Wow, doubles really are easier to dive than singles

[divad]

Sidemount is even MORE fun -- in the water. But you add the nuisance value of two tanks to the complexity of the gearing up, and it may even be less appealing than backmounted doubles, depending on the diving circumstances.

Can't I just dive doubles for a while (smiley face)? I'm really enjoying their compactness and not having an AL 30 pulling at my chest D-ring and being in my face. Right now, I hardly notice the weight and love having nothing but space below me. My propulsion, in all directions, is much more efficient and faster with looong glides between frog kicks (modified FK is my main kick). I feel like a mini attack submarine .......
(without the torpedoes).

 

[Bhtmec2]

Enjoy and do not let the Internet mess up your diving.

 

[Pullmyfinger]

What brand?

I'm not sure really.....I'll read up on the differences when the time comes to buy a couple of them.
I seem to recall that Worthington LP 85's are the preferred ones.

For now, I'm good to go with the two sets of Al80's I have. Eventually I'll break one of those sets down and get the LP85 cylinders.
Then use the Al80's for deco tanks.

That's for later down the road.....I just bought a Megaladon....there went my dive budget for awhile.:cool2:

---------- Post added November 3rd, 2013 at 06:55 AM ----------

Enjoy and do not let the Internet mess up your diving.

That might be the best advice EVER given on Scuba Board!!

Cheers,
Mitch

 

[flots am]

I like doubles as well for some things. Nicest ones I own are my 72's. I have a set of 85's as well but after going Sidemount I have decided to break up the 85's. That is going to be done when I get back from DEMA. I just like not having to lug that much weight on my back anymore.

You'll never go back.

I gave my BP and manifold to my buddy, who used it for a few months and than gave it to someone else.

Sidemount is astonshingly easy for re-boarding boats. Just clip them off to a line, climb the ladder with nothing but a smile, then haul them up one at a time, or ask the boat crew if they would mind hauling them back in for an extra tip.

flots.

 

[TSandM]

I dunno . . . I took a sidemount class, and own a sidemount rig, and I don't see giving up backmounted doubles any time soon.

Evad, have fun! There are so many great ways to enjoy being underwater. But I know what you mean about doubles -- if you have a set that's well-balanced for you, they're really nice to dive.

 

[Zesty]

Just started diving them late last year, and they do take a bit more effort on the surface, but on a boat, it is nice not to have to mess with switching tanks in-between dives, it removes the pony bottle I was carrying and it got rid of the weight belt I was carrying. Underneath, I too felt an improvement in trim and in stability.

 

[TSandM]

Just be really careful about ditching the weight belt. A LOT of people diving doubles weight themselves so they're comfortable within the range where they normally dive the tanks. If you don't do a careful weight check with near-empty tanks, you could end up very badly underweighted if the tanks get low. BTDT.

 

[Zesty]

Just be really careful about ditching the weight belt..............

I totally agree - the belt got ditched after I took the UTD Doubles Mini and did several weight checks with near empty tanks. I actually ended up adding two lbs in between the tanks, and I may still swap the AL BP for the SS BP for a little more stack-up tolerance!

 

[TSandM]

That's one thing about doubles . . . you get a lot less worried about never diving at all overweighted, since you have to learn to cope with being so negative at the beginning of every dive. I like weight (when I don't have to walk with it) because it means more air in the dry suit = warmer Lynne!

 

[divad]

I did the weight check at the end of the second, in about 5 feet of water, with 500 PSI. I had made a weight belt with 4 one-pound weights so that I could remove them one-by-one as necessary. When I took the belt off, I realized that that I only had to rest the weights on the concrete boat ramp while venting air. With the weight belt fully detached and resting on the bottom, I was amazed that I was still neutral ( except for a 2 pound weight on waist strap simulating my 2 pound canister) and able to back kick while aiming it slightly down. I have really floaty legs and think I preffered the extra weight on the weight belt especially with the but-light Fabers. I found it much easier to compensate for "heavy legs" than floaty legs.