I have a plate. What else do I need?

I was diving a standard BCD that finally bit the dust. I am now going to try a BP/W setup.
A friend gave me a Dive Rite stainless steel BP, and I need to configure the rest of my setup.

I want a rig for single tank diving. I have used many size tanks from steel 72s to Al 80s to SS 130s, but most of my diving is with rental 80s or SS100s. I won't be doing any tec type diving. I figure about a 30-35 lb. wing would be about right. I think I prefer a streamlined donut wing.

I obviously need a harness of some sort, and am leaning toward something like a DR Transplate. I am older and would like easy entry and exit from the harness. I won't need a ton of D rings, but do carry a sausage, lift bag, reel and/or light on some dives.

I have a DUI weight harness which I like.

What else do I need? I read about single tank adapters, sex bolts, and other items that I really don't know much about. What about inflators? Are they included? Do I need to pick a size?

I feel pretty clueless.

I'd appreciate suggestions and info regarding the above.

Thanks!

A Bp/W is made of the following items:

- Backplate
- Harness
- Wing
- STA (optional depending on wing)
- 2x cambands
- Connection hardware (wing nuts/bolts or sex bolts)

The wing will come with a corrugated hose, inflator, and inflator hose; new. Some manufacturers, like Dive Rite, give you the option of choosing the length. The norm is usually 12in or 16in, depending on manufacturer.

STA can come in Stainless Steel, or plastic. Rarely I've seen Aluminum. You can get a weighted insert of 6lbs w/ your STA if you buy from Halcyon or Oxycheq. Some wings are made so you do not need an STA, but usually you need to have a matching plate of the same manufacturer to allow your cambands to thread through the plate and wing properly to allow this.

Other than that the only thing you need to really figure out now is your range of bouyancy characteristics and go from there. You can then decide on wing lift capacity, the shape of the wing, material used in STA and cambands for weighting purposes.
You will want to consider how to connect all your accessories to your Transpac. Consider pockets on your suit or tiedown loops of inner tube because with the accessories you've listed, you could have a bunch of danglies on your front side.

Edit: Forgot, as TS&M said, get a crotch strap. Your unit won't be stable without it. You'll get plenty of ride up, which defeats one of the true advantages of a Bp/W. (good fit and stability)

I would highly suggest that you try a simple harness first. If you can't get it adjusted so that it is easy enough to get in and out of to suit you, you can always buy the fancy one later. The webbing you need is 2" nylon webbing, and about 12 feet of it will make a harness for almost anybody. Three D rings, five triglides, a good metal buckle and a worn-out mountain bike inner tube, and you're almost done. You do need a crotch strap, and you can either make one out of softer webbing, or buy a pre-made one. And you need two cambands.

The wing size you are looking at will suffice for just about any single tank diving, and not be too large for tropical. Whether you use a doughnut or torus wing is a matter of personal preference. Tobin George has a good argument for why it doesn't make a difference, having to do with the fact that the bottom portion of the wing is trapped between the tank and your body, and therefore air won't move from side to side there unless you are hanging with your butt straight up in the air

Plate, harness and wing is a complete setup. To that, you might at some point want to add some weight pockets to put on the cambands (for trim purposes), and another buckle to hold a canister light (should you adopt one). Easy!

Here's my purchase list from a few years ago, doing the exact same thing as you:

• Basic harness kit by Dive Rite
• Wing by Hollis (No STA needed with these, no sex bolts either. I got the S25, but you're wanting the S38-- if I had it to do over again the S38 is the one I'd choose too.)
• Cambands by Highland with quick release, P/N HL201
• Crotch Strap-- mine was DIY, but just get this & it'll work fine.

I've been very happy with all of this. I agree with TS&M on going with the basic harness first. I bought the "deluxe" at the same time that I bought the basic harness, but tried the basic one out first. It worked fine and I never used the deluxe package, over time I've cannibalized the D-rings and other hardware from the deluxe to make other things.

If you do have trouble getting in and out of the basic harness, there's no need to buy a new deluxe harness. You could easily add a buckle to one shoulder strap, and that should put an end to any difficulties. One buckle and a few feet of 2" webbing to do this should set you back well under $10.

+1 on the recommendation for thigh pockets as well.

Artimas:

I
I obviously need a harness of some sort, and am leaning toward something like a DR Transplate. I am older and would like easy entry and exit from the harness. I won't need a ton of D rings, but do carry a sausage, lift bag, reel and/or light on some dives.

Click to expand...

https://www.deepseasupply.com/index.php?product=1340

I'm a big fan of Deep Sea Supply, so of course I use and recommend their products. The link above shows (there is a video) an attachment that makes donning and doffing the wing easier.

I recently switched from a jacket bc to a backplate and picked up a Dive Rite plate and Transplate harness and absolutely love it. Northeast scuba supply had a good deal on a used one. I think they still have some of the harnesses on there crazy john special.

Thanks for the replies to all. I may just try the simple harness first.
If I want to put a shoulder release on, where would that be located?
The DSS thing looks nice, but isn't compatible with my Dive Rite plate.

Any other thoughts on wings?

Thanks again.

If you want something which has releases but is nearly a 1-piece, take a look at this one from Golem Gear. I used to dangle under helicopters on those buckles--they're not going to fail. I think a single buckle is usually put on the left side, so if you're taking the rig off in the water with the primary still in your mouth, it's rotating off your right shoulder and not trying to wrap the long hose around the back of your neck.

I have two Halcyon wings and like them, but I admit to being a gear junky, and they're expensive these days.

TSandM:

I would highly suggest that you try a simple harness first. If you can't get it adjusted so that it is easy enough to get in and out of to suit you, you can always buy the fancy one later. The webbing you need is 2" nylon webbing, and about 12 feet of it will make a harness for almost anybody. Three D rings, five triglides, a good metal buckle and a worn-out mountain bike inner tube, and you're almost done. You do need a crotch strap, and you can either make one out of softer webbing, or buy a pre-made one. And you need two cambands.

The wing size you are looking at will suffice for just about any single tank diving, and not be too large for tropical. Whether you use a doughnut or torus wing is a matter of personal preference. Tobin George has a good argument for why it doesn't make a difference, having to do with the fact that the bottom portion of the wing is trapped between the tank and your body, and therefore air won't move from side to side there unless you are hanging with your butt straight up in the air

Plate, harness and wing is a complete setup. To that, you might at some point want to add some weight pockets to put on the cambands (for trim purposes), and another buckle to hold a canister light (should you adopt one). Easy!

Click to expand...

.....If it doesn't make a difference whether a wing is doughnut or not , why does Tobin sell doughnut wings ?????

It's what people want to buy.

Tobin is, after all, in business to sell things that people want to buy.

He does what he can.