One BCD gear setup is NOT universal (opinion only)

[DogDiver]

I thought I would open a new thread on my gear configuration. I subscribe for mission or dive type specific gear and equipment. I believe there is no one set up that fits all diving types and environments. So I will list the gear I dive with in three categories of diving. 1. Open water reef diving (30-80 feet) 2. Open water deep wall or wreck diving (65-110 feet) 3. my passion: Cave Diving or Wreck penetration diving. That's why I moved to Florida Cave Country 14 years ago from Michigan.

Universal gear I will use in all three environments:
Dive Rite Low profile gauge reader mask.
ShearWater Perdix computer with Trilobite line cutter attached
Citizen EcoDrive Promaster dive watch with max depth
US Navy foldable dive tables
This is the only gear I will use in all dives only.

Open Water Reef Diving: for single Aluminum 80
ScubaPro Glide BCD with Air II inflator
Scuba Pro MK 25 G 650 EVO Yolk style Regulator, 40 inch hose routed off the bottom port under my right arm with 90 degree swivel, naked brass and glass SPG on bold snap attached to left side of BCD on D ring. short LP hose to Air II, foldable snorkel in pocket, 4 foot SMB foldable in pocket, spool with 100 feet of line and double ender in pocket, slate with compass attached and pencil in pocket. Trilobite line cutter mounted on left shoulder.
2.5 mm Waterproof one piece wet suit with right thigh pocket
dive socks
Light sole Scubapro dive boots, low profile 3mm
Jet Fins size XL with spring straps (yellow)
Hollis 6 (3 c cell) LED dive light with bolt snap and bungee mounted on right D ring


Open water deep wall or wreck diving:
Steel 120 with DIN H Valve pressurized to 3600 psi (I don't believe in pony bottles prefer a large high pressure cylinder with DIN H Valve for redundancy, standard Intro to Cave diving set up)
Zeagle Ranger BCD with crotch strap and Trilobite to left shoulder
Scuba Pro MK 20 G 500 DIN Regulator, 40 inch hose routed off the bottom port under my right arm with 90 degree swivel, naked brass and glass SPG on bold snap attached to left side of BCD on D ring. short LP hose to Air II, foldable snorkel in pocket, slate with compass attached and pencil in pocket. Trilobite line cutter mounted on left shoulder.
ScubaPro Mk 2 R 190 DIN on 40 inch hose mounted to the secondary H Valve post and clipped on left D ring Some may question only a 40 inch hose for air sharing. Sorry, I dive solo and this regulator is for ME not some out of air stroke. (ok, ya, I'll share with some out of air diver)
5 mm Waterproof one piece wet suit with right thigh pocket
dive socks
Light sole Scubapro dive boots, low profile 3mm
Jet Fins size XL with spring straps (yellow)
Hollis 6 (3 c cell) LED dive light with bolt snap and bungee mounted on right D ring
Salvo Mini LED back up light in pocket
10 foot SMB secured in butt mounted mesh bag
Ralph Hood reel with handle and 250 feet of line butt mounted

Cave Diving:
Two High pressure DIN steel 120's at 3600 PSI, one AL 40 DIN with 100% oxygen, one or two AL 80's stage bottles with gas matching primary gas. When I dove the Great Lakes I used an 80/20 mix for Deco as it is much more forgiving bouncing up and down on an anchor line. (oh, Great Lakes diving I used back mount twin LP Steel 80's at 3600 psi)
Two ScubaPro MK 20 G500 DIN regulators for primary side mount cylinders, right cylinder has 7 foot hose and 90 degree swivel, left cylinder has 24 inch hose and 90 degree swivel, left cylinder with 36 inch LP hose for inflator Two naked brass and glass SPG with 9 inch hoses rear facing.
3 ScubaPro MK 2 R 190 DIN with 6 inch naked brass and glass SPG for DECO and Stage bottles
Dive Rite Nomad XT BCD personally modified for myself. Trilobite line cutter mounted on left shoulder.
4 personalized line arrows on left D ring
3-5 Ralph Hood reels Jasper configuration for jumps butt mounted. One Ralph Hood reel with handle for Primary with 300 feet of line.
Dive Rite Canister LED primary light butt mounted.
Two Salvo mini LED backup light mounted low on each shoulder strap.
5mm Waterproof single piece wet suit with 7mm hood.
Heavy Seasoft hard sole boots
ScubaPro XXL Jet Fins with steel spring straps. (black)

The regulators listed here, my cave regulators NEVER see salt water. I have separate regulators for sea water and cave diving use, and yes it does get expensive for annual service for all those regulators. Fortunately, living only 30 minute drive from High Springs and Dive Rite, I can take things directly to the shop with 3-5 day turn around.
For times when I need a Dry Suit (January in Florida) Viking Shell suit is used.

This may explain why my opinions on hose length and pony bottles is the way it is. I started diving in 1966 and got certified in 1972. 36 years of Great Lakes Wreck Diving, 19 years of safe Cave Diving. NAUI open water instructor for 22 years.

Let's have a civilized discussion and I'll answer as best I can.

 

[tbone1004]

@DogDiver

why the bcd vs. a backplate?
Why the air mcdoodle vs. a standard regulator system?
Why the duplication of the bcd's with the Ranger and the Glide?
Why air mcdoodle and a secondary on the Ranger?
Why split the regulators for salt and cave? Good excuse to cave dive when you get home for a proper rinse...

 

[Superlyte27]

I have more dive gear than alot of dive shops.

The reason I have 5 BCD is because while some will do a crappy job on a lot of types of diving, none will do a good job on all.

Take the Dive Rite TransPac. It will dive single, double, Sidemount, and CCR. But it sucks at Doubles. It's okay at Sidemount, okay at a single tank and okay at CCR, maybe...lol

 

[tbone1004]

so here's my general dive configuration. Won't go into specifics of lights, fins, etc. just overall configuration.

Single tank diving:
Freedom long pattern backplate
VDH 35lb wing
Usually Kraken double hose with secondary on 40" hose. If it's not, then it's a set of Poseidon Jetstreams rigged in a standard 7' long hose/short hose primary setup *usually teaching*. I also have a dedicated yoke singles regulator setup that is usually a loaner set which is "old GUE" style primary donate with a 32" primary hose.

Doubles:
Deep Sea Supply long pattern plate in either SS or Kydex depending on ballast requirements
DSS Torus 49 wing
Scubapro MK25 first stages with Poseidon Jetstream second stages in the standard hog configuration

Backmounted CCR
Deep Sea Supply long pattern plate in either SS or Kydex depending on ballast requirements
DSS Torus 49 wing
DSS rack with LP50's for dilout, pair of FX23's for O2 and suit/wing inflation, and the Meg
Scubapro MK25 first stages with Poseidon Jetstream second stages in the standard hog configuration. Left post has the ADV on it which is the only real change.

Sidemount
Hollis Katana
Scubapro MK25's with Poseidon Jetstreams

Stages:
Poseidon 3960's with Jetstream second stages
Currently with a drysuit inflator hose, soon to be exchanged for 40" reg hoses with QC6's

Deco
Scubapro MK10's with 109 second stages
Drysuit inflator hose *for plugging into CCR O2 side*


My single tank setup is weird because of the double hose, but I love it, so I'm willing to make some concessions for it.

 

[DogDiver]

@DogDiver

why the bcd vs. a backplate?
Why the air mcdoodle vs. a standard regulator system?
Why the duplication of the bcd's with the Ranger and the Glide?
Why air mcdoodle and a secondary on the Ranger?
Why split the regulators for salt and cave? Good excuse to cave dive when you get home for a proper rinse...

Again. Mission specific gear configuration. Ranger is back inflate with more lift for heavy steel 120.
Separate sea and cave regs: I will not jeopardize my cave regs 2400 feet back in a cave with regs that have been in salt water corrosion.
Back plate and wing: been there, got the t shirt with 36 years of back mount doubles in the Great Lakes. Way too uncomfortable for simply single al 80 on a boat reef dive. I’ve sold off all my highland back plates and wings. Sorry they are yesterday news.

 

[tbone1004]

@DogDiver
Doesn't really explain anything other than I find soft plates to be more comfortable and an aversion to salt water corrosion *which is fine, though will have to agree to disagree since the guys in Mx and the Bahamas don't seem to have an issue and are diving in salt and fresh water on the same dive.
Care to elaborate on the rest of the questions? all genuine since you've come to that conclusion on your own, very curious in your reasoning

 

[DogDiver]

Oh, Air II, one less hose to deal with. I’ve taught with them for 22 years and all my rental units have them. You probably have come to the conclusion that I’m a ScubaPro, Zeagle and Dive Rite fan.
Before that we didn’t use an octo. You buddy breathed.
When I’m at Roatan reef diving off a dive boat at CoCoView. I want a simple jacket weight integrated BCD I can slip into and take 3 steps to jump off the boat. I use a yolk reg for travel as most resort tanks are not DIN.

 

[stuartv]

Steel 120 with DIN H Valve pressurized to 3600 psi (I don't believe in pony bottles prefer a large high pressure cylinder with DIN H Valve for redundancy,

If that tank's main valve O-ring ever blows out, you may change your beliefs regarding pony bottles. Ditto if it ever somehow gets trash in it that blocks the dip tube.

Personally, there is no shallow reef dive that I would ever do where I would prefer something other than the same rig I would use for the most advanced single tank diving that I would do.

My only reason for wanting to have 2 single tank rigs is to have one with more lift, for diving dry in cold water, and one that is more streamlined, for warm water. And that is just the BCD. I'll use the same reg set and just put on or remove the dry suit inflator hose as needed.

I realize that you are a lot more experienced than I am, so maybe my concerns about a single tank with an H or Y valve seem like nervous newbie nattering. Maybe I'm paranoid because of lack of experience to give me more confidence. But, if I am ever diving where I feel a need for the redundancy of an H valve, I will just use actual doubles. Side mount or back mount, depending on specifics. I dive back mount doubles most of the time, anyway, even for shallow reef dives.

 

[PfcAJ]

Again. Mission specific gear configuration. Ranger is back inflate with more lift for heavy steel 120.
Separate sea and cave regs: I will not jeopardize my cave regs 2400 feet back in a cave with regs that have been in salt water corrosion.
Back plate and wing: been there, got the t shirt with 36 years of back mount doubles in the Great Lakes. Way too uncomfortable for simply single al 80 on a boat reef dive. I’ve sold off all my highland back plates and wings. Sorry they are yesterday news.

Rinse your gear.

God help you if you ever encounter a halocline...

 

[DogDiver]

Rinse your gear.

God help you if you ever encounter a halocline...

As your aware sea water is heavier than fresh water, so your exiting in fresh water.