Tried BP/wings and ...

[SPEEDSTER]

I'm really happy for you ScubaKims. The help I offered was no problem at all. Now we need to get together and log some dive time. I hope all goes well, and keep on PM'ing me if you have any more questions.

mike

 

[PnL]

SPEEDSTER - thanks! I'm still a newbie diver but I'm game for all the diving I can get! I've done a bunch of dives at Lake Perris (as exotic as it is ) but haven't made it back to the ocean since my certification dives at Catalina.

Regarding the BP/Wings and LDS'. When I told my LDS that I didn't need to rent a BC for last Sat the owner asked me what I was going to use and I told him a BP/wing setup. Surprisingly, the owner highly recommended a BP/wing setup and raved about how comfortable it is underwater. He dives a Transpac II and is a DiveRite dealer but he never pushes his equipment, although he did have me try on the Transpac II ... he is a businessman after all . I really thought that he would push me to buy once of his rigs, or the DiveRite BP/harness/wings that he has, but he never once mentioned them - instead he kept telling me how much I was going to love the BP/wing setup for the simplicity, safety and comfort. All of these things which I confirmed for myself this past weekend! (BTW, he's a cave diver)

I'm going to get a setup going for my wife because I know she'll love it. It really is easy to dive with a BP/wing. Just be sure to have it set up right so it performs like its supposed to. I took mine to the pool the night before to get it setup right for me - its a very solid setup.

 

[tombiowami]

I had the same experience as Scubakims as a newly certified diver on the bp/wings. To me it is much, much more comfy and easy to dive.

For any who want to try bp/wings or don't have local shops, or even those who do...

Extreme-Exposure will sell you a rig and you can use it for 30 days and return it if not to your liking, no questions. Actually, most all their gear has this deal. I looked at it as paying 30$ shipping to try it out.

(I am not affiliated with EE in any way, just passing along what works for me)

First dive was to get it setup, second dive, well I forgot it was even there, this is how equipment should be.

Tommy

 

[MikeFerrara]

As a DS owner and instructor, I recommend bp/wings to everyone. Many have never heard of it. Some go see what other shops have to say then come back and ask why, if it so good, I'm the only one who uses or recommmends it. That's a good one to try to answer. I tell them not to believe me but to try it.

Two such people were out with us this weekend to try the setup and now know what I was talking about.

 

[GP]

Absolutely on the BP/Wings! I had a Zeagle Ranger and was hesitant for awhile to try a BP/Wings thinking my Zeagle was plenty good. After reading all the posts here and listening to all the hype I recommended to a friend of mine who was looking to buy his first set of gear to check out a BP/Wing setup before purchasing a regular BC. He ended up buying a Halcyon SS BP with the Pioneer 36lb wing from Extreme Exposure since they had the 30 day money back guarantee. He let me try his rig out on a few dives and I was sold. It took actually trying it out a couple times going back and forth between the BP/Wing and my Ranger to tell how much better the BP/Wing was. I ended up selling my Ranger shortly after and bought the same rig as my friend's and I absolutely love it.

 

[detroit diver]

ScubaKims,

I just re-read your post and wanted to mention something. You stated you were looking at a heavy backplate/STA. Before you do that, see how your horizontal trim is in the water. You might be better off with more weight on your belt, or you might be better off with the heavier backplate. Only you can decide that. But to just go heavy on the back may be throwing something else off kilter.

 

[PnL]

That's a good point. I dove with the Halcyon SS and my buddy told me that I was horizontally "cruising" along. I've got a Fred T Heavy BP/STA setup so I'm going to try that this weekend and see how it effects my trim ... hopefully not much otherwise I'll have to keep experimenting

 

[ElectricZombie]

The BP and Harness system is great. Wish I had heard of it earlier. When I see all these new "technical" BCs with 50 D-rings and a bunch of useless junk attached, I just laugh. Nothing beats the clean rigging of a BP and Harness.

 

[PnL]

My buddy has the Dacor Rig II and I'm sure its a comfortable BC and works great, but I noticed that "taco" effect around his single tank on the dives this past weekend. He also has a huge cumberband, integrated weights, etc so it looks a bit bulky. I think the thing has 75lb lift (or something high) - I'm not sure why manufacturers use such huge bladders for single tank systems. The other benefit of getting something like the Rig II is cost - its a lot cheaper than the BP/wing setup that I have, although I wouldn't trade in my BP/wing for it

I did get to try the Fred T heavy STA/BP this past weekend and I don't think I like all that weight by the tank. There was a slight tendency to roll me over when I wasn't horizontal but it never gave me cause for concern. I noticed it most when we were doing a surface swim and I stretched out on my back .... I felt planted in that position because of all that weight on my back! I put the delrin rods back in to see if I really do prefer the integrated STA.