Is the TransPac a full-on tech BCD?

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igoRluse

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Scuba Instructor
Divemaster
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Location
Perth, Western Australia
# of dives
200 - 499
Hi All,

I am a fairly experienced diver looking to start down the tech diving path this year. I currently dive a Seaquest Black Diamond but intend to get myself a much more tech oriented BCD for my new adventures. For background, I am an instructor and the Black Diamond is great for teaching as it is a sturdy back inflate BCD with crotch strap, plenty of rings etc.. and it is still similar enough to typical jacket style BCDs students use. I wouldn't use a backplate/wing system for teaching as I like my students to be able to relate to my gear.

Now I am very tempted by the TransPac for it's comfort, but would like some opinions as to whether it is a full-on tech BCD ideally suited for twin steels, multiple stage bottles etc... Not that I intend to do anything of the sort just yet, but I want to get the proper gear now rather than upgrade later.

So what do you think? Is the TransPac an ideal tech BCD or should I rather look at the TransPlate?

Cheers
 
It's decent for singles and sidemount. I'm not impressed by them with doubles. Better to use a real backplate, especially once you start loading down the harness.

I'd look at a basic harness rather than the transplate harness. Sometimes less is more.
 
So what do you think? Is the TransPac an ideal tech BCD or should I rather look at the TransPlate?

Neither in my opinion. Buy a BP/W and be done with it.
 
Ditto the last 2 posts.
 
I have used a Transpack for many years to do both single tank & staged deco dives using double steel 12lt 232 bar backmounts & 1, 2 or 3 stage bottles. It is most definitely a full-on tech BCD suited for twin steels, multiple stage bottles etc... If it fits properly & set up correctly, it will be as stable as any other platform you can use.

An SS BP/W however, will redistribute it's weight from your weight belt/pockets nicely across your back. As the Transpack has 3-4lb of positive buoyancy inherent in it's construction materials, using an SS plate will also eliminate 3-4lb from your weight belt/pockets.

These days I only use my Transpack when diving doubles in a wet suit or when travelling by air.
 
I own a transpac and really like it for large single tank diving however I have found that a backplate makes more sense when diving doubles with argon bottle, canister light, mutiple stage bottles in a drysuit. I also owned a Black Diamond but like the Traspac much better so I now use that for everything I did in the Black Diamond. Its much more flexible because you can change the configuration to suit your diving. My choice is BP for doubles, Transpac for training/light tech work.
 
Although I'm a devoted ScubaPro X-Tek user (the equivalent of the original Transpac), I would only use it for diving a single tank with stage or pony. For doubles I have a BP.
 
5 out of 6 Scubaboard responders will tell you its not...

Oops...make that 6 out of 7 as I don't think it is stable enough with or well suited to doubles either.

In my opinon, it is however a pretty good single tank travel BC.
 
Neither in my opinion. Buy a BP/W and be done with it.

While it is not a DIR BP/W, the Transplate is indeed a BP/W.
 

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