Any back inflation BC recommended?

[Splitlip]

Colin:
Are you diving doubles?

 

[sibermike7]

Thanks for any brand & model suggestion.
After checking the price around internet, I found there are several I am considering.
1. Hollis ATS ($350.-) or HD100 ($370.-) (from Leisure pro). They looks pretty much the same to me.
2. Hollis HTS harness ($150.-) + Hollis BAC (60/85 LB lift: $200.-/$250.-)(Leisure pro)
3. Zeagle Ranger LTD 2008 $509 (Zeagle express)
4. Zeagle Tech $459 (Leisure pro) I am not sure what's the different between them either.
5. Dive Rite Transpac Harness $199 (Leisure pro) + Dive-Rite Classic wings (60 Lbs. lift) $280.-

Any one can give me suggestion or experience between them?
Cheers

Colin

Holy weight belts Batman!

Are you sure you need that kind of lift? Have you contacted Tobin yet? I wouldn't buy anything without first consulting him personally. I have watched him dispense a lot of good advice. Could save you making an expensive mistake.
Tobin: ScubaBoard - View Profile: cool_hardware52
http://www.deepseasupply.com
Oh, and make sure to tell him "Mike" sent you. Ought to be good for a laugh or a puzzled look on his face since he doesn't know me!

Looks to me like you are way over on the amount of lift you think you need. Can you please give us a run down on your gear? I know you said that you carry "a lot of gear," but can you give us a better idea of the weight, etc., of this gear so it wouldn't be so much guesswork?

 

[colin.wen]

I have not dived double before and not plan to either.
Honestly, I have not use the excel format to calculate my lift needs yet.
During research I did not always carry a lot of gears, but I have experienced to carry some metal stick/star picket and bags of coral samples or transect tape.
Prob 60 lb is the maximum I need, besides that any advice for these two brand?

 

[willgr1]

you will not need that much lift for a single tank. look for a wing with less than 35lbs. of lift for a single tank. I use a 32lb. wing and even that is too much for me.

I would recommend using lift bags for transporting lots of heavy gear for research. If you're carrying a lot of gear, and drop something accidentally, or place it down before you dump the bladder your looking at a very quick uncontrolled ascent with a huge bladder.

Get a wing only large enough for your dive gear, use lift bags to transport additional gear that's too heavy for your wing to handle.

 

[stefusa]

Willgr1 is right, I dive single and went with a 40 lbs and that is plenty of lift.
As sibermike said, look at deep sea supply (https://www.deepseasupply.com/), they have good BP/wing combos.
You can also look at oxycheq (http://www.oxycheq.com/Oxycheq/Welcome.html) for the BP/Wing and/or hammerhead for the BP (http://www.hammerheadscuba.com/default.htm). Also Fred T from the forum do nice backplate in a variety of size and weight.
I actualy dive hammerhead backplate and an Oxycheq Mach V 40lbs.
However, i would suggest doing the buoyancy calculation prior of buying: If you're diving dry suit you won't need a wing as large as you're diving wet suit. Also if you dive with shorty 2mm or with full suit 5.5 to 8 (as i do) you might need a bigger wing.
And be wary that a 30lbs jacket BCD offer a little more buoyancy than a wing of 30lbs (that's without the backplate) because there is no padding or foam on the wing.

Here is my 2 cents

 

[cool_hardware52]

Willgr1 is right, I dive single and went with a 40 lbs and that is plenty of lift.
As sibermike said, look at deep sea supply (https://www.deepseasupply.com/), they have good BP/wing combos.
You can also look at oxycheq (Welcome) for the BP/Wing and/or hammerhead for the BP (Hammerhead Scuba - Hammerhead II Backplate). Also Fred T from the forum do nice backplate in a variety of size and weight.
I actualy dive hammerhead backplate and an Oxycheq Mach V 40lbs.
However, i would suggest doing the buoyancy calculation prior of buying: If you're diving dry suit you won't need a wing as large as you're diving wet suit.

That's just about backwards. Any BC needs to be able to compensate for the maximum possible change in buoyancy of the exposure suit.

**Most** drysuits are more buoyant than the wetsuit the diver used before switching to a drysuit. Most divers switch to a drysuit because they are getting cold.

More insulation almost always means a more buoyant suit.

Also if you dive with shorty 2mm or with full suit 5.5 to 8 (as i do) you might need a bigger wing.

You have me confused, a 2mm suit that's maybe 3-4 lbs buoyant allows the use of very small wings. A thick (8mm suit) is much more buoyant and requires a higher capacity wing.

And be wary that a 30lbs jacket BCD offer a little more buoyancy than a wing of 30lbs (that's without the backplate) because there is no padding or foam on the wing.

A foam infested jacket BC does NOT provide more usable "lift". Any compressible foam in the BC will require MORE lead to offset it, if the diver wished to be able to drop below the surface and, you know, actually go diving.

Tobin

 

[RonFrank]

I have both a BP/W, and a Zeagle Stiletto. If I dive cold/dry, I use the BP/W. It has a hammerhead Backplate, and STA, and that combo provides about 12lbs of weight on my back. That is MUCH better vs. 12lbs additional on my belt.

If I dive wet, I generally dive my Stiletto. It is comfortable, has nice pockets, and is streamline/travel friendly.

You don't say what you may need to haul around UW? You also did not describe your currently weighting requirements? Nor have you said what heavy items you need to carry around other than that they are heavy? Most folks are fine with a 30lbs wing, but I would have to hear about what you need to carry, and how heavy it is. Keep in mind, heavy things topside are generally not so much UW, unless you plan on carrying weight!

 

[stefusa]

That's just about backwards. Any BC needs to be able to compensate for the maximum possible change in buoyancy of the exposure suit.

**Most** drysuits are more buoyant than the wetsuit the diver used before switching to a drysuit. Most divers switch to a drysuit because they are getting cold.

More insulation almost always means a more buoyant suit.

The way i see it is that a dry suit doesn't loose buoyancy with depth if you adjust it. So no compression means no change in buoyancy which mean, in the end, less lift required. The most buoyancy is needed at the beginning of the dive at depth. You will need more buoyancy with a wet suit to compensate for its compression.

You have me confused, a 2mm suit that's maybe 3-4 lbs buoyant allows the use of very small wings. A thick (8mm suit) is much more buoyant and requires a higher capacity wing.

Yes, you need a bigger wing with a thicker wet suit. We agree... lol

A foam infested jacket BC does NOT provide more usable "lift". Any compressible foam in the BC will require MORE lead to offset it, if the diver wished to be able to drop below the surface and, you know, actually go diving.

It is not usable lift, it will require more lead to offset it and then more lift when you are down with full tank and all that foam that will be squeezed.

 

[cool_hardware52]

The way i see it is that a dry suit doesn't loose buoyancy with depth if you adjust it. So no compression means no change in buoyancy which mean, in the end, less lift required. The most buoyancy is needed at the beginning of the dive at depth. You will need more buoyancy with a wet suit to compensate for its compression.

If your drysuit suffers a total failure and cannot trap gas it can loose 100% of the buoyancy it provided at the surface with minimum gas in it.

If the capacity of your wing is less than the minimum buoyancy of your suit **How** do you plan to return to and stay at the surface?

Remember I'm not talking about a leak in your suit, that just gets you wet and cold, I'm talking about a suit that cannot trap gas.

A suit "leak" is analogous to getting a little water in your BC, zero impact on your buoyancy, total failure, like a blown out neck seal or torn suit is like ripping the top out of a lift bag......

Tobin

 

[stefusa]

If your drysuit suffers a total failure and cannot trap gas it can loose 100% of the buoyancy it provided at the surface with minimum gas in it.

If the capacity of your wing is less than the minimum buoyancy of your suit **How** do you plan to return to and stay at the surface?

Remember I'm not talking about a leak in your suit, that just gets you wet and cold, I'm talking about a suit that cannot trap gas.

A suit "leak" is analogous to getting a little water in your BC, zero impact on your buoyancy, total failure, like a blown out neck seal or torn suit is like ripping the top out of a lift bag......

Tobin

I don't want to do an online fight with you tobin.

The goal what to tell the OP that "generally" an heavy wet suit requires more lead and so on, more lift.

If the dry suit does a total failure. and why not the wing also.
Anyway, you can either ditch weight, or use your lift bag or safety/deco stop bag to gain some buoyancy. I dive wet and I always have a rig that allow me to go from my deepest point to the surface even with a blown-up wing or OOA situation.