Can't decide on bpw

I'm in the market for a bpw. I only dive warm water single al80s with a full 3ml suit. I'm trying to decide what the best set up would be. Do I do ss plate so I wouldn't require any additional weight, aluminum plate and add little cam band weights, or a flimsy pad and add waist weight pockets which I think is against the point of a bpw in the first place. I also have very broad shoulders so I don't know if I should get a hog harness or an adjustable harness so it would be easier to get in and out of. I'm looking for the perfect warm water travel rig. Any Thoughts?

gianster:

I'm in the market for a bpw. I only dive warm water single al80s with a full 3ml suit. I'm trying to decide what the best set up would be. Do I do ss plate so I wouldn't require any additional weight, aluminum plate and add little cam band weights, or a flimsy pad and add waist weight pockets which I think is against the point of a bpw in the first place. I also have very broad shoulders so I don't know if I should get a hog harness or an adjustable harness so it would be easier to get in and out of. I'm looking for the perfect warm water travel rig. Any Thoughts?

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Assuming you are close to neutral in just swim trunks and dive only using a 3mm suit and al 80 my advice would be:

Stainless Plate
Small Wing
Hog Harness

A properly adjusted hog harness is not hard to use.

Often divers accustomed to using conventional BC assume that a hog harness needs to be as tight as the harness on a typical BC.

This is not the case. With shoulder straps, waist strap, and *crotch strap* a hog harness basically just keeps the plate in position.

The plate takes the "roll" out of the cylinder.

That means a Hog harness need not be ratcheted down snug.

Tobin

Go for the Hog harness in the first instance. Probability says that once you get it adjusted correctly, you will have no problems donning and doffing it. You can always upgrade later if necessary.

Steel or aluminum plate will be determined by your weighting. How much weight do you currently carry with a jacket BCD with all the other equipment being the same?

Wing size is dictated by your personal buoyancy requirements. Take a peek at the 'wing lift' calculator thread here in SB. For tropical diving, a 30lb wing should be the max. You may get away with a smaller wing if you don't use a lot of lead...

Warm water with a AL80 look for a small wing.....DSS or Oxyckeq.....if you are bigger you could maybe also use a 30 lb wing.
Plate depends on how much weight for travel.....a AL plate is 3 1/2 to 4 pounds lighter....SS plate would be optimal if air travel is not a consideration.
Use a regular weight belt if needed.
HOG harness.

Thanks guys. I wear 8 pounds with my back inflate bc so I thought a ss plate would allow me to use no weights at all. I'm just trying to figure out if the ss plate without weight would justify the pain of traveling with it. Or should I go with Aluminum and wear a little weight? Or flexible plate and wear even more weight? So, everyone prefers the hog harness to adjustable? Why is that? I just have heard it can be a pain to get in and out of. Sorry for all the questions. I have never dove a bpw before just trying to make the right decision.

The harness is only a pain if it is adjusted too tight. I have a right shoulder injury that limits my mobility in it. I still have no problem getting in or out of my harness on the singles set up or the doubles. Even in a drysuit it's no big deal. The steel plate will allow you to take weight off of your belt or even eliminate it. Depends on what you use now. Many BC's have an inherent amount of buoyancy due to the padding, design, etc. Some can have as much as 8lbs or more depending on size. If you do need to carry any extra a simple weight belt with 4lbs on it is hardly even noticeable. I have traveled with my steel plate to Florida, Bonaire, and Puerto Rico with no issues. In fact all my warm water gear will fit in a backpack that goes in the overhead. Fins I may have to slip in beside the pack but other than that I can get by with two carry-ons. Gear in one, clothes and 3 mil suit or polartech in the other.

cool_hardware52:

...Often divers accustomed to using conventional BC assume that a hog harness needs to be as tight as the harness on a typical BC.

...That means a Hog harness need not be ratcheted down snug.

Tobin

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Tobin and others, correct me if I am wrong with this:

I just got into a BP&W. The shoulder straps can be quite "loose" (and therefore easy to get into) because of the crotch strap. The crotch strap pulls the BP down onto your shoulders. On shore when your arms are down at your sides the setup is not tight or snug. However, when you get into the water and put your arms out in front of you the change in position of your shoulders snugs the unit onto your back. It works quite nicely.

Crush:

Tobin and others, correct me if I am wrong with this:

I just got into a BP&W. The shoulder straps can be quite "loose" (and therefore easy to get into) because of the crotch strap. The crotch strap pulls the BP down onto your shoulders. On shore when your arms are down at your sides the setup is not tight or snug. However, when you get into the water and put your arms out in front of you the change in position of your shoulders snugs the unit onto your back. It works quite nicely.

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That's part of the effect, but I would not describe the shoulder straps a quite loose.

Maybe "loose enough" to don and doff.


Tobin