Which wing / bcd?

[KerrenL]

Hi all!

I’m a fairly experienced diver who is going through the DM course this year.

Most of my diving is in warmer waters when I get (too many early years of cold water diving has put me off!) and I’m looking for a BCD that I can travel with but also set up for side mount.

I’m hoping to do the side mount course also this year.

Diving is a mix of liveaboard and local dive centres so can’t guarantee that everywhere I go will have side mount capability. So may have to dive single BM some times.

Appreciate the best option would likely be to buy a good SM rig and a separate BM wing then make sure before I go that the dive centres can accommodate. However some of my travel will include impromptu diving so ideally I’d like something that can do both.

I like the looks of the Hollis SMS75 but not sure whether it’s likely to be too bulky for travel.

Any thoughts / ideas would be well received.

Thanks!
K

 

[halocline]

Thanks all. From these and some other research feels like I’m barking up the wrong tree. Think I’ll get a BCD / wing that can do single/twin BM then look separately at SM harnesses. Also, may put off my SM adventures until post DM, lots of conflicting messages on the benefits for recreational diving without tight cave restrictions

You’re still barking up the wrong tree if you think there’s a wing that will work well for single tanks and BM doubles. A backplate/harness can be used for both, just switch the wing when you need to.

Assuming you’re a single tank diver now, get a BC set up that is ideal for the type of diving you’re doing now. Then when you get to the point where you are diving with two tanks, you can choose whether to do so in BM or SM and get the gear that supports that type of diving. Two tanks generally means technical diving, so presumably you’ll get trained in whatever form of tech diving you want to do, and a part of that training will be gear configuration.

 

[Umuntu]

Hi all!

I’m a fairly experienced diver who is going through the DM course this year.

Most of my diving is in warmer waters when I get (too many early years of cold water diving has put me off!) and I’m looking for a BCD that I can travel with but also set up for side mount.

I’m hoping to do the side mount course also this year.

Diving is a mix of liveaboard and local dive centres so can’t guarantee that everywhere I go will have side mount capability. So may have to dive single BM some times.

Appreciate the best option would likely be to buy a good SM rig and a separate BM wing then make sure before I go that the dive centres can accommodate. However some of my travel will include impromptu diving so ideally I’d like something that can do both.

I like the looks of the Hollis SMS75 but not sure whether it’s likely to be too bulky for travel.

Any thoughts / ideas would be well received.

Thanks!
K

Of Sidemount is the route you wish to pursue, Sidemount razor style harnesses can be assembled inexpensively if you just buy the webbing, plates and rings, bungee and wing, and assemble it yourself.

You will still need instruction on Sidemount skills and to practice those skills.

None of the branded Sidemount BC products are really suitable for both single tank back mount and Sidemount.

If single tank back mount is what you do now assemble a rig for that and look at a Sidemount setup later if you choose to go that route.

 

[Wibble]

Of Sidemount is the route you wish to pursue, Sidemount razor style harnesses can be assembled inexpensively if you just buy the webbing, plates and rings, bungee and wing, and assemble it yourself.

You will still need instruction on Sidemount skills and to practice those skills.

None of the branded Sidemount BC products are really suitable for both single tank back mount and Sidemount.

If single tank back mount is what you do now assemble a rig for that and look at a Sidemount setup later if you choose to go that route.

Most people have three different rigs:

• A single rig -- single wing + backplate + harness (this could be a poodle jacket)
• A doubles rig -- doubles wing + BP/harness (can use the same as for the single rig)
• Sidemount rig -- a dedicated sidemount harness and wing (plus the different configuration regulators, lights, etc.)

Plus there's the

• CCR rig; generally that's integrated into the unit on backmount
• No-mount harness for sump diving
• Different backplate and harnesses for different tasks (chestmount CCR, heavy steel, lightweight ali or carbon...)

The dream of one wing/backplate/harness to do all circumstances is for the birds.