The technical sidemount was completed the next day. This involved adding our 50-percent oxygen tank and 100 percent oxygen tanks to either side. This will increase your profile underwater. You must ensure that the tanks are as slim as possible. A couple of clips are located on either side of your waist. When your tanks become positively buoyant and you inhale, adjust the clip to match your tank position. It is important to keep your breathing as smooth as possible. Your breathing will change from one tank to another every few minutes. The pressure in each tank will drop at approximately the same rate. If a regulator or tank fails, you will still have gas to breath. Comfort and enjoyment can only be achieved by gaining experience. I spent the next few day doing deco dives using the sidemount rig with Evolution co-owner David Joyce, a Trimix instructor and Tec diver. We visited the Japanese Mogami wreck at 164ft, where I was charmed by the pieces of old gas masks and uniforms.
Gear – While the gear is fundamentally the same, divers in their introductory tech class (Intro to Tech, Sidemount or CCR Air diluent) will notice some fundamental configuration differences. Instead of 2 second stages on one cylinder they’re split between two, with a separate first stage on each. Gas planning becomes an in-depth thorough process and the harnesses seem to have more chrome.
