misc questions about single tank bp/w

[rick00001967]

hello everyone
i want to get rid of my jacket style bcd and switch to either a less cluttered back inflate bcd (like the dive rite voyager pac as example) or go to a bp/w set up (like the dive rite trans pac or transplate harness, or the hollis solo harness as example). i have a few different questions i hope someone can help me with. just fyi....i am diving cold water in a drysuit at home but it would be nice to have a set up i can use or modify to use when diving warm water on vacation.
- dive rite has told me "NOT" to use a back plate with their transpac harness. and yet i see (for example) the scuba pro xtech harness being sold/used with a s/s plate on different web sites. why is this ?? i would have thought using a harness like the transpac would be more comfortable then a plate alone and would leave the option of using only the harness/wing for warm waters. what am i missing?
- what is the deal with the single tank adapters ? the dive rite web site says you do not need one. but i see other sites stating you have to have one. i am assuming most back mount doubles divers use a plate and that is why plates are sold without a tank adapter for singles. but do i really need one ? or does it depend on the plate design ? they all seem to look about the same to me.
i think what i am looking for is a simple, uncluttered but comfortable harness for single tank use that i can use a plate for the extra weight, but also use without the plate if travelling. what do you guys think is my best option ?
from all the stuff i have looked at online it seems the DR transpac may be best but when DR told me not to use a plate with it i figured i would have to look elsewhere.
i hope all this makes sense. it's tough to know which way to go when you don't have a local shop to see the options in person
thx
rick

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Why not have two? One for your local stuff and one for traveling. I actually have 4. Doubles, travel, teaching, dry suit diving, etc. No one is the perfect tool. Easier to have one that best suits the dive. Oh and three sidemount rigs for the same reason.
Did I send you my article on BPW's and things like the Zeagle Express Tech? If not shoot me your email.

 

[Dive Right In Scuba 2]

First, I believe that you are getting the TransPAC and the TransPLATE harnesses mixed up. No worries, it is a common misunderstanding. The TransPAC harness features a soft backplate so with it there is no need to add a hard backplate as one is already integrated into the system. With the TransPLATE harness, you thread it into a hard backplate. This is for those divers who like a hard backplate but don't necessarily like the Hogarthian style harness, or like the features of a TransPAC harness but with a hard backplate.

With respect to using an STA, it's really a personal preference thing with most systems. While there are some backplate systems that require them, for most(including me) it's just a cleaner way to go between singles and doubles(you don't have to weave cambands directly into the plate, its a simple two wingnut on/off. I switch between singles and doubles rather often so it makes sense for me to use an STA...unscrew the STA, swap wings, screw the double tanks onto the backplate...done.

Hope that helps some.

 

[Brandon]

I've never dove a Transpac, but a buddy had one - if I remember right, it's a soft wing/harness combo and there's not really a way to get a rigid plate in there.

As for Single Tank Adapters - those really depend on your wing. Some wings have slots for cambands and a way of keeping the tank from rolling (the DSS rubber integrated STA, for example); and some don't (the Halcyon Eclipse wings and most others). An STA can also make swapping between plates easier. Doubles are super easy - the wing is just sandwiched in between the tanks and the BP.

My situation is similar to yours - my local dives are cold water drysuit dives, and vacations tend to be warm water wetsuit (and sometimes drysuit) dives. I typically dive in doubles, but will dive single tanks when doubles aren't available or practical.

I have a DSS steel BP, the bolt on weight plates, and the DSS hybrid kydex/stainless BP. For wings I have a DSS Torus 35 and an Evolve 60 (doubles). The DSS Torus has a built in rubber STA, so no additional bits are needed.

For typical at home coldwater dives:

• Doubles: DSS steel BP + the Evolve 60.
• Singles: DSS steel BP, bolt on weight plates, and the Torus 35.

When traveling to warm water:

• Doubles: DSS steel BP + Evolve 60 if diving drysuit. Hybrid if diving wetsuit or using light undergarments.
• Singles: DSS Hybrid BP + Torus 35. This config is extremely lightweight and easy to travel with.

I have plain hog harnesses on both backplates and think they're plenty comfy, even on extended dive trips. I just came back from a 35 dive trip in a 3mm suit; and have done a 60 dive trip in the same. It's also comfy to dive without a suit; but I'd want a bit of abrasion protection if doing it for more than a day or so. Once you get them set up properly there's no need to adjust them from dive to dive.

If you want to buy just one set of gear and keep things super simple - get a DSS plate + LCD 40 + the extra bolt-on weight plates. Dive that when at home, and remove the weight plates when traveling. If baggage weight ever becomes a concern; get the hybrid kydex/stainless DSS plate or an aluminum plate.

My $.02. Evaluate and apply to your own situation as necessary

 

[rick00001967]

First, I believe that you are getting the TransPAC and the TransPLATE harnesses mixed up. No worries, it is a common misunderstanding. The TransPAC harness features a soft backplate so with it there is no need to add a hard backplate as one is already integrated into the system

thx for the info. i do understand the difference. but it seemed to me that the transpac harness would be more comfortable even with a s/s plate added than the transplate harness with s/s plate. and the added plate would mean less lead on the belt. then just remove the plate when extra weight is not needed. so the plate would be like this....(link below) sandwiched between the s/s plate and the back of the soft back harness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4xJ-6RKN6M

thank you brandon
jim....email address was sent in a pm. thx

 

[Rich Keller]

For travel I would suggest a commercial diving harness rather then a traditional BP/W. It is much lighter, smaller and packs flatter for travel. They were made to be used with a single tank and exceed the standards required by every navy and commercial diving organization worldwide. There are three different types, you would be better off with either a bailout harness or a bell harness. These were not made to be used with a wing but can be easily modified so one can be added without doing anything to the harness that would cause it to lose its certification.



I added a Dive Rite Travel EXP wing to mine because it was small, packed flat and was wide open inside the donut allowing me to place that cam bands further apart.



The harness was something I had left over from when I was a commercial diver but I have seen used ones sell on ebay for as little as $25.

 

[scubadiver888]

First, a good set of search terms for finding similar threads would be "new bp/w single recommend". There have been a few recent threads where people have been asking questions about switching to BP/W setups. Might be some good information there.

Second, others are recommending and I agree with getting two systems. One for cold water and one for warm water, travel. I dive in Canada with a steel back plate, steel tanks and a Halcyon pioneer wing. Down south I dive with aluminum back plate, aluminum tanks and a Hollis S25 wing.

Some wings have stabilizers which will help hold a tank steady. The Hollis S25 has two so I don't need a STA for it. My pioneer wing has no stabilizer so I use a STA to hold the tank in place. Additionally, the cam bands have to go through the wing AND the plate. If the plate does not have slots for the can bands then you will also need a STA. If you do have a wing with built-in stabilizers and a plate with slots for the cam band you will also need sex bolts to hold everything together rather than the standard wing nuts.

I alway wear a wetsuit. Even if the water temp is 85F I'd wear a 2.5mm wetsuit. The padding of the wetsuit is all I really need to protect myself from the plate.

As far as transpac versus xtech, I have no opinion on those. I prefer to just use a plate with hogarthian harness. Whenever my harness wears out I buy 6 to 8 feet of webbing, take all the hardware off the old webbing and use the new webbing. Doesn't cost me any more than that to replace the harness. The hardware never seems to wear out.

Where in Canada are you? Maybe there is a shop near by someone else could recommend.

 

[Woolfie19]

I have and dive a transpac xt for 2 years now.
In cold water (drysuit) I add a diverite stainless steel backplate that I put between the transpac soft backplate and the padded back.

The big advantage is that with my double 8 300 bar, I don't need any extra weight (in fresh water)


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[rick00001967]

In cold water (drysuit) I add a diverite stainless steel backplate that I put between the transpac soft backplate and the padded back.

this is what i am curious about. this was my thinking as well. so i wonder why did dive rite would tell me specifically "not" to do this ?

but to clarify for myself.....you put the hard plate between the harness and the soft pad ? so the soft pad comes off ?
i assumed i would put the hard plate between the back of the harness and the wing. can this not be done ?

 

[Woolfie19]

Yes the padding comes off (to give access to the holes / screws of the double set.

Actually you got me thinking...

And the right order is
- double
- wing
- steel plate
- soft backplate (then screws)
- padding.

I don't know why DR does say that we should not do it.




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