Which back plate and wing is right for me.

[Hatul]

I have 3 backplates and three wings...I've sold a bunch too.

1) Halcyon Infinity (cinch) with steel plate - love love love it. I use it for travel and fun dives. My favorite by far. Super easy to adjust with the cinch, although I don't really change it often. I don't mind the 3lbs more it weighs for travel, it's worth it in the water. No weight needed and perfect balance. I wish my LDS would pick up the H brand, as I would sell all the others and just keep this one, but I can't use it when teaching classes so there are more in my closet.

2) OMS AL plate, Dive Rite deluxe harness (no quick release buckles) - This is a great plate and I like the harness. I keep it loose enough to use with drysuit and it still works with a wetsuit, just a bit loose, but not an issue. Use locally diving wet & single tanks and all technical with doubles.

2) Scubapro X-Tek form harness w/AL plate. I use this rig when I teach for the LDS. I might pick up a SS plate for it for winter (drysuit) diving.

Wings:
Hollis S38 (the new version) - really nice wing with internal retraction system. Keeps it tight and streamlined, but it's not big anyway.

Oxycheq Mach V 40lb - I really dig this wing too, it's for sale, but not aggressively. It is only a few ounces heavier than their 18lb wing, and it's been all over the world. I will probably keep it as a spare wing since it's a bit rough in some areas.

Dive Rite classic EXP - doubles wing, for tec, using steel doubles.


Sold:
Dive Rite transpac & transplate systems - I liked them well enough, but they were just too busy. Too much stuff, too many d-rings, buckles, clips, and so on. The transpac was really nice for travel as it didn't weigh much at all.

Dive Rite travel exp wing - sold it b/c as a single wing it wouldnt float my Faber Fx100 & steel plate with if I left it at the surface. Replaced it with the Oxycheq I metioned above. It was a fantastic wing for travel, though, and I wouldn't mind having another one.

Thanks for the nice review. Whenever I try a harness with no sternum strap it always feels like it's going to slip off my shoulders. Does this feeling go away when in the water? What would be a good steel plate for someone 5ft 6"?

 

[Michael Guerrero]

I'm 6'3", 95kg, and dive wet and dry with up to 16lbs on a weight belt.

I dive a HOG Stainless Steel Backplate, a continuous webbing harness, and a 30lb lift wing in single tank.

I bought everything from Piranha Dive Mfg. 17' of webbing, the 45-degree d-rings for shoulders and crotch strap, the hip d-rings, stainless weight keepers, belt buckles for harness and weight belt, shock cord/bungee, and cam bands.

I dive waters between 52 degrees and 78 degrees, and this combo has been great for everything.

1. Will a hogarthian harness be compatible with a steel tank, or is there too much weight in the tank? It is compatible. For a guy your size it shouldn't be an issue based on your lead requirements.

2. What are the pros and cons of a hogarthian harness vs a deluxe quick release harness? A single piece harness w/ accompanying hardware is probably cheaper, simpler, and has less failure points than a quick-release harness.

3. Thoughts on the Dive Rite Transplate harness? None, never dove it.

4. How much lift capacity should i be looking in the wing for somebody of my build? I use a generic 30lb wing for single tank.

5. Considering i dive a steel tank, can i still use a stainless steel backplate so i have less weights on my belt? Yes, and this is better since it's closer to your center of gravity and will trim you out better. Weight around the lungs is good.

6. Also if i was to dive without exposure protection are there any backplates that are more comfortable? You can by a pad that goes on the backplate, though I've never needed one even when diving in a t-shirt for 90 minutes at a time.

7. Could anybody recommend any good sites aside from divegearexpress.com where i could get the items i require? Piranha Dive Mfg and NortheastScubaSupply, though DGX is awesome.

Mike

 

[rhwestfall]

DSS BP/W with the GHA (Glide Harness Adapter) = Pure Bliss! I originally used a DR Transplate harness on the DSS plate because of shoulder mobility issues. Could not believe the difference in how "free" I felt in the simple harness, yet it also felt more secure. The GHA makes a world of difference for me being able to get in and out of my rig. DSS plates are a shallower bend, so some folks have issues with valves and the backs of their heads.....

 

[James R]

Thanks for the nice review. Whenever I try a harness with no sternum strap it always feels like it's going to slip off my shoulders. Does this feeling go away when in the water? What would be a good steel plate for someone 5ft 6"?

I don't really find I need the sternum strap. The x-tek has it and I often forget to clip it...maybe because my Halcyon doesn't have it. I think at 5'6" the standard plate would probably be fine, unless you are all legs and a really short torso.

 

[fjpatrum]

Hello. I am looking to upgrade from a traditional jacket style BCD (Current: Scubapro Knighthawk, Previous: Aqualung Axiom i3) to a BPW. I am quite confused in the sea of options that are available to me. I was hoping to pick the collective brain that is Scubaboard and settle on an option that will work best for me, given my circumstances.

- I live in Melbourne, Australia and plan to use this BPW locally and around Oz.
- I am 6"2 and weigh 100kg.
- I dive dry with a 12lt Faber steel tank.

Will a hogarthian harness be compatible with a steel tank, or is there too much weight in the tank?
What are the pros and cons of a hogarthian harness vs a deluxe quick release harness? Thoughts on the Dive Rite Transplate harness?

I liked the transplate when I dove it. It's actually the first bp/w I dove, borrowed from a fellow SB reader. It's a comfortable harness and will suit your diving needs as a rec diver with some adjustability. A hogarthian harness will also work just fine with any tank/suit combo you can come up with, if you choose that option. (I dive a hogarthian harness even after trying the transplate.)

Pros of a hogarthian: cheap, simple, easily adjusted, not a lot of clutter.
Cons of a hogarthian: lack of inherent pockets/etc. (Easily added but not a part of the standard setup).

Personally I've considered adding an adjustment slider to make my hogarthian harness a "quick release" but haven't done it yet. I don't see a big issue with it either for or against but so far haven't bothered.

How much lift capacity should i be looking in the wing for somebody of my build?

I always recommend this thread for this question: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bu...ems/158370-ultimate-wing-lift-calculator.html

Considering i dive a steel tank, can i still use a stainless steel backplate so i have less weights on my belt? Also if i was to dive without exposure protection are there any backplates that are more comfortable?

The plates really aren't that noticeable once you're wearing them. If you have it adjusted properly I wouldn't suspect there to be any issue wearing it even for long walks/entries.

 

[RJP]

Thanks for the nice review. Whenever I try a harness with no sternum strap it always feels like it's going to slip off my shoulders. Does this feeling go away when in the water? What would be a good steel plate for someone 5ft 6"?

Based on your profile pic, I'm assuming that your width is commensurate with your height? If that's the case you can try what many people with a narrow frame do... criss-cross the shoulder straps as they leave the plate. The standard configuration might be holding the straps further away from your midline.

As a 6'2" 185lb swimmer I've got shoulders that are broad enough that my shoulder strap webbing stays relatively close to my neck, and my build tends to pull them in. If I were much "less wide" in the shoulders, maybe with a little slope from neck to shoulders, the tendency would be for the plate to hold the straps further away from my neck to start... and my body would tend to pull them further towards my arms/shoulders vs in towards my neck.

 

[Pullmyfinger]

As a 6'2" 185lb swimmer

Great job!

 

[The Drizzle]

Thanks for all of the great input everyone particularly the "wing lift calculator" thread. Much appreciated!

 

[Hatul]

DSS BP/W with the GHA (Glide Harness Adapter) = Pure Bliss! I originally used a DR Transplate harness on the DSS plate because of shoulder mobility issues. Could not believe the difference in how "free" I felt in the simple harness, yet it also felt more secure. The GHA makes a world of difference for me being able to get in and out of my rig. DSS plates are a shallower bend, so some folks have issues with valves and the backs of their heads.....

Can I ask you what the GHA is?

 

[Pullmyfinger]

https://www.deepseasupply.com/index.php?product=1340

It can be added to their stainless plates, for quick harness adjustments.