Since the beginning of 2010 you will have noticed many of the "big" scuba manufacturers starting to make "dedicated" sidemount equipment. The main reason for this was to keep up with the high demand generated towards the end of 2009 by divers wanting to "go sidemount".  

Sidemount diving can be split into two parts; 50% making up your “equipment configuration” and the other 50% being the need to take “comprehensive training”. The equipment selection and instructor you choose is crucial especially when you are first learning to sidemount. The right instructor will make the difference between your future dives being 100% "in sidemount" or you deciding to “go back” to diving in backmount configuration.

This page was written to help explain the key differences between the x2 major types of sidemount manufactured systems on the market today (last updated Nov 2011). They can be broke into categories either "Side Mount Only Systems" that only allows you to dive in sidemount and do not allow for a backmount configuration or "Multi-Use Sidemount Systems" that allows for both. Sidemount diving is growing at a alarming rate with now more and more manufacturers are making "sidemount only" systems.

Before reading further I suggest you get familiar with the features of both systems by Googling them. I suggest you use the Razor Side Mount System as an example of a “sidemount only” system and then Google either the Dive Rite Nomad and/or Hollis SMS 100 for examples of the “multi-use systems”. This will help you with understanding the equipment terminology I use below...

Now you have seen what the manufacturers say about each sidemount system, I will explain the major differences I have found based on my personal experiences in extensively using both systems myself and through teaching others to go sidemount.

It is important to know that having a complete sidemount system is more than just having a suitable harness and wing, the other two essential components are a complete regulator package/setup that allows streamlining of all hoses and gauges, the second being cylinder valves & hardware/setup that is clutter free and has redundancy features built in.

You could then say the final and most crucial part is having someone to help you correctly setup all equipment so each piece complements one another; this will add safety to the system and through underwater training allow the standardisation of skills sets and procedures. I certainly believe less is more, when it comes to this equipment configuration and with a short 4 day course can excel your learning curve (course info found here).

My current equipment and a good example of a “complete sidemount only system” would be the Razor Side Mount System with the Apeks Sidemount Regulator Package and then use the Steve Bogaerts cylinder rigging configuration/setup.

The main advantages of using a “sidemount only system are…

• They use a custom fit harness, so all body sizes and shapes will be compatible, this is not always possible with the multi-use systems.
• The ability to have the 1st stage and valve stay maintained in the same position to the body – this is through using a continuous custom sized bungee (length & thickness are crucial).
• Using left and right handed valves and bungeeing around the extension post – allows clear access to handwheel as it stays in the same location “once bungeed” meaning a clutter free setup enabling safe & efficient shutdowns.
• Using short LP inflator hoses for BCD and drysuit from a 1st stages 5th LP port – means you have a very direct and streamlined hose routing. Nothing gets in the way of operating any other piece of equipment.
• Behind the head routing of custom hoses – keeps the most important chest area clear, enabling access to all life support equipment, LPIs, SPG’s - nothing gets in the way of anything else, especially when you add more cylinders (technical equipment).
• Cylinders clip to the hips via the “waist clipping method” vs clipping sidemount cylinders to the “door handles” or “rails” found on multiuse systems – enables far more cylinder stability & control as the sidemount cylinders are “continuously pulling” into the divers sides rather than just “hanging off the sides of your body” which they do with some cases of multi-use systems that use the butt pad (rails).
• The BCD on sidemount only systems is designed to provide lift right at the crucial place where a sidemount diver needs it “at the hip area”, the Razor BAT wing takes that a step further and accounts for the diver changing orientation by allowing the air to migrate around the hips when needed.
• The multi-use systems all provide lift very high up on the diver’s body which will effect trim and makes balancing & weighting a real issue.

Important note: If your sidemount instructor has only used and promotes one type of multi-use system and they do not have “diving” experience using a “sidemount only system” do not even consider them for training you in sidemount. I would at very least get them to explain what they think the pros and cons of each system are… “If they cannot you have your answer”.

I am one of the few people in the world who has dedicated the last 3 years to solely diving and teaching sidemount diving. Please read below about the training and equipment selection choices I have made, which lead me to my current choice and 100% what I believe in using myself and to train others.

1. Razor Side Mount System (sidemount only system)
2. Apeks Sidemount Regulator Package
3. Steve Bogaerts Cylinder Rigging Configuration

To best explain my "current" equipment choice it is important you take the time to read through my experiences and understand why I have made the choices I have...

I hope by reading this it will save you a lot of time and unnecessary expense in buying equipment!! I am happy to answer any questions you have. It will only cost you your time to send me an email.

Back in 2008 I started diving sidemount with Steve Bogaerts as part of my advanced cave training courses. I first used Steve B's extremely “minimalist” Razor Sidemount Harness with a 6lb camelbak for buoyancy (which 1 year later I upgraded to a modified LPI 12lb MSR Dromedary Bag).

After receiving "advanced sidemount cave training", it was time for me to continue to practice and develop my skills further and see if sidemount could work for all the environments and types of diving I was doing apart from cave diving. So after 1 year of traveling in the UK, Europe and Australia, conducting myself over 200 sidemount dives. I found out rather quickly that sidemount worked for all my diving situations. The limits I found where really with backmounted equipment. It was then after realising that and building my own skill level (over 1 year period) that I decided I was going to offer side mount training to others who wanted to learn.

Initially the majority of sidemount training I conducted was in the UK. This meant the equipment I was instructing in needed to pass European C.E approval.

"Obviously" this meant that a custom razor harness with a drinking bladder as a buoyancy device was going to be out of the question!! So I opted to use the equipment rigging methods I learnt during my time with Steve Bogaerts and his razor system, to "greatly" improve the commercial “Multi-use C.E approved sidemount systems” on the market at the time.

Most of my training was conducted with the now extremely popular, Hollis SMS 100 Side Mount System. You can see in the picture (right) some of the changes I made to this setup. The major changes were…

• Removing the standard bungee as they are way too thick to put around valve correctly and you cannot customise the length to suit each person.
• Removing the door handles or rails and adding d-rings to the waist, as this would address many of the issues with the cylinders “hanging at the sides”

Even though these and slight other changes were made, the system still was not even close to the razor system I had been diving, the wing lifted in the wrong places, the inflator was difficult to use and connect to at the start of the dive. The whole thing felt bulky to use, this system was greatly impacting my diving and training, I found I was all the time making corrects to placement of weights on the rig as the balance was never correct.

Others “Multi-Use Systems” I used and configured for others included the following...

• Razor Harness using the Hollis SMS wing for buoyancy.
• Hollis SMS 100 systems (single and dual bladder).
• Golem Gear Armadillo Sidemount System.
• Diverite Nomad Expedition System.
• Oxycheq Recon Sidemount System.
• OMS Tesseract BCD and Profile Sidemount System.
• UTD Z-System for Sidemount.

There are pictures of my “old setups” found in my tips and tricks section (see here).

All the configurations mentioned above are (Multi-use) backmount and sidemount systems. Each of the manufacturers tell you to use the “rails” or “door handle” for cylinder attachment to the harness. What you will see is that I do not use the rigging system they suggest and instead use what is known as the “waist clipping” technique.

I have found that on all these multi-use systems, I have had far better results getting each system to work on divers learning sidemount. At this point I was responsible for teaching over 30 people with these systems configured in this way. You can see what some of these divers thought about the training (click here)

Having left the UK and Europe for Mexico (in 2009). I decided to take more training with Steve Bogaerts (an update if you like, now that I had more experience). This update open my eyes again and showed me the real benefits of why the latest Razor Side Mount System works and why it is far superior to all others on the market. After leaving Mexico late 2009, I started to use just the razor harness "custom" bladders (similar to MSR Dromedary Bags) to train divers in sidemount. I found that by using a sidemount only system and not the multi-use systems each one of the students learning curves was greatly accelerated, their sidemount skills and comfort levels where dramatically increased and each diver had better skill retention from one day to the next and after the course.

After then training a further 20 people overseas, I was convinced that using the razor system was the only way I was going be teaching people sidemount in the future. I know that the old razor system has always had the issue of which buoyancy device can you use with it..?

But not anymore with the release of the Steve Bogaerts Razor Harness 2 system, including the long awaited (dual redundant) 45lb lift BAT sidemount wing.

I am so convinced that using the new “Complete Razor System” is the right way to go, I am traveling the world with x4 complete units.

This allows me to train upto x3 people without the student needing to buy their own equipment (try before you buy). All my sidemount courses have a minimum of 3/4 days and are limited to a maximum of x3 people, please research your sidemount instructors experience before paying them for any training.

Some tips when picking your sidemount instructor;

• They should be using sidemount for the majority of their own diving.
• Avoid someone who tries to push you to buy a sidemount system before you take training, all equipment should be provided during your course.
• Avoid learning with a group size of more than x3 students.
• Insure your instructor has at least 1 year worth of sidemount experience.
• Instructor should have a high skill level (e.g. is a certified sidemount cave diver).
• All open water sidemount courses should be x4 days in duration.
• Cost of sidemount training should be 750+ euros per person (if less I would avoid that course).
• Sidemount Instructor has actual experience using all the different systems on the market.
• Sidemount instructor actually learnt on an intensive sidemount instructor training course not just on a half day upgrade, straight after learning a student level sidemount course themselves.

With the ever increasing "open water" sidemount instructors hitting the dive industry, make sure you select someone with alot of sidemount experience and worldwide teaching skills. Bottom line if you are going to pay for training, then you should be getting the maximum value you can, this can only be done by getting training from someone with a high level of sidemount experience and who truly believes in sidemount diving and the equipment configuration used.

I hope this information helps the people reading this with your equipment and instructor selection. Don't just take one person’s word that there system is the best and works, try them all out if you want. Remember with me, I am that confident about the training I offer, you can just bring your mask, fins and an exposure suit and use all my equipment before you decide on what's right and what works, I will even do the first day of a booked course FOC and we go our separate ways, no worries, that is if you do not get what you want from me at the end of the 1st day.

Look forward to your questions and meeting you in the water - Steve Martin