Gear Selection - Be Brutal.

[DivingCRNA]

Just get a backplate and wing with a hogarthian harness if you are looking at the transpac. I dive my backplate without a shirt on when the water is warm enough and it is comfortable. Screw the padding, it is for the showroom. Less clutter is better. I am NOT DIR, but hate clutter.

I hear the regs you picked are nice. I dive Zeagle Flathead VIs and like them a lot.

You didn't mention a dry suit choice..... You might be soon if you keep diving cold water.

 

[Jimmer]

I dive all cold water too (Great Lakes, so not quite as cold as you likely see), I owned a Jetstream and I liked it's performance, but I realized pretty quickly that service in Canada on Poseidons was quite pricey, as are parts. So last summer I ebay'ed it and bought a Zeagle reg which are very very similar to Apeks, (the old Zeagles actually were Apeks), and I like it quite a bit more than the Poseidon, and I found it performs incredibly in cold water, and deep. So I would say your best bet is the Apeks, but the Poseidon is nice, just be prepared to pay more for service and parts than on the Apeks.

Jim

 

[123Scuba.com]

Over the past few months I have picked through a lot of gear reviews, tried some stuff out, asked questions and came to a few conclusions, but now I'm ready to buy the fun stuff.

Here is what I have decided on, please tell me what you guys think, especially if you have experience with the item.

Buoyancy
Dive Rite Transpac Package (rec wing, weight system..)

REG:

Either Poseidon Xstream duration or the Apeks XTX200

I'm diving cold 95% of the time and I plan on delving in tech diving in the future - is this a good start for a novice diver with room for growth in the future?? Thanks.

I agree with the others, if it's down to a Poseidon or and Apeks - I also suggest the Apeks. I own Poseidons, come from the NY wreckdiving philo that are huge proponents of Odins, worked for the largest Poseidon service center in the NE, etc. Poseidons are great but they MUST be serviced by someone who knows what they are doing and is using the correct product specific Poseidon Service Tools and factory parts. That combination is few and far between these days, also costs a bit more. FYI - If you do decide on a Poseidon and run into service/parts issues keep us in mind. My service techs are top notch, factory trained/authorized, etc. I even trust them with my own gear.

 

[Jeff Toorish]

I agree with those who have suggested a transplate over a transpac. I also agree with the Hog setup. I originally went with a backplate and deluxe harness, I have since switched to the Hog primarily because it allows me to put the rings where I want them.

As for regs, I truly believe Zeagle is the way to go.

If you are planning to eventually go technical, plan on at least two wings; and dual bladders are a good idea for doubles. The Dive-Rite website does a good job of explaining the differences between wings.

Finally, someone mentioned Deep Sea Supply, and although I do not use their gear, I have seen it up close and personal and I think it is terrific.

Jeff

 

[Flatliner]

Hmmm. So you're diving single tank, right? But you want to go tech in the future, which means doubles. I agree with Andy, loose the Transpac and go Hogarthian plate/ wing combo. Do not make the same mistake I did, and try to use a doubles wing w/ a single tank adaptor. It will never be very stable. The harness and Plate can go on any wing, however. I can personally recommend Golem Gear- they make incredible wings, both single and double, but I have some friends who love their Deep Sea Supply and oxychec wings.

I have to agree. I am diving a transpac with a rec wing right now. Air-trapping is an issue with a single tank. Not that it can't be done but I am seriously considering an additional wing dedicated to singles. As for brands though, I have found Dive Rite to be top notch to do business with AND with their backplate you don't have to get a single tank adapter.

Flatliner
aka Robert

 

[kidspot]

Another vote for a standard hog rig - "if" after 20 dives you don't like the simple webbing harness, then switch it out for a "fancy" harness... but it's an inexpensive swap compared to a lot of scuba choices and if you like it, saves you quite a bit.

As to ease of donning and comfort, I wear my hog harness for "working" dives which means in and out a lot, with just a skin or t-shirt underneath - I get in and out as quickly as any of the other divers, who all wear jacket bc's, and it's very comfortable underwater. It did take a bit of practice however to get in and out smoothly

Aloha, Tim

 

[RLarsen]

Regarding the dive trip to Belize after completing OW, It should be a lot of fun but you will be smart to pass on the Blue Hole. It's a deep, advanced dive and not appropriate for a new diver. Many also feel its overrated and not worth the extra cost. Get some experience and maybe more training before doing advanced dives. The Southern dive sites in Belize are among the best. Turneffe is good, and The Elbow is a fine dive at the South end of the Island.

 

[redblanket]

Thanks for your replies! I am glad you mentioned the ds4/xt50 setup, it'll save me a little cash. I've looked at the transplate and asked my lds about it - I think I'll go with a plain jane plate and hog like you mentioned, which will also save me a little coin. I can put the extra $ towards my Abyss drysuit

 

[Drewski]

Hi Redblanket:

Before you buy anything, I'd suggest you TRY some gear BEFORE you buy. That way you can get a "feel" for the differences.

The obvious leaning here is plates BUT plates can be harder on the body compared to the Transpac if shore (or beach) diving is a LOT of what you do (especially if there's a LOT of walking) or if you have to stay out of the water when wearing your kit. I have dived BOTH the Transpac and a plate system, the plate is a better choice for ease of underwater use (IMO), but that Transpac system is VERY adaptable and DARN comfortable. I use an OMS IQ pac for singles diving and a plate for doubles or singles when I use stages. I use a modified OMS "comfort harness" for the plate which my shoulders appreciate much more when walking with 150+ LBS of gear. Diverite and OMS make very similar products. The DSS plate system and harness is also an excellent choice.

As far as the regulator choice goes, the Apeks recommendations here are very good. It's certainly an excellent choice. I'm a BIG proponent of Poseidon regs, so I'll give you an alternative view. For cold water use, nothing is better than Poseidon. I used a Cyklon 300 for years and all I ever did was rinse it out after use. It NEVER froze up, NEVER iced. When I decided to service it one day and pulled it apart at the shop (probably 5 years and 500+ dives after I got it), the inside of the first stage looked perfect and the valve seat had ZERO wear. The reason for that is because Poseidon is BUILT to a 5000 PSI working standard which not all other regulators match. This means using the regs at lower pressures results in almost no wear. Servicing the regs can be a little trickier, but boxing them and sending them to a service center will probably be cost comparable to local servicing. The Poseidon warranty is also unique. The original warranty is for 2 years, but it automatically extends an additional 2 years each time the reg is serviced by an authorized technician for as long as you own the regulator. There is also no "local LDS" requirement with the warranty.

Poseidon recently changed their "set-up" for North American market X-Stream regulators, they now match the Dive 90 first stage and the Deep second stage. This allows for 5 LP and 2 HP ports on a swivel style first stage, compared to the previous "cylinder" design (click here for specs). A note on the specs. Although the spec says "air" for the gas, as built the X-Stream is good for up to 50/50 EAN. Poseidon uses a "different" standard for "O2 clean," their "normal" (not O2 cleaned) standard matchs or exceeds most other "O2 clean for EAN" standards used by American companies. I can't give a direct recommendation for the X-Stream other than to say that on a recent "test" dive it performed FLAWLESS and was VERY comfortable. I just ordered 2 of them so I'll post my experience in 6 months.

One thing I can tell you about the Poseidon second stage design. Most people either LOVE it or HATE it. There's no "in between." Test dive BEFORE you buy!

Good Luck!

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

The obvious leaning here is plates BUT plates can be harder on the body compared to the Transpac if shore (or beach) diving is a LOT of what you do (especially if there's a LOT of walking) or if you have to stay out of the water when wearing your kit. I have dived BOTH the Transpac and a plate system, the plate is a better choice for ease of underwater use (IMO), but that Transpac system is VERY adaptable and DARN comfortable.

I had a different experience ... having started from the same conclusions.

I worked for a shop that was a Dive Rite dealer at the time, and could afford both the Transpac and TransPlate systems. I eventually sold the Transpac because it offered no noticeable advantages over the plate ... there was no difference at all in comfort from one to the other, and the plate system just felt more stable.

I still use my TransPlate system for pool work, but have gone to a full hog system for open water dives.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)