bradells
Contributor
Thanks for singling out the first sentence in a paragraph, explaining most (but not quite all) of what you expanded on.
BRad
Kind of getting lost in all the info for my first purchase...
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Thanks for singling out the first sentence in a paragraph, explaining most (but not quite all) of what you expanded on.
BRad
bradells
Contributor
A side mount and BPW can be similar, but the tank mounting is completely different, as well as the Wings/Bladders.
While a BPW harness has D Rings for attaching tanks (stages, deco, bailout, etc) to yourself, it hangs down infront, not tucked under your armpits like a side mount system.
A BPW is for back mounting primary tanks (just like a jacket).
The wings/bladders differ, as if you used a singles wing with a sidemount setup (ie, no tank on the back), you would experience the worst kind of taco! Sidemount systems also distribute the gas to places to help even out your trim (just like a BPW does), but is different as the tanks are in a different spot (beside, and towards your feet compared to back mount).
You can single tank sidemount, and add another tank (and first stage) later (same with BPW), but they are completely different systems (BPW and sidemount)
BRad
Seriously! At best, the term "crotch strap" sounds uncomfortable and even hostile, and at worst like some kind of S&M thing. (Or do I have best and worst reversed?)
To the OP: Many of us, myself and my wife included, had the same trepidation about having some kind of "strap" between our legs, since this is foreign to the BC configuration we were long familiar with, with its comfortable (and friendly-sounding) "cummerbund" reassuringly holding the BC against our torsos. But trust me, you do not feel the crotch strap when you are in the water wearing a wetsuit (or drysuit).
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Again I'll make the offer to anyone who sends me their email. I have an 11 page article on BPW's with illustrations that I will send for no charge to you. It talks about the set up, accessories, adjusting it, and goes into using a long hose reg with it as well. It's not rocket science. It is a BC. Nothing more, nothing less. Except that you fit it to you so that it fits the same every time. No pulling on straps and fiddling with Velcro cummerbunds. You are not trying to compromise and get a fit that is close enough like you often do with a jacket BC.
You can customize it to work for you. It doesn't come with a lot of useless and poorly designed "features" like a "standard" recreational BC unless you put them on yourself.
You can customize it to work for you. It doesn't come with a lot of useless and poorly designed "features" like a "standard" recreational BC unless you put them on yourself.
You don't absolutely have to have a crotch strap. I have gotten in the water with mine undone. The rig will tend to ride up a bit more, and you have to keep the shoulder straps a bit tighter which makes it a little harder to get in and out of. The advantages of the crotch strap are so great that I have never even contemplated removing mine. And as I told you, the student who was sure it would be horrible concluded that the whole rig was much more comfortable than the jackets she had been using.
The overwhelming majority of divers dive with a single tank, or a single tank with some kind of auxiliary (pony) cylinder. All backplate systems can accommodate a single tank. Some need an adapter (STA) and some don't (Deep Sea Supply, for example). To use the same plate and harness with manifolded double tanks (dual tanks you carry on your back, which are bolted together into a single system) you only need to put on a different wing, one that is wider in the center and has a bit more lift for the extra weight. To dive sidemount, where your tanks are mounted along the sides of your body, the standard backplate system is not ideal at all, and most people use a different kind of BC to do this. Whether that's a harness-based system like the Razor or the Stealth, or a backpack system like the Hollis, the Nomad, or the Halcyon, is a matter of personal preference and where you are diving.
At this point, I wouldn't worry very much about what you might do later with double tanks. Get a rig that is comfortable and works well with singles. Again, I HIGHLY recommend you spend some time talking to Tobin. He won't hard sell you his gear; in fact, he usually annoys people by refusing to sell them anything until they have the information he wants to be sure he's selling them the right thing. But you will learn a lot from talking to him.
The overwhelming majority of divers dive with a single tank, or a single tank with some kind of auxiliary (pony) cylinder. All backplate systems can accommodate a single tank. Some need an adapter (STA) and some don't (Deep Sea Supply, for example). To use the same plate and harness with manifolded double tanks (dual tanks you carry on your back, which are bolted together into a single system) you only need to put on a different wing, one that is wider in the center and has a bit more lift for the extra weight. To dive sidemount, where your tanks are mounted along the sides of your body, the standard backplate system is not ideal at all, and most people use a different kind of BC to do this. Whether that's a harness-based system like the Razor or the Stealth, or a backpack system like the Hollis, the Nomad, or the Halcyon, is a matter of personal preference and where you are diving.
At this point, I wouldn't worry very much about what you might do later with double tanks. Get a rig that is comfortable and works well with singles. Again, I HIGHLY recommend you spend some time talking to Tobin. He won't hard sell you his gear; in fact, he usually annoys people by refusing to sell them anything until they have the information he wants to be sure he's selling them the right thing. But you will learn a lot from talking to him.
....Or you could freedive...
Eric Sedletzky
Contributor
Freedive first and get really good at it, then get into scuba.....Or you could freedive...
The best scuba divers I've ever seen were freedivers first.
If BP/W is what you are leaning towards call Tobin at DSS or go to Hollywoodivers. I think Hollywoodivers the last I checked carries Halcyon.
They may also have units for rent.
I know getting info on BP/W is really hard and not many shops are of any help, but we're trying our best here at Scubaboard to change that.
Happy diving.
Mr Carcharodon
Contributor
You really need a steel plate, not aluminum. Even then a weighted tank adapter and a steel tank is likely best with a thick wetsuit. In warm water a jacket can be good enough in cold in will often be a mess. Backplates have their greatest advantage in cold water where you need a lot of insulation, and need to offset that buoyancy, and a weight distribution that does not mess up your trim.
The harness, including the crotch strap keeps everything in place which makes it much easier to maintain your buoyancy and attitude in the water. Give the standard configuration a try.
Taco'ed wings are bad because it is hard to dump air, and also because it means you have a too large wing with extra drag. If you can't dump air some uncontrolled ascents will be in your future.
Well.. I have only had a BP/W setup for 17 dives, so I definitely am not as qualified as the rest.
For me, the crotch strap is actually annoying - not when diving itself (I don't feel it at all then), but there were a couple of times I got jolted when giant striding, which wasn't very fun. To counter that, I think I need to look up/keep my posture upright and not lean forward.
Also, when floating at the surface, the crotch strap was also sometimes annoying, but that was probably because I inflated my wing pretty full. The waves were pretty strong at times, so I wanted to keep my face further out of the water. The solution is to not inflate as full, and to lean back more.
I'm not saying a crotch strap is bad, and I will continue using mine and tweaking how I dive, but it's also not always smooth sailing all the way.
For me, the crotch strap is actually annoying - not when diving itself (I don't feel it at all then), but there were a couple of times I got jolted when giant striding, which wasn't very fun. To counter that, I think I need to look up/keep my posture upright and not lean forward.
Also, when floating at the surface, the crotch strap was also sometimes annoying, but that was probably because I inflated my wing pretty full. The waves were pretty strong at times, so I wanted to keep my face further out of the water. The solution is to not inflate as full, and to lean back more.
I'm not saying a crotch strap is bad, and I will continue using mine and tweaking how I dive, but it's also not always smooth sailing all the way.
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