Planning on buying deep sea supply backplate/wing

Time for the next research questions Thank you to the guys that helped me with the force fins, I guess you will probably see this message also

I started talking to Deep Sea Supply and I mentioned this is my setup

I am 6' and weigh about 210lb
My gear:
Scubapro 5mm wetsuit with back zip
Forcefin hockey fins
Bluereef boots (Blue Reef 5MM Mens Dive Boots with Zipper)
Bluereef gloves (Blue Reef 2mm Sport Glove with Velcro Strap Wrist Closure)
Atomic mask (Atomic Aquatics Subframe Anti-Reflective Coating Mask)
Atomic snorkel (Atomic SV2 Semi-Dry Snorkel)
Slate (Super Pencil Slate 5" x 7-3/8")
Torch (Underwater Kinetics Sunlight SL3 eLED Dive Light)
Atomic titanium knife (Atomic Ti6 Titanium Knife)
Safety sausage and rattle from the school
1 Aluminium cylinder
School Scubapro Regulator with octo

They suggested I look at the medium steel back plate and LCD 20 or Torus 26 wing
I am waiting for a mail from them with a part list that I need to order

Can someone on here please also maybe give me a list of what I need to buy so that I can compare the lists and make sure I don't miss anything
I would prefer not wearing a weight belt and rather get weight pockets or something like that. I read they have some kind of weights you can bolt onto the backplate

I'm not sure if you are asking about any/all gear you might want, or what you want in order to have a complete BC. Presuming you are asking about a complete BC:

If you are buying a DSS rig, then I would say why not go for his "complete rig" package. It's more economical than buying each piece separately (presuming you want those pieces, and I think they are a nice choice), and includes the "whole" BC. To wit:

backplate
harness (complete, includes crotch strap, D-rings, buckle, rubber holder loops, etc.)
knife and holster
wing (DSS wing does not need STA)
LP inflator hose
cam bands w/wedge blocks

As you say, you will probably want to add weight. However, if you are diving with an aluminum cylinder and 5mm, are you diving in warmish water? If so, the weight plates may be more weight than you would want - you can figure that out.

Personally, I really like a weight belt (for moderate amounts of weight), so that is what I use. It's also nice to have some "left over" weight that you can shift around for good trim (which, if the weight plates are right at your limit, you may not then be able to do).

Blue Sparkle

Edited to add: We are all different, but for example, when I dive with a 5mm and DSS stainless backplate, in saltwater, I add around 9# of weight for use with an aluminum tank. But I'm pretty buoyant. I put 2# on the tank (for trim purposes) and the rest on a belt. If I"m diving in warmer water (no suit), then I only add around 3# of weight in total. Halfway between that with a 3mm suit. If you are less buoyant, it might not be exactly the same.

I bought the 17# Torus wing, but that's because for me wearing the 5mm is not the usual diving, but instead it's a 3mm or even just a dive skin. 5mm is my upper limit. So I like the "tidy little" wing. There is probably a good reason DSS suggested the other ones for you though (you might have given them additional info, 5mm might be your "baseline" suit, etc.).

Cool thank you. I had a look at their kits. Seems I need to take this
Single Tank Rig w/ Medium Stainless Steel plate, Hogarthian Harness, LCD 20 Single Tank Wing w/ 22 mil Bladder
or
Single Tank Rig w/ Medium Stainless Steel plate, Hogarthian Harness, Torus 26, Full Circle Style Single Tank Wing
Will this be enough for me to use if I go further than 30m later in my training or will I need a bigger bladder? Is it best to use the smallest now and later get a bigger bladder for when I dive deeper so that I don't sit with alot of drag now?
What is the thumbwheel they talk about when ordering for a double tank setup?
At what point in the PADI training do you start using more than one tank? I would like to get everything now that I might need in the future so that I don't spend money on postage again

How do I carry things like the safety sausage and torch, because there aren't any pockets? Should I buy the pockets you glue onto a wetsuit? It seems they sell pockets

The water is about 26C/78F where we dive at the moment in Brisbane

Where can I find setup videos and photos? I didn't find much on youtube. I saw some setup photos on their website for the straps of the backplate, but would like to see where I should attach things like the octo and so on. I don't have someone close by that can help me

supai:

Will this be enough for me to use if I go further than 30m later in my training or will I need a bigger bladder? Is it best to use the smallest now and later get a bigger bladder for when I dive deeper so that I don't sit with alot of drag now?

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Actually the wing size doesn't really relate to how deep you go. It's more tied to what you are diving in other ways (i.e. colder water so more exposure protection/more weight; bigger/steel tanks, etc.) (although of course you may choose to dive doubles if you are going deeper than 30m).

I chose to get a wing that was just suited to my "I'll be doing this for the first year" and figured that if I change later, well, there will be a lot of other gear to buy, so I'll get a different wing then if I need it. There is no real "all-purpose" wing, although I suppose something like 26# maybe "many purpose." I've been happy with my choice, and by the time I may decide to dive doubles or cold water, well, I'll have more experience and will be able to make the gear choices then.

Also, double tanks will require a completely different wing.

supai:

What is the thumbwheel they talk about when ordering for a double tank setup?

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I'm not sure, but as I mentioned above, there really isn't a way to get a wing/rig now that will exactly work for doubles. You can use the same plate and harness, but you will need a different wing, another regulator, etc.

supai:

At what point in the PADI training do you start using more than one tank? I would like to get everything now that I might need in the future so that I don't spend money on postage again

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There really isn't a set point to start using doubles. I would say just when the type of diving you want to do makes them the logical choice. I'm still not there yet, and don't know if/when I will be. I will order the gear I need then, if the time comes.

That said, I do understand where you are coming from. I, too, wanted to make things as efficient as possible, and try to be "all purpose" if I could. After doing some reading here, I decided that was not really practical, and so I optimized my rig for my "now" diving. I'm not sorry I did that (as much as I love efficiency).

supai:

How do I carry things like the safety sausage and torch, because there aren't any pockets? Should I buy the pockets you glue onto a wetsuit? It seems they sell pockets

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Some possible ways:

Torch can be clipped to chest D-ring, with other end slipped under rubber band that comes with DSS harness (if it's a "hand style" torch).

Sausage can be clipped to butt D-ring
Sausage can be stowed in pocket you slide on waist band of harness (would not be my preferred way)
Sausage can be stowed in mesh pouch you attach to backplate
Sausage can be stowed in pocket (you can glue to wetsuit or wear pocketed overshorts which means you can use same pockets with more than one suit).

supai:

The water is about 26C/78F where we dive at the moment in Brisbane

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Okay, that would be 5mm suit for me too.

supai:

Where can I find setup videos and photos?

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Try here:
BAUE How To Size a Backplate

supai:

would like to see where I should attach things like the octo and so on

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When I first got my DSS rig, I used a "conventional" regulator hose setup. What I did was sew a small webbing loop (like what you would tuck the extra part of a belt or watch strap into) and stitch it to the right chest harness webbing. Then I just used a regular "octo" holder with it. But a few dives later I changed to a 5' primary hose with a short secondary hose, because it was more comfortable for me. In that method the longer hose is your primary regulator and the shorter one hangs just under your chin on a "necklace," so there is no need to attach the "octo" to your BC (the primary has a small clip on it to clip to the right chest D-ring when not in use).

I hope some of that helps. There is lots of good info in older threads here, too. Also, I'm sure others will pipe in here.

Blue Sparkle

You'll be able to use the backplate and the harness. Depth doesn't necessarily dictate the bigger wing, however depth of 30m *may* necessitate larger/more tanks. At that point you will need another wing. There's no such thing as a good wing that does both single and double tanks. You can use a twinset at any time in your training when the gas requirements of the dive necessitate it.

You should check out this page: Equipment Configuration | Global Underwater Explorers. If you still have equipment questions come back to this forum, but everything you need should be in there. Don't let the GUE URL scare you off. I don't subscribe to several of their ideas, but their gear configuration is pretty solid.

Honestly, just keep talking to Tobin. He knows his gear and he knows diving, and he will NOT steer you wrong. If you tell him what you want to accomplish, he will tell you what he sells that will allow you to do it.

As stated by others, wing size is independent of depth -- it's set by the degree to which your gear is negative, and the buoyancy of your exposure protection.

I am very excited. I think by the end of next week I will have enough info to order my backplate/wing. Kind of jealous of my girlfriend, because she bought her ladyhawk yesterday so now I need to get my bc sorted

1. Talk to Tobin! He won't steer you wrong, in fact he'll talk you out of anything you don't need.
2. Listen to Tobin
3. Order rig. The complete rig setup comes with everything you need.
4. Enjoy
5. Thank us later, joke.

I bought my DSS rig almost a year ago. I'm about your size and will occasionally dive in 70ish degree water with a 5mm. Medium plate and a 20lb wing works great. Torch clipped to right chest Dring. Spg clipped to left chest Dring. DSMB clipped off on my butt Dring. Reel in a small OMS pouch.

About the pockets, go with something like X-Shorts. That gives you options for different exposure protection.

Ordered and now just working on the process on getting it here. Hoping to have it for Fiji Valentines day