Backplate question from new diver!

New to diving. Did all my O/W stuff in a rented jacket. Rented a Halcyon BP and wing for first dive after certification and loved the comfort and freedom of movement. Was on eBay the other day and passed up on a TransPac w/RecWing setup for a ral good price and am kind of kicking myself for it now.

Have read alot of forums but my question is how much money am I gonna save shopping around for all the pieces to create a BP/W setup as opposed to purchasing a Halcyon Pioneer. And how does the Halcyon Pioneer stack up to custom stuff like FredT or Hammerhead?

miked10:

...how much money am I gonna save shopping around for all the pieces to create a BP/W setup as opposed to purchasing a Halcyon Pioneer.

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Hmm... maybe a 100 bucks.

miked10:

And how does the Halcyon Pioneer stack up to custom stuff like FredT or Hammerhead?

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FredT doesn't make wings and his plates and hardware are not available at the moment. Hammerhead does not offer wings either.

you can always get a plate from fredt or hammerhaed and get a pioneer wing then. the plates are standard to mate with any wing. You might save a few bucks that way

has anyone had any experience with hammerhead plates or harnesses?

miked10:

has anyone had any experience with hammerhead plates or harnesses?

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Not me. But if you are looking to save some money without looking all over to put parts together, then try here... http://www.deepseasupply.com/index.html

$445 for a complete singles is pretty darn good.

Tobin's wing is an inner bladder/ outer shell so it is a different deal than the Pioneer. It is more along the lines of the Halcyon Eclipse or the Oxy sig series. If you are looking for a Pioneer type wing then I think that sticking with Halcyon might be best. Although, Oxy also has a wing that is similar. Take a look at their Razor series.

Also, Tobin will be the first to tell ya, but his rig is best used as a unit. In other words, his gear MAY not be compatible with some other manufacturers' bits. But it is probably the most innovative gear available. It is extremely high quality...you can tell that he has put a lot of extra effort into making his offerings special...and Tobin has a rep for providing exceptional customer service.

I would say that you ought to look at his stuff and give him a call.

What exactly are you looking for? Most of the BP and wing gear available is of very nice quality but there are differences between the various products. I believe that some products suit some purposes better than others.

My Pioneer 27 was $485 (3 weeks ago) which I considered a very good price. I'd certainly recommend it or Tobin's gear to anyone. Some people choose not to buy Halcyon, I choose to support local business where possible.

I think the biggest differenes between these kinds of units is the wing. The plates and harness are fairly standard with minor exceptions. And for getting your first setup, you're going to be buying a fairly generic setup anyway.

Oh, and a transpac is NOT a BP/W. Don't fret about missing the "deal".

based on info I received from hammerhead scuba, the cam band slots in their plate do not match up with the Halcyon wings. Hammerhead uses a 5.5" spacing between slots and Halcyon uses 3" spacing. However if use an STA (which Hammerhead has available) it does not matter. - the only issue would be if you are using a pioneer without an sta. Dive Rite's plates also use a 5" spacing.

If it helps, here's the data I've collected so far http://www.kidspot.org/personal/scuba/bpwing.html

you might also check out http://www.kidspot.org/personal/scuba/bpsetup.html for a parts list of harness supplies to DIY.

Aloha, Tim

PerroneFord:

My Pioneer 27 was $485 (3 weeks ago) which I considered a very good price.

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That IS a good price. It's hard to beat the Halcyon Pioneer rig in terms of slickness. It's just TIGHT! Especially the little 18!

PerroneFord:

I think the biggest differenes between these kinds of units is the wing. The plates and harness are fairly standard with minor exceptions.

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I'd disagree with you on that. In some cases the differences are very significant. A plate's a plate...NOT!

PerroneFord:

Oh, and a transpac is NOT a BP/W. Don't fret about missing the "deal".

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Prepare for the onslaught!

Stephen Ash:

Also, Tobin will be the first to tell ya, but his rig is best used as a unit. In other words, his gear MAY not be compatible with some other manufacturers' bits. But it is probably the most innovative gear available. It is extremely high quality...you can tell that he has put a lot of extra effort into making his offerings special...and Tobin has a rep for providing exceptional customer service.

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Tobin's (Deep Sea Supply) backplate and wing are compatible with any manufacturer who adheres to the standard 11" hole spacing ... and who provides slots in the backplate for the tank straps.

FWIW - I've used my Deep Sea Supply wing with Oxycheq and Dive Rite backplates, and am currently using my Deep Sea Supply backplate with a Halcyon Eclipse wing.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

miked10:

has anyone had any experience with hammerhead plates or harnesses?

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I have a Hammerhead plate/STA, and I like them very much. However, generally speaking, a plate is a plate. Hammerhead does offer very good pricing on plate/sta packages. Their standard harness (one piece), is just like any other standard harness, at least 2 years ago. BTW, Hammerhead is very good with customer service. Ed sent me the wrong STA, and sent me the one I ordered even before I had a chance to send the wrong one back.