Sidemounts versus Twin Tanks On The Back

[Wibble]

How could doing it twice with the tank hanging loose be easier. Side mount is an absolute pain on land, and the only time its comfortably in the water is horizontal back up. A low ceiling is the only in water advantage of side mount over back mount . In water you’re constantly fiddling with your gear in side mount, loose tanks changing buoyancy as they empty, there’s nothing worse than something loose hanging off you when diving. I tried it for two years because I believed it would help with the weight of the twinset but it caused more hassle than it solved. The amount of hoses alone is a pain and they have to be an exact length. I sold the whole lot and went back to the simple, clean, back mounted twinset, a pleasure to dive in.

There’s more than one way to configure sidemount. It’s not all using a single lower boltsnap and long neck bungee.

Carrying—portaging—kit is about splitting it into convenient packages to be carried to the site. Sometimes this may mean reconfiguring it en-route, for example if moving it through restrictions or lifting it past obstacles.

Twinsets and CCRs tend to be bulky and very fixed in the way they’re carried due to their weight. Sidemount, even using steel 12 litre cylinders, can be packed in protective rucksacks and carried individually.

It’s not all extreme expeditions. Just take an awkward path over a beach to dive alone. A twinset, for redundancy, is an absolute pig to handle. Setting it down the weight makes it nigh-on impossible to don and then stand up without severe difficulty. Sidemount would be three pieces; the harness with weights and two cylinders. Quite easy to carry, don and assemble whilst standing. Same with doffing the kit without busting a blood vessel.

All my sidemount cylinders use a top boltsnap which makes it easier to carry and keep in place without uncontrolled "drooping" as the bungee is stretched.

 

[grantmac]

How could doing it twice with the tank hanging loose be easier. Side mount is an absolute pain on land, and the only time its comfortably in the water is horizontal back up. A low ceiling is the only in water advantage of side mount over back mount . In water you’re constantly fiddling with your gear in side mount, loose tanks changing buoyancy as they empty, there’s nothing worse than something loose hanging off you when diving. I tried it for two years because I believed it would help with the weight of the twinset but it caused more hassle than it solved. The amount of hoses alone is a pain and they have to be an exact length. I sold the whole lot and went back to the simple, clean, back mounted twinset, a pleasure to dive in.

Sounds like you had some poor instruction which is unfortunate.
Tanks shouldn't be loose or hanging and the ability to change orientation including sustained swimming on your back or side is very easy. Heavy steel tanks may take a little reshuffle after you flip back onto your front but good luck swimming on your side in twin backmount.

 

[Celt]

There’s more than one way to configure sidemount. It’s not all using a single lower boltsnap and long neck bungee.

And that’s the problem with side mount, there’s too many ways. But none of them are as secure or simple as back mount. Side mount is a rig suitable for benign sea or shore conditions. In any kind of bad sea or rough shore entry it’s a pain. The plain fact is there’s no benefit apart from a very tight overhead restriction. It’s a toy to be played with in open water.

 

[Wibble]

And that’s the problem with side mount, there’s too many ways. But none of them are as secure or simple as back mount. Side mount is a rig suitable for benign sea or shore conditions. In any kind of bad sea or rough shore entry it’s a pain. The plain fact is there’s no benefit apart from a very tight overhead restriction. It’s a toy to be played with in open water.

One man’s "problem" is another man’s benefit. Sidemount isn’t as prescriptive as backmount as sidemount is far more flexible.

Open water diving with sidemount is lovely as you’re so stable and streamlined. It’s great in a wreck. Sidemount comes into its own as a system of mounting bailout cylinders for rebreathers especially in confined spaces.

Where sidemount becomes difficult is with additional stage cylinders. Masters such as Steve Martin may show off diving sidemount with four stages, but for the rest of us, we’d need a lot more practice.

Then there’s the perennial challenge of cold water diving where everything is more difficult as you’re wrapped up in thicker undergarments with thicker drygloves losing dexterity. Everything is more simple in warm water with thin or no gloves.

 

[Celt]

One man’s "problem" is another man’s benefit. Sidemount isn’t as prescriptive as backmount as sidemount is far more flexible.

Open water diving with sidemount is lovely as you’re so stable and streamlined. It’s great in a wreck. Sidemount comes into its own as a system of mounting bailout cylinders for rebreathers especially in confined spaces.

Where sidemount becomes difficult is with additional stage cylinders. Masters such as Steve Martin may show off diving sidemount with four stages, but for the rest of us, we’d need a lot more practice.

Then there’s the perennial challenge of cold water diving where everything is more difficult as you’re wrapped up in thicker undergarments with thicker drygloves losing dexterity. Everything is more simple in warm water with thin or no gloves.

The more gear you bring the less streamlined and the greater the snag hazard. It’s simple maths. Hoses, bungees, double enders just extra gear, no benefit from back mount, I understand the OP doesn’t have this problem but when you have any work to do two 12ltr tanks under your arms are some pain. I dived them for 2 years in wreck’s and they were always in the way compared to back mount. Trying to get into a narrow spot on the bottom was more work. Tanks on your back are out of the way and that’s not the case in side mount, it’s the opposite. Side mount is like having the hassle of carrying stages every dive but don’t need them.

 

[Wibble]

Sidemount, by definition, is more streamlined than backmount.

With backmount, the typical way of slinging stages is they are loose. This means as you kick, the stage moves back absorbing some of your energy, then swings forwards effectively pushing you backwards. A bungee will pull the stage back and tight to your body, i.e. flat against your body and not free to swing.

Pic from several years ago. Dangletastic stages that suck your energy when moving forwards. Bungee would cure that.

 

[Celt]

Sidemount, by definition, is more streamlined than backmount.

With backmount, the typical way of slinging stages is they are loose. This means as you kick, the stage moves back absorbing some of your energy, then swings forwards effectively pushing you backwards. A bungee will pull the stage back and tight to your body, i.e. flat against your body and not free to swing.

Pic from several years ago. Dangletastic stages that suck your energy when moving forwards. Bungee would cure that.

View attachment 807023

Take away the stage or deco bottle in the photo and then tell me side mount is more streamlined than back mount. Not a hope.

 

[Wibble]

Take away the stage or deco bottle in the photo and then tell me side mount is more streamlined than back mount. Not a hope.

Like this? Seems pretty flat as the stages, left and right, are pulled back with the bungee. Even a little bungee handle to grab with cold-water boxing gloves. (Don't have many selfie pictures)

Things to note:

• The stages have a standard stage mounting kit with the large 1" boltsnaps.
• The bungee "handle" is sticking out sideways as it's hooked on the valve (sidemount style).
• You can use the bungee straight over the valve and regs if you don't have the "horns" on the cylinder valve
• When on the boat and jumping in the bungees aren't attached
• The bungees are not attached until I'm descending and are removed just before the final ascent to make removal on the boat easier.
• The stage rigging kit is twisted 45 degrees outwards (between the valve and the regulator) to make the stages hang properly
• A second chest D-ring is installed on the harness below the upper chest D-ring which is used for clipping off all the other crap (lights, double-enders, regs...)

 

[grantmac]

This is a big difference between proper sidemount and just hanging tanks off your sides.
One is far more secure, stable and streamlined compared to backmount.
The other is a mess.

 

[Celt]

Like this? Seems pretty flat as the stages, left and right, are pulled back with the bungee. Even a little bungee handle to grab with cold-water boxing gloves. (Don't have many selfie pictures)

Things to note:

• The stages have a standard stage mounting kit with the large 1" boltsnaps.
• The bungee "handle" is sticking out sideways as it's hooked on the valve (sidemount style).
• You can use the bungee straight over the valve and regs if you don't have the "horns" on the cylinder valve
• When on the boat and jumping in the bungees aren't attached
• The bungees are not attached until I'm descending and are removed just before the final ascent to make removal on the boat easier.
• The stage rigging kit is twisted 45 degrees outwards (between the valve and the regulator) to make the stages hang properly
• A second chest D-ring is installed on the harness below the upper chest D-ring which is used for clipping off all the other crap (lights, double-enders, regs...)

View attachment 807025

Why would the OP bother with all that when he can mount a twin set in a backplate and wing, securely on his back, completely out of his way, if something doesn’t make sense why do it. If you’re talking about carrying stages, as well as main gas, side mount becomes even more messy. Any photo of even a very tidy diver in side mount forces the arms outward and restricts movement if you have to work. Especially in a drysuit. In back mount the rig is completely out of the way.