The OMS REC Sidemount Adapter

Filed Under: Technical Diving Equipment Reviews by Andy Davis

November 5, 2018

The OMS REC Sidemount Adapter

Having sold the modular Tesseract Wing/Profile Adapter sidemount system for many years, OMS have now re-branded their adapter system and offer two versions. There is the ‘Tec’ version that was previously used with the Tesseract Wing (previously called the Profile adapter) and a new ‘Rec’ sidemount adapter that is far more convenient for fitting to a wider range of single or double tank wing-style BCDs.

The adapter offers a simple and cost-effective solution for converting backplate/wing BCDs into basic sidemount systems.

The OMS REC sidemount adapter allows conversion of any existing backplate/wing style BCD into a basic sidemount rig. The adapter prevents the wing from going into a ‘taco’ shape, whilst also giving 6 D-ring mounting points for bungees and accessories along the sides. I’ve used these bungees to help ‘shape’ the underlying wing… by threading 3mm bungee through the D-rings to the backplate along the length.

To explain the need for an adapter, one only has to look at how a basic backplate/wing BCD would perform without an adapter in place. This is known as the ‘taco effect’:

It also has a butt plate with further accessory D-rings, rails and two bungees for securing DSMBs and/or lift-bags. The OMS REC sidemount adapter does not feature the extra ‘fold-over’ protection of the ‘Tec’ version; but this actually makes it a lot easier to fit on most wings.

I’ve found that this system can work quite well when paired with an 18 or 30lb wing… and if used with a soft backplate. Oxycheq’s “Ultralite” soft backplate works really well. Other brands that make soft backplates include Mares XR and Zeagle, Express Tech, if you like Hogarthian/ minimalist; or the DiveRite Transpac, OMS IQ Travel Backplate and Scubapro X-Tek, if you like a ‘comfort-style’ harness approach.

You can, of course, use the OMS REC sidemount adapter with a metal backplate – but this will really detract from the flexibility and fit that a sidemount diver should expect from their rig.