XDeep for technical and sidemount

[melshafie]

Hello, i need your advice on buying my new BCD..

i need BCD that can work

1- single Tank
2- Double Tank
3- side mount
i came cross XDEEP
http://www.xdeep.eu/tec-diving-wings-double-tank-pc-1.html

I am new view here and don`t know if this is the only option or i have better options..

and what is the difference between those two technical BCDs from XDEEP..!!

Thanks you

 

[decompression]

Well.......I'm sure most here will agree that with few exceptions, any one BCD can't do it all and certainly can't do it well.
For those requirements you'll either need 3 separate systems OR........
1 backplate with harness (like the xdeep) and 2 or 3 wings that are interchangeable.
There are rigs (Hollis SMS 100 that can do 3, but has ALOT of drawbacks).
The UTD alpha/delta can do backmount single tank and side mount but not doubles Back mount.
The xdeep systems you've linked are similar but use a different backplate.

To do all three it would be best to buy one backplate with harness and then a single tank wing and a double tank wing. And then a dedicated sidemount system. You've got a lot of questions to ask before purchasing any of these units.

 

[JohnnyC]

decompression is right. Listen to him.

Your best bet is to buy a BP/W and extra wings for whatever you need to do for the backmounted stuff, then buy a sidemount harness (the xDeep Stealth 2.0 is a good one) for the sidemount stuff. For instance, I dive a steel backplate, and have a single tank wing, an al80 doubles wing, and an lp steel doubles wing, and an xDeep Stealth 2.0 (the classic) for sidemount as all I dive sidemount is al80's and that's very rare.

Nothing that will do backmount AND sidemount will do either particularly well....sort of a monument to compromise...

 

[melshafie]

Thank you, your answers make sense, i tried the Hollis SMS 100 and felts its drawbacks....
please excuse my ignorance.

what i think about now is

1- Buy side-mount harness
2- Buy Back plate
3- Single tank wing
4- when 2 tanks needed i do side mount till i can afford a second wing
what you think about that ..!?

now

what is your recommendations for harness that is price/value,
Hollis or xdeep or there is another one that is better and i don't know about..!?

Thanks for your time

Regards

 

[decompression]

So to reduce the amount of gear and still do all of those types of diving........this is what I would (and have done in fact) do.

I would buy the UTD alpha/delta wing or from Manta industries as they are very similar.
Buy a backplate with harness and a doubles wing.

With those, you can do sidemount (single and double tanks), single tank back mount and double tank sidemount. Later on you can add a sidemount harness that's cheap and use the UTD wing with it.
Not trying to sell the UTD wing but it's on clearance prices ($250?) and I've owned and used them a lot. The other UTD stuff can be expensive.

Then you've got to buy lots of hoses in order to make you regs work with each system.....
So, yes it can be done.......but it takes energy and patience.......and sooner or later you'll probably just buy more gear.....

 

[DevonDiver]

'Jack of all trades, master of none' applies.

Hybrid back/side mount systems never do a great job in either role and most fond them disappointing in the long run.

There's some economic specialist back and sidemount rigs on the market that'll cost less (buying both) than buying a premium 'hybrid' rig.

It's my opinion that XDeep make the best sidemount rig on the market - the Stealth Tec (and new redundant bladder variant) are as innovative as is currently available. It'll cover any option you're likely to need for sidemount and technical... Up to the trimix ranges where you'd be wanting a CCR.

After the XDeep, you've got Apeks WSX25/45, Hollis Katana and Razor to consider.

I wouldn't wish an SMS100 on my worst enemy

Once you get comfortable and trained well in sidemount, there's a good chance you'd not want to dive backmount doubles again.

You can get a cheaper bp&w rig for whenever you'd want to dive a conventional single tank approach. Brands like HOG are worth looking at.

Before advising on specifics for sidemount, it's important to consider where you'll be diving, your exposure protection and, most importantly, your cylinder choice/options.

There's a few very economical warm water sidemount rigs... look at the Deco Sidemount (I use this for up to 2x AL80 w/2xAL40).

 

[johnnywulff]

I agree with Andy, will add to consider minimalist only sidemount harness if traveling and diving warm in single tank.
I currently use wings Razor 45 lift, Utd 30 lift and Deco 20 lift capacity.
As mentioned never went back, diving single in sidemount is nice too.

 

[Coztick]

Jack of all trades, master of none' applies.

Can you please tell me what, specifically, you didn't like about the alpha delta wing when you tried it? I am genuinely curious.