Selachimorpha
Contributor
Hi there,
I'm a recreational diving instructor looking to buy a backplate and wing system.
I currently use a Seac Sub traditional jacket-style BCD, but I really want to switch to back-inflation.
I decided that it would be better to jump right to a proper backplate and wing, rather than a hybrid back inflation BCD (eg Scubapro Knighthawk or Seaquest Black Diamond etc).
To me these BCDs simply have too many features, and are too bulky, something I am trying to get away from. I want to go for something minimalistic and streamlined, as I believe it will serve me better underwater.
In my job I dive about 6 days a week, 2 or 3 dives, both guiding and teaching.
My plan is to keep my old BCD for teaching (my students use traditional jacket-style BCDs, as this is what is available in terms of rental equipment, I believe that is is important for me to have the same gear as them for teaching them equipment removal and replacement etc)
However whenever I am guiding (which is quite a lot of the time), I would prefer something better. I say better because my old BCD starting to fall to pieces (literally), and that after only using it for about 400 dives.
Everything is breaking, plus the BCD is about a size to big for me (I see this a lot with divers, I dont know why people always manage to sell us these massive BCDs, when usually we could do with a size smaller).
Also I don´t like the fact that it has too many useless bits and pieces that I thought I needed when I was a less experienced diver and which I now realise just get in the way. Its big and bulky and slides around. Although my position in the water is very good, it requires a lot of effort on my part because its nearly impossible to balance properly.
So what i'm saying is I want a change and I need your help and advice on what to choose.
I live in Sharm El Sheikh Egypt, and the selection here is limited to say the least, so I have been having a look online. Whatever I end up buying needs to be good qualiy and stand up to lots of wear and tear. It needs to last and not break just because its being used every day.
So I had a look and so far 2 brands have caught my eye, because they seem to be names associated with high quality. They are Dive Rite and Halcyon (please feel free to add to these).
Now here in Sharm we dont have any dive rite or halcyon dealers. There is one dive rite dealer listed across the other side of the red sea in Hurghada and an email to Halcyon confirmed that they are also planning to open a dealer in Hurghada in May. This would make life much easier with these 2 brands as I'm sure I would have to pay lost of import tax if ordering online.
So what do I want from my new dive system?
Well I want to use it with a single tank, but maybe in the future I will want to start diving with doubles. But for now its just for singles.
Halcyon makes that very simple by having one wing for singles and different types for doubles. But then there is the question of how much lift I want.
With Dive Rite in terms of single tank diving there is the Travel EXP wing, but then there is the Rec EXP wing which is a hybrid designed for singles or doubles. Anyone have any of these? How are they? Anyone use a Rec EXP mainly with singles?
In terms of harness I will go for the most basic they have.
Then there is the question of backplates, Alu VS Steel. Not sure about this yet, as Alu would be great for travel, but then Steel would elimante the need to wear much weight, I'm sure having it on my back is much better than having it anywhere else.
The things I carry with me on all dives are a DSMB and spool (where can I put these), slates (these also) and a spare mask (and this).
Both brands seem pretty decent, I just want some reviews and opinions (the blue H's all over the Halcyon harness look kind of annoying, but i'm prepared to live with them if it means having good equipment)
Many thanks, sorry if its a bit jumbled, feel free to ask questions back!
I'm a recreational diving instructor looking to buy a backplate and wing system.
I currently use a Seac Sub traditional jacket-style BCD, but I really want to switch to back-inflation.
I decided that it would be better to jump right to a proper backplate and wing, rather than a hybrid back inflation BCD (eg Scubapro Knighthawk or Seaquest Black Diamond etc).
To me these BCDs simply have too many features, and are too bulky, something I am trying to get away from. I want to go for something minimalistic and streamlined, as I believe it will serve me better underwater.
In my job I dive about 6 days a week, 2 or 3 dives, both guiding and teaching.
My plan is to keep my old BCD for teaching (my students use traditional jacket-style BCDs, as this is what is available in terms of rental equipment, I believe that is is important for me to have the same gear as them for teaching them equipment removal and replacement etc)
However whenever I am guiding (which is quite a lot of the time), I would prefer something better. I say better because my old BCD starting to fall to pieces (literally), and that after only using it for about 400 dives.
Everything is breaking, plus the BCD is about a size to big for me (I see this a lot with divers, I dont know why people always manage to sell us these massive BCDs, when usually we could do with a size smaller).
Also I don´t like the fact that it has too many useless bits and pieces that I thought I needed when I was a less experienced diver and which I now realise just get in the way. Its big and bulky and slides around. Although my position in the water is very good, it requires a lot of effort on my part because its nearly impossible to balance properly.
So what i'm saying is I want a change and I need your help and advice on what to choose.
I live in Sharm El Sheikh Egypt, and the selection here is limited to say the least, so I have been having a look online. Whatever I end up buying needs to be good qualiy and stand up to lots of wear and tear. It needs to last and not break just because its being used every day.
So I had a look and so far 2 brands have caught my eye, because they seem to be names associated with high quality. They are Dive Rite and Halcyon (please feel free to add to these).
Now here in Sharm we dont have any dive rite or halcyon dealers. There is one dive rite dealer listed across the other side of the red sea in Hurghada and an email to Halcyon confirmed that they are also planning to open a dealer in Hurghada in May. This would make life much easier with these 2 brands as I'm sure I would have to pay lost of import tax if ordering online.
So what do I want from my new dive system?
Well I want to use it with a single tank, but maybe in the future I will want to start diving with doubles. But for now its just for singles.
Halcyon makes that very simple by having one wing for singles and different types for doubles. But then there is the question of how much lift I want.
With Dive Rite in terms of single tank diving there is the Travel EXP wing, but then there is the Rec EXP wing which is a hybrid designed for singles or doubles. Anyone have any of these? How are they? Anyone use a Rec EXP mainly with singles?
In terms of harness I will go for the most basic they have.
Then there is the question of backplates, Alu VS Steel. Not sure about this yet, as Alu would be great for travel, but then Steel would elimante the need to wear much weight, I'm sure having it on my back is much better than having it anywhere else.
The things I carry with me on all dives are a DSMB and spool (where can I put these), slates (these also) and a spare mask (and this).
Both brands seem pretty decent, I just want some reviews and opinions (the blue H's all over the Halcyon harness look kind of annoying, but i'm prepared to live with them if it means having good equipment)
Many thanks, sorry if its a bit jumbled, feel free to ask questions back!