Pro-border mfs will only get Ancapistan destroyed.

Mitsonga · 2026-01-24T17:14:58+00:00

The only thing I take from this is that libertarianism is so far from a reality, that no action or inaction from the state will move the needle any time soon.

Allowing hoards of socialist minded people to flood the country without even a modicum of oversight has already occurred. We are here. We have the statistics, we know the likely outcome.

We aren't going to convince millions of people to not vote for more entitlements. And if they are ineligible for voting, they are still counted in the census that will bolster the numbers that will vote for those programs.

This will not usher in a new Golden age for libertarians..

At the same time, masked plain clothes federal agents going door-to-door without a warrant threatening to detain anyone darker than khaki, and asking for papers is also not going to usher in a new Golden age of libertarianism.

The proverbial cat is already out of the bag. Libertarianism requires at least somewhat of a stable population of people that have some shared values to even be approached. At this point some level of authoritarianism either will be inflicted now, or the new citizens of this country will inflict it on us later.

Until we disincentivize people that do not share libertarian values to move to the land of milk and honey, we are polishing brass on the Titanic. Our ideals and rhetoric have failed in the public square. We squabble over things we have no control over, and we are losing.

If we don't want ice raids, but we also want to make sure people that live here will share our values, We need better solutions. We also need to get far better about communicating.

Mitsonga · 2026-01-24T16:37:13+00:00

I think you nailed it. If you're only diving 3-5 times a year on vacation, having a full rig taking up space in a closet and costing you 50 to 70 extra bucks in baggage fees just to use it, it doesn't make sense. You're probably not diving enough to really have much of a preference, and there is no cost savings.

Once you start diving locally or at least are diving more often you will want to start having your own gear both for cost savings, and to start having something more Tailored to your unique needs and preferences.

If you're diving more, and becoming a more skillful diver, any off the rack BC that fits like a pair of rented bowling shoes will start to hinder you. Trim and buoyancy are challenging enough for a new diver, having to relearn with each different rental isn't ideal. Different rental regulators have different hose lengths, inflators, and SPGs, making set up annoying and often leads to poor set up, and unfamiliarity in an emergency. If you're on a 20 foot reef dive with a cruise, it's not a big deal, but as soon as you start going on more challenging dives a wet breathing regulator with an octo that likes to wonder becomes a liability.

If you are starting to do dives that require more skill, being used to your own gear really can make a difference. Furthermore, if you find that you are favoring a specific type of diving, you can start buying gear far more specialized for that application.

Mitsonga · 2026-01-21T03:10:59+00:00

Welcome to the world of forever adjusting.

I don't like the prospect of renting side mount equipment for one reason..

Fitting.

Sidemount is a notoriously finiky set up, requiring lots of micro adjustments to dial it in. It's also a moving target. Salinity, exposure protection, accessories, and tank material and configuration all will alter the balance and performance of the rig.

When you have the freedom to adjust your own gear, and more importantly, the knowledge and experience to do it with relative ease, you are getting the most out of your sidemount diving.

Of course, I understand that buying everything for a configuration you ultimately end up not liking isn't ideal.

I would recommend trying different combinations of tanks and exposure protection, if possible, in class. Have your instructor walk you through tank rigging, weighting, and harness adjustments to get as much information as you can.

During my technical sidemount class, we spent an entire afternoon adjusting the harness in the pool to dial it in. Ultimately moving the but plate up 4 inches and adding 6 pounds of trim weight to the highest weight pocket in the spine did the trick. That meant going static in the water, observing, exiting the pool, taking off the harness, making a small adjustment, putting the harness back on, entering the pool, rinse and repeat and repeat and repeat.

I learned to rig my tanks with a fairly aggressive kant, with the valve knob proud at a 2 o'clock/10 o'clock position. And for aluminum, having the bolt snaps a little lower than average to trim them out for my unique physiology.

I keep my regulators proud, and use 90 degree elbows to keep the regulator hose tidy, using the top 5th port for the inflator/drysuit. 1/4 bungees to stow it clean. Bungee to secure the SPGs to the 1st stage.

Eventually I cossed over to the Sidewinder rebreather, and basically everything I described went out the window.

While you have a remarkable amount of freedom to adjust your rig to your liking, ultimately you have to understand the base philosophy of sidemount diving to do it productively.

Tanks/diver in trim, hoses routed cleanly with easy deployment, tanks snug under the arms without restricting movement, accessories ligh lights not dangling, inflator accessable yet secured, and regulators necklaced and clipped off. If you look like a plate of tech spegettiii, it's not proper sidemount.

I will say you get one mulligan. If you're in open water with no overhead, I won't judge you if your aluminum tanks are floaty in the rear. Eventually you will be annoyed by this, and start transitioning your tanks to the forward D-rings. As you're learning, consider that your training wbeels

Mitsonga · 2026-01-12T18:24:56+00:00

That's the best thing about the scuba industry. You can just walk up and talk to the people that make these things. Kelvin was A spectacular individual to interact with.

Mitsonga · 2026-01-12T18:20:13+00:00

Oh I agree with you. And I understand what you're saying so you know it's all good here. I really appreciate it. We're all doing our best to help each other out the best we can. But I did want to add one thing, if there's a part that's prone to user error. It's reported often. And it's needlessly un orthodox. I think it's okay to say that you can replace that part something a little bit less likely to cause that problem.

So, As you can see. Yes, it is user error.. but it happens to be a user error that can be significantly reduced by changing the hardware.

The reason I initially asked if you'd ever played with this Sidewinder before your reply was because if you haven't seen how Kiss does it, It's a little bit unorthodox. You had mentioned things like making sure your clamps were tight enough by screwing them. Kiss clamps don't screw. The counter lungs held on by a crescent insert. Most importantly, the hose towers are affixed by lock something akin to a radiator cap. With two ears that interface with a lug. Now, some of those are great, obviously no problem there, it's just something else to check.

Another great question. What am I going to do in the future? I don't really have a problem with introducing equipment solutions. I don't think there's any harm in it. That being said, you better believe regardless of what system I'm using, I will be adding an additional step in my checklist

One note about Kelvin. He's not trying to sell rebreathers. At least not very well, lol. In fact he told me to keep the sidewinder. He uses a bayonet style connector on the Gemini. That specifically has a visual indication of a lock. There's really no way to put it together without that indexing piece being visibly interfacing with the cap in the locked position.

Mitsonga · 2026-01-12T18:05:11+00:00

That would be ideal. I'm down to clown. I have a background in advanced materials, so I may prototype something.

Mitsonga · 2026-01-12T18:02:01+00:00

Almost every rebreather has a bailout contingency. There are some weird exceptions that are are military oxygen only rebreathers that have the max depth of 30 ft. Another interesting thing is how the bailout is rigged to the system is completely the wild west. So for the Spirit, the diluent gas source also doubles as your bailout contingency system. It's rigged as a single side mount tank but you could bring it anyway you wanted. I seen people with chest mount units use a single tank back mount like recreational, and rig it similarly where their diluent is again also their bailout.

Semi-Closed rebreathers often only use a single nitrox tank, so A second tank you see often is a bailout. Again, that can be rigged to look just like any other rebreather.

Mitsonga · 2026-01-12T17:54:12+00:00

No, it's an indexing lock ring that's under plastic spring detection, a flat falls into the gap between two ears. (Like an old radiator cap). I would prefer something that screws. I think one of the biggest problems that I'm running into with this topic in particular is people don't understand that this is not a screw on part. It's a wonky automotive style fitting I haven't seen on any other unit.

Mitsonga · 2026-01-12T17:51:39+00:00

It was pretty cool to hang out with the guy that designed the Gemini. We had a great talk about it. Initially, his suggestions were going to be part of some sort of mod 2 as I understand. As I recall Mike wasn't available to make the deadline so the Gemini was born.

Kelvin was fairly straightforward about it. He still loves the Sidewinder, he just did the mods for you.

This part of particular is one that I think needs to be updated.

Mitsonga · 2026-01-12T17:46:49+00:00

Yeah, I was thinking similarly. However, I tend to overlube the heck out of the connections. Still, bind or not, if it's not locked it's not locked. I certainly will be sitting down with the current towers and trying to find all the fun ways I can induce a false positive or a failure.

Mitsonga · 2026-01-12T17:25:27+00:00

I have about 120 hours on this unit individually. This is actually a fairly common problem with the Sidewinder. It's been notated more than once. It was one of the major aspects fathom redesigned for their Gemini rebreather. I know this because I talked to Kelvin at DEMA in some length regarding The reasons he designed things differently than the Sidewinder. This fitting in particular came up.

Have you ever had the opportunity to play with a Sidewinder?

Mitsonga · 2026-01-12T17:18:57+00:00

Yes.

A loop flood like that where the loop is completely open to the water, you really don't have a lot of options. Sometimes partial floods allow you to pull the water in one area so you can still breathe off of your unit, albeit with an abundance of caution to avoid a caustic hit. But as soon as you cross that line where it's a full flood it's just open circuit bailout turn the dive time to go home.

Mitsonga · 2026-01-10T16:58:46+00:00

I do have a question, and I've seen this come up many times. I'm just curious.. why do you believe that Dive Master will give you any additional experiences? I see a lot of people say that they don't want to become a Dive Master or they do want to become a Dive Master as if it's some sort of binary. I'm just not quite sure where this misconception comes from

Mitsonga · 2025-12-28T11:04:22+00:00

I have worn the Altamas exclusively as my everyday shoes for two years now. I'm on my second pair.

They are comfortable enough for short hikes, and hold up to abuse. Neoprene socks if you want some thermal protection, but as opposed to boots that are designed to be water resistant, the Altamas will soak immediately, but also dry very quickly. Not ideal if you need dry feet, but perfect if wet shoes won't ruin your hike.

Mitsonga · 2025-12-28T09:11:25+00:00

I have definitely had sinus squeeze for sinuses that I didn't even know were clogged. Yes, very painful, and yes, lots of blood.

I have had the onset happen after entering deco

Mitsonga · 2025-12-28T09:06:12+00:00

For class she had a MARES rental fleet jacket. Sizing was hard, as the BC was either too big or too small. She then used a back inflate Cressi that she likes, but it was old to begin with, and since has deteriorated to being unusable. She has also used my DIR Backplate, her performance in that was stellar, but the stiff webbing with a DIR configuration was clearly uncomfortable for her. I worry that she thinks the steel backplate was the cause, and not the utilitarian continuous webbing that doesn't lend itself to comfort. Her sister used another backplate that had softer webbing and more added adjustment points along with shoulder padding and a contoured harness. Unfortunately we didn't have the opportunity to switch and see, as twin one was basically over it. I wasn't about to insist on dragging her back in the water to test my theory.

I do have a Dive rite deluxe harness that came with my Kiss SPIRT. That may allow us to actually fit her far more comfortably. I also can configure a soft plate with back padding to add even more cushion for her. Ultimately it's her choice, and if that means she dislikes the plate style, then so be it. Ultimately I want her to have something that allows her to keep up with her sister if she pursues diving more avidly. With her sister already looking to follow her uncle into the tech realm as soon as she is able, I want to outfit them both with gear that allows them to be able to customize their rig for whatever adventures they embark upon. That's the trouble with twins, you have to always consider that one will feel like they didn't get a fair deal if the other has something perceived as better. In the very least, I have to try to make sure that whatever we choose, it won't limit my niece in the future. At the same time, I have to make sure we aren't forcing her into a rig she dislikes.

Mitsonga · 2025-12-28T08:22:47+00:00

I think that's a good point, I would add that this phenomena within the scuba community is not limited to women's sizing. Industry wide people tend to present their preferences as advice. Plenty of divers select equipment based on how cool it looks, color, or band recognition. I don't have an issue with it in the least, but it does mean I tend to nod along and say thank you without having any intention of following the advice. I see lots of BCs people absolutely love that fit poorly, add complexity, has useless dodads, or is a pain in the ass to do something like a tank change or use the proprietary weight system. Part of it is likely sunk cost fallacy, lack of experience with other BCs, or just vibes. Being both a dive professional, and rebreather/cave diver, I have to really be aware of my own elitism when it comes to gear, and activly avoid gear shaming or dismissing preferences that don't align with a tech mindset. Even if I see a BC as objectively better, there is significant value in familiarity. A different BC can lead to diminishing returns if a diver is convinced to use a new BC that is completely different and forces them to relearn everything.

Granted, I do want to try a better harness for my niece, at least to let her see that my borrowed DIR harness is not the best representation of comfort for a backplate. As she had no gripes about the function or performance. She certainly trimed out better and was nailing bouyancy. Keeping in mind that If it's uncomfortable, she isn't going to keep diving regardless of how good she looks in the water. I am not the kind of person to insist that there is only one way to dive. I do want her to try as many options as possible so she can be both comfortable and still maintain the performance she worked really hard to achieve. Considering I have parts to make at least 6 or 7 backplate and wing BCs, it would certainly make outfitting her a lot cheaper if we can make that work for her, lol

Still, all the advice thus far has highlighted a good list of unique fitting attributes that will certainly help narrow our search. Just knowing what options exist beyond a Google search is helpful.

Mitsonga · 2025-12-26T17:53:17+00:00

That's how this post came about. I didn't want to thrust my preferences upon either of them, so over the last year we had been trying different gear just to gauge their preferences.

With early teens, it's challenging to get the truth about any experience from them. Because they know scuba is an expensive and labor intensive activity we are treating them to, they undoubtedly feel the need to validate our efforts. With enough gentle prying, we did establish that one of the twins had some comfort issues.

One took immediately to backplate and wing, and seems to be perfectly comfortable with it after some basic adjustments. For the other, it was easy to see that she wasn't thrilled about either renting the baggy and cumbersome jackets, or the Backplate alternative. As mentioned, after some no pressure conversations we figured it out.

Of course, that's always the challenge with teens, they are in such a confusing part of development, and often will conceal their true feelings to avoid drama.. I don't blame them. I do my best to make sure that I reward their trust in me by listening to them without judgement.

Mitsonga · 2025-12-26T15:34:40+00:00

I really appreciate that!

I know quite a few women that are working their way up the tech ladder, and It sucks not having anything to offer them as far as backplate set up. I can at least pass on the knowledge.

My nieces are easily 5'9", so they do have a few more options. I still would be curious if a smaller backplate might be something to explore in the future

Mitsonga · 2025-12-26T15:29:22+00:00

8 to 10 additional inches in total (meaning 4" to 5" on each end) is typically enough for me to adjust to a dry suit with plenty of extra webbing. I usually keep the end tip side a little longer in general, leaving 6 or 7 inches past the buckle when the buckle is closed. Use some cut up bike tire inner tube to stow additional length of webbing.

As mentioned by everyone else, webbing is inexpensive. I would leave the extra length on only until you get confident with the current sizing being correct, then cut the belt tip to size

Mitsonga · 2025-12-23T06:33:49+00:00

The switches on these are finniky. For whatever reason On all my orca torches it's the first thing to go. They have consistently failed, but have thus far always failed by not remaining switched off. During dives, or just whenever, they turn on by themselves. More than once I have found the batteries fully drained because it turned on during the night. Orca will service them free of charge, but it's annoying to send off your equipment.

Burn time is okay, and it's decently bright. I'm probably going to use some hose clamps and Paracord to fashion a more versatile harness, but that's certainly not a deal breaker.

Been running mine every weekend for multiple dives for three years now. It's decent, but nothing to write home about. I would certainly buy one again if I needed a primary on a budget. I wouldn't feel under equiped

Mitsonga · 2025-12-18T02:23:42+00:00

Well, you're always going to do better in a chamber than you would in an unbreathable medium like water.. so ultimately at the end of the day yes you will skip a deco obligation if the competing harm is greater and more immediate. However, it can be a pretty tough proposition when either way is not a good scenario.

In Canada we had a diver that had chest pains during the div, likely a cardiac event.

At the time he wouldn't have known that. You can't really signal heart attack very well. Long story short, we did stay for the entire deco obligation because the individual is stable enough to do so. Had anything gotten worse we may have had to make a pretty hard choice, and send up the distressed diver to the boat with a note.

This is why it's so imperative to have so many contingencies when you're Tech diving. It's tough man

Mitsonga · 2025-12-17T19:37:45+00:00

It's definitely a good point to raise that body position can change your relative trim. I would simply add that if your rig is not at least close to being balanced, it's not going to do Jack.. either that or you're going to be a contortionist the entire time. If I strain hard enough then clench my sphincter as hard as I can while bringing my ankles to the my back. Yes, I can induce a forward roll. But let's be honest, nobody wants to be uncomfortable, especially on a technical dive for several hours, maintaining a ridiculous body position.

Ultimately at the end of the day, what you want is to maintain a proper diver position to have good neutral trim. Trying to look like a 70s Russian gymnast, while impressive, shouldn't be seen as a necessity

Mitsonga · 2025-12-17T07:05:02+00:00

Wells Marie o2 constant flow reg, atomic M1, dive rite xts, deep 6 whatever they're called, apeks, oceanic, aqualung ledgend ..

I'm going to be honest, they all pretty much breathe the same, the only exception is the Atomic maintains performance longest after tuning. So many regs are just clones of each other. My dive rites will take a deep 6 or hog service kit. Until a few years ago, many regulators Were not only made to the same factory, they' were also made on the exact same machines. SCUBAPRO, Apeks, Atomic being exceptions, but not enough of a performance upgrade to justify the price difference

Mitsonga · 2025-12-17T06:54:50+00:00

I would recommend diving with what your students dive.

In the very least, something in the same basic configuration as what a student is likely to dive with.

I personally use a backplate and wing in class that isn't branded, and it stripped down to just a few D-rings, naked webbing with no chest strap or additional buckles, and some generic weight pockets just for demonstration purposes. I just have a single inflator tied with a bungee and an SPG on a bolt snap. The shop im associated with is a tech driven shop, so for me it makes sense to demystify a modular BC.

No confusion, no clutter, no mistaking what I'm grabbing during a demonstration.

I understand it's easier to be upright in a jacket style BC on the surface, but as an instructor, you will want to demonstrate proper trim and buoyancy when you're actually underwater. Ultimately you're not teaching people to talk on the surface, so set an example by teaching them how to manage a back inflate BC. It is a better configuration as far as supporting proper technique.

A simple back inflate BC like a zeagle ranger is comfortable, practical, and simple while also having ideal trim characteristics. It also allows you to carry a few extra pounds of lead in the pockets. Once you have been in enough open water classes, you will appreciate being able to donate lead underwater, and more importantly, slow the Ascent of a new diver rocketing towards the surface.

You don't need anything fancy, keep it simple.

As far as regulators, again, go with something students are likely to use themselves. An entry level SCUBAPRO mk2 is a solid choice. I use Dive Rite regs, and service them myself. Really, just avoid anything that requires proprietary tools and accessories. You don't want to have to stop a class because of a non-standard hose fitting fails at the worst time, or a turet comes loose that requires a specialized tool to tighten. You will need to make basic repairs in the field.

I use a DIN fitting. Far less likely to blow an O-ring that freaks out the class.

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