Backplate wing setup for entry/transition

[tyesai]

I don't think Halcyon plates are any better/different than any other plates. Webbing is just webbing. The wing is the most important part, I think. The wing's bladder could leak, lpi get stuck, exhaust get stuck, etc. So I don't think that would be any better than the $300 combo I posted.

However, used is a great option that shouldn't be overlooked.

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I wouldn't argue with ya and to boot I've had good experiences with DivegearExpress. It is another $100 though for the SS option and the pockets if that is what you are looking for. I know some people don't like the weight pockets and just use weight belts but I like to distribute it...

 

[KnCDIVE]

Got to try on a zeagle express tech wing the other day at work training. with the price ican get this setup for with my discount at my job I cant pass it up... plus the wing has integrated weight pockets, which are a huge plus for me. Ill still be looking for pockets to hold my SMBs, light, shears and a glowstick.

 

[Pullmyfinger]

I don't think Halcyon plates are any better/different than any other plates. Webbing is just webbing. The wing is the most important part, I think. The wing's bladder could leak, lpi get stuck, exhaust get stuck, etc. So I don't think that would be any better than the $300 combo I posted.

However, used is a great option that shouldn't be overlooked.

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There are differences in finish, such as radiused slots. This detail is not appreciated until you see posts describing the slot edges of other plate cutting their webbing. I agree, they are essentially the same. It's the additional manufacturing details that separate them.

Of course, you could always buy a cheaper plate and some jewelers files, and complete that final de-blurring yourself.

Cheers.

 

[Griffo]

There are differences in finish, such as radiused slots. This detail is not appreciated until you see posts describing the slot edges of other plate cutting their webbing. I agree, they are essentially the same. It's the additional manufacturing details that separate them.

Of course, you could always buy a cheaper plate and some jewelers files, and complete that final de-blurring yourself.

Cheers.

+1. While there is nothing wrong with the plates I bought from DGE, the Halcyon plate is obviously finished to a much higher standard that you can only appreciate having held one. And the ALI plates i bought destroyed the webbing after 50 dives. While I still use them, i can appreciate the extra quality that the halcyon gear has.
In retrospect, I would have spent the extra $$ in the first place if I had known what I know now. I still dive the DGE gear for singles (both steel and ali), it's not worth swapping, but for my doubles setup I'm glad I spent the extra $$, even it it was from ebay.

 

[victorzamora]

the Halcyon plate is obviously finished to a much higher standard that you can only appreciate having held one...........i can appreciate the extra quality that the halcyon gear has.

I haven't handled a Halcyon plate, only a wing, harness, and backplate....but I hear this often. I'm sure the Halcyon is worth the money, and will be buying one as my second backplate and beginning of my 4th BCD if I can find one for a good price either used or in a package. HOWEVER, with a budget on a first purchase (you know how it is, you buy one set of gear and then end up finding funds for more gear later on).....If I had the choice between a Halcyon plate and a really cheap wing or a decent plate and a nicer wing, I'd take the nicer wing EVERY SINGLE DAY. The $300 package I linked to had a Dive Rite wing (I think)....while the combo with the Halcyon plate had one of the no-name knock-offs from Piranha. Not that there's anything wrong with them, I have no experience with those wings. HOWEVER, DiveRite is proven and I'd rather have a DiveRite wing from DGX. Now, if I buy 5 or 6 wings....one of them will probably be those cheap ones from Piranha, but not my primary and definitely not my ONLY wing.

In retrospect, I would have spent the extra $$ in the first place if I had known what I know now.

I agree, but it's hard for a first purchase. If he's on a budget, he's on a budget. I was brought up being taught that if you buy cheap, you buy twice. Buying nice the first time saves money in the long run. Having said that, I think that some gear is WAY too expensive. Some Halcyon dealers have a hogarthian/DIR BPW setup for nearly $1k. There's a limit on "buying nicer" to the point where it becomes "buying a name." One great example, IMHO, is the White Arrow stuff. Is it nicer? Absolutely. Is it worth the price? I don't think it's even CLOSE to being worth the obscene pricing.

Back on topic: I think that a mid-range setup can easily be had on a tight budget ($300) that will be very good (basically) forever. I think that once the investment into scuba get to where a diver merits spending the extra cash on a nicer set up, a nicer BPW isn't really a large investment relative to what you've already spent.

 

[xdjio]

The halcyon plate is great but I have to admit it is nothing compared to the Heser Tauchtechnik plate.

Best in mind that the Heser plate is about 12lbs - which is perfect for me in cold saltwater with a warm drysuit undergarment. But as far as fit and finish I have never seen anything that comes close.

 

[fjpatrum]

If I were in the market for a new setup here's what I'd buy:

Plate--- pretty much anything. My current plate is a Salvo SS plate ~$75 shipped
Wing--- Dive Right in Scuba 28 lb Trialta wing ~$200 shipped
Harness--- Single piece webbing, 5 D-rings and tri-glides ~$25 ebay.

No reason to go super expensive for the same equipment, in my cheap-bastard opinion. A plate is a plate, a wing (of the same size) is a wing, and a harness is a harness.

Alternatively, I'd go with a smaller wing but that typically adds about $60-70 to the wing price (due to limited availability of 18-20# wings). I personally dive a homemade wing that is a converted horse collar. I'm about to make a second one, just for a "spare" kit.

Another option I didn't mention is a "buckle on" thigh pocket, a la the Dive Rite thigh pockets or similar. Instead of glue on (which many people prefer) they can be transferred from suit to suit rather than having a fixed pocket on every suit. Also an easy DIY project, if you're into that kind of thing.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Or you could go with something like this - One of my HOG 32's on Eric's New Freedom Contour Plate

 

[Levigarrett]

If I were in the market for a new setup here's what I'd buy:

Plate--- pretty much anything. My current plate is a Salvo SS plate ~$75 shipped
Wing--- Dive Right in Scuba 28 lb Trialta wing ~$200 shipped
Harness--- Single piece webbing, 5 D-rings and tri-glides ~$25 ebay.

No reason to go super expensive for the same equipment, in my cheap-bastard opinion. A plate is a plate, a wing (of the same size) is a wing, and a harness is a harness.

Alternatively, I'd go with a smaller wing but that typically adds about $60-70 to the wing price (due to limited availability of 18-20# wings). I personally dive a homemade wing that is a converted horse collar. I'm about to make a second one, just for a "spare" kit.

Another option I didn't mention is a "buckle on" thigh pocket, a la the Dive Rite thigh pockets or similar. Instead of glue on (which many people prefer) they can be transferred from suit to suit rather than having a fixed pocket on every suit. Also an easy DIY project, if you're into that kind of thing.

Hhhmmm, all gear is the same. There's no difference in quality or workmanship....I never knew that! I'll adjust my spending habit accordingly.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Hhhmmm, all gear is the same. There's no difference in quality or workmanship....I never knew that! I'll adjust my spending habit accordingly.

As I prepare to buy my first BP/W after having dived jacket-style BCs for some time, it seems to me that it is much more true that all BP/Ws are similar to each other than all jacket-style BCs are similar to each other. It seems to me that manufacturers of jacket-style BCs go out of their way to provide things that differentiate their brand from others, whereas manufacturers of BP/Ws can't and don't do much to differentiate themselves from each other. A more expensive BP might have a nicer finish than a cheaper one, but I suspect many divers don't care. And there might be some differences in wing construction quality among manufacturers, but those differences still seem minor to me in comparison with differences among jacket-style BCs.

Am I right?