on your frame vs someone that is 5’5 are likely 6+ inches further apart. Laterally, if a person is 8” tall (front of hip to plate), there’s 4” from front of hip to the hip during triglide. When the cylinders are dangling, you lose 1-1.5” to the bottom of the D-ring and then an additional 3” for the clip, plus however tight the leash is (even when wrapped behind the handle). This isn’t terribly different to the logic of band height when sidemounting AL cylinders. While someone 5’5” will benefit simply by adding a bungee loop to the plate as per your method, A smaller d-ring, potentially higher band height, smaller cylinder boltsnaps, and a higher mounting point (additional d-ring towards plate, butterfly on crotch d-ring, proper buttplate) will proportionally decrease their frontal surface area more than a much larger/more rotund person. Easiest to demonstrate with images but I’m not near any of my gear. I think we’re on the same page though when you mention ensuring the two clips are the same distance as the loop and the hip d-ring. Thoughts?

 

[a878bob]

Not meaning to hijack this thread,but since we have experience here, I'll put this out.
Im sm'ing my 2 80's very comfortably. It was a natural transition to my breather. But I'm practicing with an 3rd, al40, 100%. And having a hard time with finding enough real estate even with bmcl.
I just can't seem to get clipped up comfortably. I running the 40 under the right 80, so it doesn't ride up at all. I have low profile drings I'm used to from sm. I tried the lower with my right hand, but it's pretty far to get in drysuit/undies. I can't reach under with my left hand, so the next best is to clip the bottom by starting above the 80 and swinging it under, but the top is equally difficult. It's hard to reach around the the top of the 80 and a stretch with my right again. Suggestions?

 

[grantctobin]

Not meaning to hijack this thread,but since we have experience here, I'll put this out.
Im sm'ing my 2 80's very comfortably. It was a natural transition to my breather. But I'm practicing with an 3rd, al40, 100%. And having a hard time with finding enough real estate even with bmcl.
I just can't seem to get clipped up comfortably. I running the 40 under the right 80, so it doesn't ride up at all. I have low profile drings I'm used to from sm. I tried the lower with my right hand, but it's pretty far to get in drysuit/undies. I can't reach under with my left hand, so the next best is to clip the bottom by starting above the 80 and swinging it under, but the top is equally difficult. It's hard to reach around the the top of the 80 and a stretch with my right again. Suggestions?

A leash.

 

[tbone1004]

@grantctobin on the same page, but assuming the stages are hanging properly to begin with, you shouldn't have to do anything else.

@a878bob if you're in OW, then underfill one of the bottles a smidgen so it is neutral and nose clip it to your left hip.

 

[rddvet]

Not meaning to hijack this thread,but since we have experience here, I'll put this out.
Im sm'ing my 2 80's very comfortably. It was a natural transition to my breather. But I'm practicing with an 3rd, al40, 100%. And having a hard time with finding enough real estate even with bmcl.
I just can't seem to get clipped up comfortably. I running the 40 under the right 80, so it doesn't ride up at all. I have low profile drings I'm used to from sm. I tried the lower with my right hand, but it's pretty far to get in drysuit/undies. I can't reach under with my left hand, so the next best is to clip the bottom by starting above the 80 and swinging it under, but the top is equally difficult. It's hard to reach around the the top of the 80 and a stretch with my right again. Suggestions?

My rule of thumb in sm or ccr with sm bottles is to clip the top clip to my chest dring, then hold the bottom clip in my hand, take your elbow and use it to push your sm tank back and up, then you can easily bring your hand down to your waist dring.
One side note, it also depends on where you're clipping your sm tanks. If diving steels, the butts clip to my buttplate. If diving al80s, I have a separate dring pushed further back towards my butt with another dring in front of that in the usual position for a stage.
Using the elbow trick it should be easy. Works with steels and al80s. I can easily sm 2 bailouts, 2 stages, and al40 that way.

 

[a878bob]

I knew I could count on you guys. So I dive in the big lakes, so not a problem with leash or nose clip, but, the sm'er in me really hates the idea of a cylinder flying like that

 

[a878bob]

So the 80 on my right goes to a dring further back, and the next goes to a dring closer to the front?

 

[tbone1004]

@a878bob no one has come up with an elegant way to sidemount multiple bottles yet... still a work in progress.... That said I would argue a nose clipped/leashed stage is infinitely less offensive than a low hanging one and infinitely less irritating to dive with