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Tried the Kirby Morgan 57 instead of the SuperLite 27 last week
Everyone I work with swears by the 27. Says it's the industry standard and nothing else compares. I got a chance to try the KM 57 on a pipeline inspection near Port Fourchon. Felt more balanced and had way less neck strain after 4 hours down. Am I crazy for thinking the 57 might actually be better for longer bottom times?
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corap211mo ago
Read a dive shop owner saying the 57's balance comes from the side-mounted block cutting down on torque. Less neck strain makes sense for any job over a couple hours.
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paige_owens51mo ago
Huh, I've actually heard the opposite from some guys I know who run 57s. In my experience, the side block helps with balance in a different way - it's more about keeping the rig from rolling on its side when you're carrying it. The torque thing is more about the belt setup and how you attach the first stage to your tank. Take this with a grain of salt though, I'm not a dive shop owner, just someone who's tried a few different configurations over the years.
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the_hayden1mo ago
Honestly I've tested that torque theory against my own neck and came up inconclusive. Probably because my neck is just a mess from years of bad posture and staring at screens. But I do think the side block helps with balance in a way that makes the whole rig feel less unwieldy. The torque thing sounds like engineer talk for "it feels better but we don't know why.
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