xDeep Stealth Tec - downsides?

[stuartv]

I have been getting more and more interested in sidemount. I'm NOT going to jump into it soon, but I am trying to learn more about it, for future use. I have read a lot here and other places on the 'net. I have watched numerous YouTube videos. I have read Rob Neto's book twice. I think I know just about as much about SM as one can learn from reading. Which is to say, just enough to be dangerous.

The short version of my question is:

Is there any real downside to using an xDeep Stealth Tec for diving with just 2 AL80s?

The long version is:

If I go sidemount, one of my uses would (eventually) be diving dry, in cold water, with 2 x steels plus 2 x AL80s. The Stealth Tec looks like it would be a good rig for that usage.

Another rig that looks good is the Hollis Katana, but that seems like it doesn't have enough lift to really be safe with my intended usage. It only has 35# lift, and that is not enough for me when diving in BM doubles. My limited understanding of sidemount does not reveal any reason to me why that much lift would be enough in SM if it's not enough in BM. The difference is down to the weight of a manifold, right?

Assuming I am correct in ruling out the Katana, then the question is whether I would really need a separate rig for, say going to MX and diving in a 3mm wetsuit with 2 AL80s. I understand why an overly large wing is undesirable in BM. But, with the Stealth Tec wing design, it seems like it would not share the same drawbacks as BM has. The wing has 50# of lift and I might only be using 15, at most. So the Tec wing would have very little air in it. But, does that really actually make it harder to deal with than, say, their Rec wing (18# lift)? With the way it is designed, it just looks (to my obviously inexperienced eye) like it wouldn't make much difference at all - unlike using a 50# wing for BM single tank.

If it IS advantageous to have a smaller wing on the Stealth harness, for warm water with AL80s, then am I also correct in thinking that the Stealth setup is nice, like a BP/W, in that I could just get the Stealth Rec wing, reposition some D-rings, and then be optimally setup (for warm water and 80s)?

Thanks!

 

[guruboy]

I've been told it's a little trickier to get set up at the beginning because of how the wing and harness is connected.

Are you going into any caves? If not, probably not worth worrying about then.

BTW, unless something changed, no way the REC wing is 18# while the TEC is 50#. If anything, REC might be 18kg.

 

[olphart]

My LTZ with 35# lift is more than enough for the HP100's I use.

 

[tbone1004]

Katana is fine with 2x steels and 3x al80's in a drysuit in cave country, though I wouldn't recommend trying to bob at the surface with it. That is not really a balanced rig though. In a drysuit assuming you are balanced, which in cold water you are, with 2x cave filled steel 121's and 2x al80's the wing has to compensate for 26lbs of lift. Gives you 9lbs to deal with keeping your head out of water and you can get some advantage from your drysuit. 35lbs is enough. It can't float your rig, but in sidemount you can't really take it off without removing the tanks first.

Biggest disadvantage to the Stealth is the only dump is the bottom middle. Means a required head down attitude which isn't a bad thing, but it limits your ability to top mount stages because you can't reach the dump valve. Support in the US is also not great right now. There is the option for one on the opposite side of the inflator, but again you can't top mount stages.

For Mexico with just AL80's I'd use the DECO rig that Oxycheq sells. Just under $300, just add a bungee mechanism of your choice and you're good.
DECO - Dive Equipment Company - Sidemount - BCD's

 

[bamafan]

I have a buddy who just got a Sump Uk wing and some miscellaneous pieces from Andrew Goring at Sump UK on Facebook. I am impressed and probably about to get me an H harness setup with his wing. It is very reasonable and shipping to the States wasn't bad at all.

 

[jerrwhy01]

RN was my side mount instructor. One of the things he talked about in his course was the need for 2 or more rigs. One for Mexican style side mounting/ open water and one for North Florida style side mounting as opposed to a rig that does everything.

TBone mentioned the DECO rig that Oxycheq sells. I have one that I use for open water recreational type of diving. I've used it with AL80's, AL 63's, and LP50's. I have the H-harness version that I usually wear with a 3 mil wet suit and a 3/5 hooded vest. It's a great little side mount BC that travels well and works great with a pair of tanks. It'd work great for Mexico and if you needed more life you can always add the xDeep wing. And best of all it's at a pretty good price point.

For North Florida style cave diving (steel tanks, dry suit, etc...) I use a Dive Rite Nomad XT. It's a great rig that's stable and has ample lift. Personally, I'm not a fan of rigs that need both a drysuit and a BC to provide adequate lift which is one reason that I stayed aware from some of the 35lb rigs. That's just my own personal prejudices however.

Good luck in your quest.

 

[decompression]

Hey Stuart, I use the Tec with both steels and Al's, cold water/drysuit. Yes, it's a bit big for Al's but I'm also using 35# of lead. With steels I can drop 6-8 depending on which tanks I use. Yes, the attachment is different than my other rigs and can be tricky at first. If you aren't using lots of lead, multiple steels and stages the rec and possibly the classic wing are fine.
As Tom mentioned, the dump can be a pain at best and impossible to reach at worse.
As you've already figured out, to cover all your bases, 1 harness and a classic and Tec wing will do it all.

Also, one book that is an excellent guide is by Alexander Hartmann, "sidemount guide".

I finally got my hands on a camo Tec wing, looks awesome!

 

[Pao]

Bubble control. For diving balanced tanks on each side, no problem. When the weight distribution starts to get asymmetric you have to use more "body English" to stay in trim. I have the stealth classic BC and I am now finding it easier to stay in trim with my stage/deco bottle on one side using a twinset/doubles wing where I can shift more gas to one side. I used to have the UTD Z-trim and I did not recall having such problems.

 

[tbone1004]

the new Katana has changed my opinion on the need for 2 different rigs for AL80 vs steel tank diving btw. It is the first rig that I've dove that handles both gracefully so long as you are diving somewhat close to a balanced rig. I.e. it can't treally handle cave filled PST104's no matter what you do, but does LP85's with a couple stages with no issue while being streamlined enough to handle AL80's. Due to political reasons, I don't think Rob has dove it, and he certainly is highly unlikely to recommend it

 

[Patoux01]

Stealth tec works just fine for that imo.
Butt dump is a non-issue, that only someone that hasn't understood how to use it will point out. If you can wipe your ass, you can dump air of a stealth.
The Tec is often used with stages (which are dropped in the cave) and left with 2 tanks, so it's not a problem. Quite some pictures on the facebook group (Stealth 2.0 sidemount).


P.S: I wouldn't consider Neto to be the reference about Xdeep or anything that looks like it. I'd more have a look at what Sidemount Silesia or Steve Martin do...