OMS IQ Backpack & OMS Bladder (60 or 100)

[tjsmith1979]

I have been thinking about my BCD decision at the moment, I am just buying my equipment at the moment and was looking at buying a Seaquest Black Diamond with Surelock Weight Intergration for two reasons, firstly wanted to go into mid back inflation system becuase I have only used the classic jacket style BCD and have found it quite uncomfortable and most of the time get BCD squeeze at surface and secondly becuase I have heard that the Surelock Weight Intergration is the best weight intergration system around at the moment and easiest to use as I have only had jacket BCD's without weight intergration at all.

I have been recommended an OMS IQ Backpack with Bladder (Wings) versus the Seaquest Black Diamond, only becuase I may head into some technical diving sometime in the next year or two I believe and becuase the bladder (wings) can be changed to suit different diving i.e recreational or technical

Is the change huge to get used to back inflation BCD's ?? Has anyone ever found any problems with that ? I would like to hear about them...

I dont mind having 2 BCD's - one for recreational and one for technical (if I ever decide to do this!). However I am asking for some huge advice here... what would people do in my situation ?

Has anyone ever used or currently using a OMS BP/W at the moment and what do they think of them ? What do you use for weight intergration for the BP/W ?? How do they compare to a standard back inflation BCD like a Seaquest Black Diamond ??

Most of my diving is done around Australia and I am currently in Canada for the next couple of years doing diving here including Ice Diving...

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated

 

[aquaoren]

Have you considered a Backplate and wing?
Hah, since a while now I wanted to be the first one to come up with that.
If you are considering going into technical diving, it may be even the better solution especially if you end up diving doubles.
I switched last fall from a SeaQuest ProQD to a Halcyon Pioneer system and the transition was a piece of cake. I'm using the Halcyon ACB pockets for weight integration.
Where in Canada are you located now?

 

[ScubaCarl]

I have and dive both the OMS IQ harness and a SS BP/W, I also have a black diamond. I like both the IQ and BP/W better than the black diamond. I mainly use the IQ for recreational (single tank) diving. I do have the add on weight pockets on the IQ and Like them but they are a bit bulky. My BP/W I leave on my twin tanks and only dive them with my dry suit.
With the BP/W I use a DUI weight and trim harness and it is very comfortable. The wing is interchangeable between the IQ and a BP. I use the OMS 94# bondage wing and like it.

just my .02s

 

[Tom Winters]

Ah aquaoren - you were just waiting for that... tj - dive with what you have for the diving that you do - when you transition to tech, you'll know what to get and who to get it from. Until then, don't fall into the equipment trap.

 

[aquaoren]

Ah aquaoren - you were just waiting for that... tj - dive with what you have for the diving that you do - when you transition to tech, you'll know what to get and who to get it from. Until then, don't fall into the equipment trap.

Hehe, yes I was.
I see many people jump to answer any question about any BC with the mandatory: Have you considered a BP/Wing? So I decided to jump on the bandwagon and be the first one this time.
Eventhough, if he really intends to go Tech the next year or two and he's about to buy himself a new BC, why not buy the right thing only once and save money down the road?

 

[Tom Winters]

That's the gist of a new tech dive campaign when I finally get around to writing it. tj needs to find some knowledgable divers up there in Canuckistan with a variety of gear to eyeball. Nothing like handling the stuff before you buy it.
Hold off on a tech harness though. The plain old backplate and wing work pretty well to begin with.

 

[tjsmith1979]

That's the gist of a new tech dive campaign when I finally get around to writing it. tj needs to find some knowledgable divers up there in Canuckistan with a variety of gear to eyeball. Nothing like handling the stuff before you buy it.
Hold off on a tech harness though. The plain old backplate and wing work pretty well to begin with.

So this may sound like a really stupid question, but what is the difference between the OMS IQ Backpack with OMS 60lb or 100lb Bladder versus a standard stainless steel backplate with the same bladder (wings) ?? I thought with the OMS IQ Backpack that it would just be more comfortable and do exactly the same job as what everyone here is talking about with BP/W. Is this not correct ?

I am in Toronto and have organised to tryout a OMS IQ Pack with Wings when I have some time with the instructor that I did my Ice Diving Speciality with but if I can save some money down the road, then maybe it is just best to buy this now if I like it...

One further question, now about bouyancy... Coming from the standard jacket style BCD without weight intergration to a complete OMS IQ Pack with Bladder and weight pockets, do you think it would be hard to get used to this and re-establish your bouyancy ? Has anyone ever had any issues with changing from jacket to back inflation BCD's that they would like to share ?? Or is it not that much different ??

 

[spyder]

I went from a Genesis Cobra to a TransPac II/Rec wing (like the IQ I believe) with the only problem being I wish I would have gone straight to the TransPac and skipped the Cobra. Very stable, uncluttered, and comfortable. UW horizontal bouyancy was natural, surface just need to remember not to inflate any more than needed.

 

[aquaoren]

So this may sound like a really stupid question, but what is the difference between the OMS IQ Backpack with OMS 60lb or 100lb Bladder versus a standard stainless steel backplate with the same bladder (wings) ?? I thought with the OMS IQ Backpack that it would just be more comfortable and do exactly the same job as what everyone here is talking about with BP/W. Is this not correct ?

I am in Toronto and have organised to tryout a OMS IQ Pack with Wings when I have some time with the instructor that I did my Ice Diving Speciality with but if I can save some money down the road, then maybe it is just best to buy this now if I like it...

One further question, now about bouyancy... Coming from the standard jacket style BCD without weight intergration to a complete OMS IQ Pack with Bladder and weight pockets, do you think it would be hard to get used to this and re-establish your bouyancy ? Has anyone ever had any issues with changing from jacket to back inflation BCD's that they would like to share ?? Or is it not that much different ??

I live in Guelph, which is about 45 minutes from Toronto.
There is a big community of Tech diver here that could give you some appropriate advise.
If you want, PM me and we could meet up and I'd be more than happy to let you try out my BP/Wing.
The benefit of a SS or Aluminum Backplates is that you can take some weight of your belt and this weight moves to a position above your lungs which makes it easier to maintain horizontal trim.
Another big plus of the Backplates is that they are more stable than the soft backpacks especially diving double tank setup.
If you had a good horizontal trim with your jacket BC, you will not have too much trouble getting used to the BP/Wing. As I said, I switched last fall and needed 3-5 dives in order to be completely comfortable with it.

 

[tjsmith1979]

I live in Guelph, which is about 45 minutes from Toronto.
There is a big community of Tech diver here that could give you some appropriate advise.
If you want, PM me and we could meet up and I'd be more than happy to let you try out my BP/Wing.
The benefit of a SS or Aluminum Backplates is that you can take some weight of your belt and this weight moves to a position above your lungs which makes it easier to maintain horizontal trim.
Another big plus of the Backplates is that they are more stable than the soft backpacks especially diving double tank setup.
If you had a good horizontal trim with your jacket BC, you will not have too much trouble getting used to the BP/Wing. As I said, I switched last fall and needed 3-5 dives in order to be completely comfortable with it.

Thanks for the feedback, could you ask around for me about anyone using OMS IQ Backpack and OMS Bladders with retraction bands and see what they think of them for me ? I have spoken to a couple of people and they absolute love there double bladders with retraction bands and then I have just read on the site about the supposely "banded wings of death"... however I am yet to hear about anyone actually having an OMS BP/W or OMS IQ Pack with Wings to ever have any such issue...

It is more what people have read or heard about over campfires... I am interested from anyone that current uses any OMS equipment espically the OMS IQ Pack with OMS Bladders with Retraction Bands if possible ? Also if anyone has any photos of there gear all setup with this equipment as I would really like to look at a OMS IQ Pack or Backplate with OMS Wings hopefully with bands to see how good it also looks.