If you've been loking for the liberty sidemount , you're likely searching for a way to remain underwater longer without having dragging an enormous backmounted unit by means of a tiny give opening. It's among those pieces of gear that looks daunting at first glance, but once you have it within the water, almost everything starts to create sense. It isn't just a normal rebreather shrunk lower and slapped on your side; it's a purpose-built machine created for people who take technical diving seriously but want in order to keep their user profile as slim because possible.
Let's be honest, backmount rebreathers are excellent for open water or big accidents, but the second you try to wiggle through a restricted bedding airplane in a give, that big container on your back again becomes a liability. That's in which the sidemount construction shines. It gets the gear off your spine plus under your hands, offering you a degree of flexibility and freedom of motion that's hard to defeat.
Why Technical Divers Are Swapping to Sidemount
The shift towards the liberty sidemount hasn't occurred by accident. For a long time, sidemount rebreathers had been sort of "home-brewed" or felt such as experimental projects. Divesoft changed that simply by creating a factory-built unit that really feels finished. Whenever you're 3, 500 feet back within a cave, you don't wish to be wondering if your hand-tightened hose is heading to hold up. You want something that was engineered in order to be there.
One of the biggest draws is definitely the redundancy. Many of us were taught that "two is one, and something is none, " plus this unit will take that to coronary heart. It's built along with a "fault-tolerant" idea. If something will go sideways, the unit is designed in order to keep running or at least give you a very clear route to fixing the issue without immediate panic. It's about buying you period, and in technical diving, time is the only currency that matters.
The Low Profile Advantage
The most obvious benefit of the particular liberty sidemount is how thin it makes you. In case you can suit your head and shoulders through the gap, there's the good chance you can get the rest associated with yourself through, too. Because the containers and the scrubber canister are nestled along your edges, you aren't continuously banging your manifold contrary to the ceiling.
It furthermore makes walking to the water much easier. If you've ever endured to hike great backmount unit down a steep trail to a cenote, you understand the battle. With this particular setup, a person can clip the particular unit on at the water's edge, which saves your back again as well as your energy for the actual dive.
What's Taking place Inside the Package?
Don't allow sleek exterior idiot you; there will be a ton of tech packed into the liberty sidemount . The brain of the operation is composed of two self-employed computers. This is usually pretty unique in comparison to a lot of various other CCRs (Closed Circuit Rebreathers) available. Usually, you have a single primary controller and perhaps a secondary "dumb" display. Here, both computers talk to each other but can act independently if one decides to quit.
The sensor logic is also a little bit of a nerd's dream. It utilizes four oxygen detectors. Instead of simply taking an typical and hoping for the particular best, the program uses a sophisticated criteria to figure out which receptors are actually telling the truth. If one particular sensor starts to go or fails, the particular system identifies the particular outlier and ignores it. It's like having a team of four experts within your ear, and the particular two smartest types are making sure the loudmouth isn't top you astray.
Breathing Performance and Work of Inhaling and exhaling
If you've spent at any time upon a rebreather, you understand that "Work of Breathing" (WOB) may be the holy grail. If it's hard in order to inhale or exhale, you're going to get tired, your CARBON DIOXIDE levels will increase, and the jump is going in order to suck. Sidemount products used to have a bad reputation regarding poor WOB since of in which the counterlungs were positioned.
Divesoft did several clever engineering along with the liberty sidemount to fix this. They maintained to put the counterlungs in a way that keeps the particular hydrostatic pressure within check, whether you're horizontal, vertical, or even rolling through some sort of tight restriction. This feels surprisingly natural. You don't get that "balloon throwing out back into your face" feeling that some older products have.
Living With the Unit: Servicing and Prep
Let's get true for a second—owning a liberty sidemount is like owning a high-performance sports activities car. You can't just throw it in the trunk area of your vehicle and forget about it until the following weekend. It takes a bit of love and attention.
Pre-dive checks are usually non-negotiable. The unit has a pre-installed "pre-dive" sequence that walks you by means of everything, which is definitely a lifesaver whenever you're tired or even distracted. It checks the electronics, the solenoids, and the sensors. But the actual side—packing the scrubber, checking the O-rings, and making certain your hoses are routed perfectly—that's nevertheless on you.
The good information? It's actually quite easy to focus on. Everything is obtainable. You don't need a degree in aerospace engineering in order to change the sensors or pack the CO2 absorbent. Most of the parts that need regular looking-at are immediately in entrance of you as soon as you open the canister.
Traveling with Your Rebreather
One of the secret benefits of the liberty sidemount is definitely how travel-friendly it is. Because it's do it yourself, you can break it down and pack it straight into a standard-sized luggage or a cushioned gear bag. You don't necessarily need a giant, heavy-duty flight case that screams "expensive gear inside" to the airport staff.
Because you can usually find cylinders and absorbent at your own destination, you're mostly just carrying the head, the scrubber canister, and the particular electronics. It can make the logistics associated with a dive visit to Mexico or Egypt way less of a headache.
Could it be Right for You?
The liberty sidemount isn't for everyone. In case you're just performing casual reef dives at 60 feet, this is complete overkill. It's like utilizing a chainsaw in order to cut some bread toasted. But if you're looking to drive into deeper water, explore overhead environments, or simply want the particular absolute best redundancy available, it's the serious contender.
It does need a specific mentality. You have to be okay along with the "faff" of the rebreather—the cleaning, the testing, and the constant monitoring while you're underwater. But the particular reward is amazing. Imagine hanging out with 100 feet intended for two hours, viewing the fish, without bubbles and no noise, knowing you have plenty of gas to stay also longer. That's the magic of it.
The training Curve
Don't expect to just buy the liberty sidemount and be a pro by Sunday. The training is usually intense, as it must be. You'll invest a lot of time in the swimming pool and shallow water just practicing what to do whenever things go wrong. Switching to bailout, manual gas addition, and managing your own buoyancy—it all takes practice.
Yet once it keys to press, it clicks. A person stop thinking regarding the gear and start focusing on the environment. The device will become an extension of you rather compared to a backpack you're fighting against.
Final Thoughts on the Liberty Setup
At the end of the time, the liberty sidemount stands out because it doesn't endanger. It gives you the safety associated with a full-sized technical rebreather with the particular sleek, streamlined profile of the sidemount rig. It's built hard, the software program is smart, and it's clearly been designed by people who actually dive this stuff in the particular real life.
In case you're ready in order to get away through the "big rig" feel and want to see what's concealed at the back of that cave or deep within that wreck, this unit might just be your best friend. Just keep in mind: respect the equipment, do your investigations, and never prevent learning. The marine world is far too cool to notice it with gear that holds you back.