Considering a BP/Wing

Like many I am a Zeagle Ranger user looking to switch to a BP/Wing configuration. I have been wanting to do this for a while for 2 reasons:

1. I want to get rid of the bulk of the ranger.
2. I can probably get rid of weight completely in a tropical environment.

Last night I finally got to try a BP and loved it. However I was using doubles and most of my diving is single tank. The guy who owns my dive shop is a VERY experienced cave diver who's opinion I respect. He advised against using a BP for mostly single tank diving stating that the STA's are not very stable. He highly recomended the Transpac or the Matrix instead.

I have no interest in either of these configurations as I see no advantage to them over my Ranger except that they will be slightly easier to pack. His answer about STA's not being stable seems to contradict the opinion of most of the BP zealots I have seen.

So all you Ranger converts out there. 3 questions for you:

1. Is a BP more or less stable than the Ranger with a single tank?
2. Are the STA'less BP/Wings more or less stable than a BP/STA combo?
3. How much weight can one expect to drop moving from a Ranger to a steel BP/Wing wing with a travel wing? I am refering, not to the extra weight of the steel but rather to the bouyancy lost due to the loss of fabric.

well, I'm not a ranger convert, but I am a believer in the single BP/wing.

The set-up is nice and open...not to mention I thought it was very stable. I was using a halcyon wing...one of those wings with the integrated STA...and as I know it, the only singles wing with an integrated STA.

I think most of the griping about STAs is that a lot of them really lift the tank off the diver's plate....Oxycheq has an STA that reduces this lift, and is priced realitvely nicely. They are also supposed to have singles and doubles wings out at the end of June/early July.

I have heard mostly good things about the oxycheq, but it is not going to have the integrated STA that the halcyon has.

If you want to get a back-plate, fred-T makes them, and from what I understand are of very high quality and are inexpensive compared to most other plates....when I buy my plate, I'm getting it from him.

O.K...that's what I have to say

Big-t-2538 once bubbled...
I was using a halcyon wing...one of those wings with the integrated STA...and as I know it, the only singles wing with an integrated STA.

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http://www.deepoutdoors.com/

These guys basicly hired a bunch of people away from DiveRite as I understand it and have STA'less BP/Wings. Not to start a brand war but it IS nice to have a choice other than Halcyon if for no other reason than that competion breeds better prices.

Oxycheck sells Koplin's plates right?

yes....oxycheq sells the koplin plates....I think koplin had something to do with the design of the wing too....here's a link

http://hood.hctc.com/~kopfab/whats_new_and_custom_stuff.htm

Also, OMS has a singles wing coming out very soon too....but I haven't heard anything about it...I think I saw a photo once, but I can't find it at the moment

Frankly, I am going to wait and see what happens with the oxycheq wing....what I don't like about the deepoutdoors wing is that the single wing isn't a complete circle....something that the oxycheq and OMS wings are going to be.

and I definitely think the BP is more stable. If you get it sized correctly, it is pretty rock solid. Also, I use an aluminum BP from Gary's Underwater Technical Supply (GUTS) who sells on ebay. The plate has slots cut in them so I don't even use an STA. I use the two tank cam bands from my Ranger and they hold the tank very tightly. However, I've only used an HP80 and an AL80 so I don't know how stable things would be for a larger tank.

I don't really recall how much weight was lost due to the Ranger's bouyancy. I think it was only 2-4 lbs but that's a guess. At the same time I changed I also changed tanks from an AL80 to an HP80 and went from wetsuit to dry. So, everything changed. Right now in fresh water with my AL plate (2lbs) an HP80 and BARE ATR-HD with 200g underwear, I just have 12 lbs extra. In salt its only 18 lbs.

By the way, I use my Ranger wing with my BP and it works great. If you want more info, just PM me.

fred_f once bubbled...
1. Is a BP more or less stable than the Ranger with a single tank?
2. Are the STA'less BP/Wings more or less stable than a BP/STA combo?
3. How much weight can one expect to drop moving from a Ranger to a steel BP/Wing wing with a travel wing? I am refering, not to the extra weight of the steel but rather to the bouyancy lost due to the loss of fabric.

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1. You can't get much less stable than the Ranger... yes the backplate with properly adjusted harness and single tank is very stable... the difference between it and a Ranger is remarkable.

2. Toss up... they are about the same if both are properly secured. If you do not have the bolts of the STA secured then the tank won't be secure. Likewise, if you do not have the cam bands properly tensioned with the STA-less wing then your tank won't be stable.

3. Several pounds in my experience.

As for which plate to get... my preference is to use the Halcyon wing with out a separate STA... but I wouldn't use it with plastic cam band buckles... I've had them break trying to get a good lock down. Use the Halcyon SS buckles.

We have several halcyon plates, several Koplin plates and one of Gary's plates. They all work the same.

but started diving a BP/wing about 4 years ago and love it. I now have the new #27 Halcyon wing and BP....no need for a STA with it and it is rock solid. IMO the Halcyon wing is the best made too.....

As for which plate to get... my preference is to use the Halcyon wing with out a separate STA... but I wouldn't use it with plastic cam band buckles... I've had them break trying to get a good lock down. Use the Halcyon SS buckles.

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I have the Halcyon S Buckles and STAless wing I'm considering moving to an STA.

Partly to get some weight off my belt and partly because I'm hoping it will resolve the issue I have getting the Cam bands tight enough to stop the tank rotating during the dive.

It's only really an issue when the cam bands are dry, but it's pretty annoying..

Partly to get some weight off my belt and partly because I'm hoping it will resolve the issue I have getting the Cam bands tight enough to stop the tank rotating during the dive.

It's only really an issue when the cam bands are dry, but it's pretty annoying..

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Does this mean you are of the opinion that single takns are NOT stable on a BP?

fred_f once bubbled...
Does this mean you ...that single tanks are NOT stable on a BP?

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ERP just needs to eat his Wheaties for breakfast.

I don't bother wetting the cam band straps and have never had an instability problem using the Halcyon Octogrip bands and the SS buckles even with a heavy LP104.

But then I eats my breakfast.