Camera Mounted Mini Converters

I am looking into building my first live production setup and I am looking into using Canon XA10s with hdmi to sdi mini converters on the cameras end so that the long run would be sdi. If anybody has tried this, let me know what you did. Depending on the event, some of the cameras may be handheld rigs, shoulder rigs more than likely. If my budget allows, I may be able to get the XA25 and forgo the mini converters, but I don't think that I'll be able to get the budget for it. So if anybody has mounted a mini converter with their camera, please let me know what the best possible way would be.

Gaffers tape