Help before I take the plunge on BP/W rig

Hello all. I'm about to get my first BP/W rig and just before I order I'd like to get your opinion on my planned setup. Especially from those of you who actually own a similar rig or have tried any of the parts. Here's what I'm planning to get:

- Oxycheq Deluxe Adjustable Harness
- Oxycheq Match V Extreme wing 30lb
- Alum BP and STA
- "Sausage" weight system for BP
- DR SS cambands
- Weight pockets and accessory thigh pocket

Am I missing anything? One thing I don't quite understand is that this wing doesn't require an STA, however, I can't see any slots for the cambands in any of the pics I've seen, so how are the cambands supposed to attach without an STA??? I'm getting an STA, anyway, but this thing just intrigues me.

My second option for the harness is DR Transplate, but the Oxycheq just looks more streamlined and more ergonomic. Just a guess, though.

The reason why I'm getting the alum bp and sta plus the sausage weight rather than a SS BP is that I think this will make it easier for traveling, plus a friend is actually making the BP's and STA's, so that'll be really inexpensive.

I dive a 5 mm wet suit in the summer and 6.5mm semi-dry with built-in 3mm. vest in the winter. With a regular BCD I need to use 17 lb with the former and 24 with the latter. I do hope I'll need less with the BP/W rig!

Would welcome any help!!!

Well I'll try to offer my $.02...

To put what I say into perspective I just had my first 3 hour pool session today for my OW cert. I've done several OW intro SCUBA dives, but never got certed till now. I researched BCDs extensively and decided to go with the BP/W set up for its versitility, light travel, and durability. I wanted to purchase my BP/W before my first pool class so I can get several practice sessions with the rig while in training.

I 've got the OxyCheq hog Harness, OMS AL backplate, OxyCheq Mach V Extreme(for the $25 upgrade what the H%#$?) Plus I also got shoulder pads and back pads (Worth the $$ while wearing the rig for 3 hrs bareback in a pool)

The Mach V comes in several generations, some have "roll control" some don't. The one I have does not...Instead of buying an STA to prevent tank roll, I wanted to see if this was a problem first, I couldn't imagine getting tank roll with two CAM straps squeezing down on the tank, but I used today to experiment.

I attached the wing to my BP using stainless steel "TEE Nuts" You can find them smooth without prongs, I got mine at Lowes. The T-nut prevents a screw/bolt head sticking up and creating a pivot for your tank to rock on. I then threaded two Cam Straps through the slots on the Mach V through the BP going in oposite directions. After I got the Cam nice and tight, there is no way that tank was going anywhere! No STA needed for me. I guess thats $70 I can blow on more gear

The STA is NEEDED if the wing has no Cam slots, or the slots don't line up with the BP. An STA is OPTIONAL if you experience "tank roll", or many people just like'em for a number of other reasons. I know the The Mach V's w/ Roll control and the Mach V Extreme's have the Cam slots, not sure about older generations.
Hope this helps
Eric

Thanks Eric. It does help!

How did you manage with th hog harness? I'm tempted to get one instead of the fancier models, but I fear I won't be able to manage donning and doffing. Plus, how do you get the inflator hose in place? It may sound as a silly issue, but I wouldn't like mine to float around.

For the inflater you can add something like a short length of bicycle inner tube to the LH shoulder strap. The run the QD hose through than and you leave the corrugated BC hose loose. The QD hose will restrain the inflater well enough.

I dive the Oxycheq setup exclusively, and would highly recommend:

Oxycheq single piece Hog harness with bicycle innertube to hold inflator hose secure (much preferred over the deluxe, adjustable. You'll wish you did this later on). I learned to don and doff mine in the water very easily after I practiced some.

Oxycheq Mach V Extreme Wing 30 lb. (absolutely the best).

Alum BP (STA is not needed for the new Mach V wings, and you won't need one).

"Sausage" weight system for BP (only if you need a considerable amount of added weight. I don't find this necessary).

Oxycheq or Zeagle standard cam buckles and bands (I had the DR hinged stainless, and didn't care for the added bulk and weight, but you might like them).

XS Scuba or Oxycheq trim weight pockets to place on cam bands.

I like a medium-sized mesh cargo pocket for my harness belt, but some like the thigh pocket.

You are definitely on the right track in my opinion. Enjoy your new setup!

A simple one piece "Hogarthian" harness is my personal preference. Think "less is more". True that out of the water it is not as comfortable or easy to deal with as the other styles, but you are getting this thing for diving IN THE WATER. In the water the one piece harness absolutely disappears. It can be just a bit of a struggle to get into and out of, but a buddy can help with that.

As far as holding lights, inflators, etc... some well placed rings of bicycle inner tube make things nice and tidy.

Mark Vlahos

Diverking:

Thanks Eric. It does help!

How did you manage with th hog harness? I'm tempted to get one instead of the fancier models, but I fear I won't be able to manage donning and doffing. Plus, how do you get the inflator hose in place? It may sound as a silly issue, but I wouldn't like mine to float around.

Click to expand...

The Hog harness was not bad, took me a bit to set it up, but I found it surprisingly confortable even without pads. On land Doffing/Donning was a bit harder than the jacket BC's for 2 reasons.
1. The shoulder straps aren't adjustable so getting your arms through the straps is a little harder than a jacket where you loosen the straps and pull'em tight once its on

2. The crotch strap and weight belt is trickey.

The technique I used for donning.....Put on weight belt loosly, Don BP/W/tank, Connect waist belt loosely, Bend forward, Slide crotch strap under weight belt near the small of your back, Feed crotch strap under weight belt in the front, Connect to waist strap. This makes your weight belt ditchable. If you feed your crotch strap over your weight belt, it may get stuck if you need to ditch.

If your talking about doffing/donning in the water...we didn't do this drill yet, but I can image it will certainly be harder (not imposible) with the weight belt/crotch strap in the way..when compared to simply removing a jacket and putting it back on.

As far as the inflator hose, the Extreme came with a strip of the wing material with velcro on the underside that is long enough to velcro near your upper/front shoulder area to hold the hoses. It also came with the quick release low pressure hose that connects to the first stage
Eric

By the way.....I do not use a crotch strap for single tank diving as I do not need one. Also, I do not wear a weight belt. I use 6-8 lbs. of weight on cam band trim pockets with aluminum 80 tanks, and no weight at all with steel 100 tanks.

realdiver7:

By the way.....I do not use a crotch strap for single tank diving as I do not need one. Also, I do not wear a weight belt. I use 6-8 lbs. of weight on cam band trim pockets with aluminum 80 tanks, and no weight at all with steel 100 tanks.

Click to expand...

Do you find the rig rides up/floats you face down at the surface without the crotch strap? I may try leaving it off next time and see what happens. With it on though I float upright about as well as the folks with stab jackets.

I don't think I'll ever be able to get away from my weightbelt, I'll likely require as much weight or more as the OP ....Most people here dive 7mm suits year round. I do plan on moving some weight to those X-S pockets on my CamStraps.

I think you can likely get away with much less weight. Before I got my dry suit I was adding 3# with a 7mil single piece suit. Granted I had a steel bp (7# I think) and doubles. But the doubles were AL 80 so empty with the manifold they are pretty close to neutral. It is the tendency for newer divers to have way too much weight. Last summer I was able to get 10-15# off some local divers. You want as little weight as possible as it makes bouyancy easier to control. To weight yourself properly get your tank to about 500 psi. Get in the water at about 10 feet, get all of the air out of your bc/wing, and start taking weight off. I'd be suprised if you need as much are you are currently using.

You might also look at the DSS bp. I mention this because you talk about traveling with your setup. DSS makes some nice weight plates that fit their backplates. This would allow you to get a lighter plate (don't think they make al plates but they do make kydex plates) and use the weight plates when you are diving cold water and then remove them for traveling. You said your buddy is making you an al bp. You might have him make it so that it fits the DSS weight plates. There in a set on ebay right now. IMHO it's much nicer to dive without weight belts so trying to get the weight in the right place on your rig is the preference.

Last thing - one more vote for the one piece harness. I haven't actually ever tried the fancier harnesses, but the hog style that I have works great and I don't have any issues with it at all.

Good luck and your gonna love your new set up.

Hunter