BP/W for an 11 year old.... did I make a mistake?

[happy-diver]

I made the right choice buying a Halcyon Infinity system

Magnificent!

Wish I had one then, wish I had one today

 

[JoeTPhilly]

Let me start with saying I dive BP/W and I do not consider BP/W to ever be a mistake. With that being said, I'm second guessing every choice I made when buying my son's gear.

For a 5ft tall, 120 pound, muscular frame (built like a running back) adolescent male, did I make the right choice buying a Halcyon Infinity system with the short stainless steel plate?

I know as he grows I will eventually replace the plate with a standard size (genetics preclude him from ever needing the tall version), but I went back and forth on getting the steel short or AL short.

With no exposure protection and a rental BCD, he dives with 6 pounds of lead. With a very well used 7mm Pinnacle Cruiser (that is older than he is), he uses 10 pounds of lead. This has lead to much consternation for me, as I know the short SS backplate is 4lbs negative, and the unweighted STA is about 2lbs (I bought the weight insert, but don't intend to use it unless needed). So right off the bat we're close. I don't know how much the backpad and shoulder pads are positive.... maybe a pound or two?

Should I have gone with the AL backplate so we could dial it in with lead in the ACB, or should I stop fretting over it?

You don't have to remind me that there are other options on the market. I've been waiting to buy him his first "H" rig since I saw his first sonogram. I just hope I got the right one for him.

I measured the backpadd and shoulder pads for a standard size plate at 1.4 lbs positive in fresh water. The short version will be a bit less positive.

I think SS is great and it should offset the weight of the gas in an Alum 63 which I assume is what he is diving?

He will enjoy the rig. Don't doubt yourself as you chose well! Also, in a year or two he will outgrow the plate.

 

[lowwall]

Also, in a year or two he will outgrow the plate.

If he decides to swap to a standard harness as well, put the whole rig up for sale here. My daughter will be ready to get certified around then

 

[Mr. Sunday]

If he decides to swap to a standard harness as well, put the whole rig up for sale here. My daughter will be ready to get certified around then

My son too.

 

[undefined]

If he decides to swap to a standard harness as well, put the whole rig up for sale here. My daughter will be ready to get certified around then

My 5' tall wife will likely have dibs on it. She still dives an old Oceanoc Isla, but has expressed interest in trying out his rig.

I might be buying a 3rd infinity in the next few weeks if all goes well.

 

[lowwall]

My 5' tall wife will likely have dibs on it. She still dives an old Oceanoc Isla, but has expressed interest in trying out his rig.

I might be buying a 3rd infinity in the next few weeks if all goes well.

That's OK. After I posted I remembered I have this waiting for her:

Closed - Freedom Contour aluminum EZ-Pak

For sale: One-off Freedom Ez-Pak 15” aluminum travel back plate. Edges are rolled and fully contoured. Resembles a vintage Healthways back pack from the 1960’s. This plate is a very lightweight prototype model designed specifically for travel. It has no holes for a STA, rail bracket, or wedge...

scubaboard.com

I bought it for my son, but by the time he was ready for his OW class, I had received my Freedom Plate and so he got my old DSS plate instead.

 

[NitroxSam]

That's OK. After I posted I remembered I have this waiting for her:

Closed - Freedom Contour aluminum EZ-Pak

For sale: One-off Freedom Ez-Pak 15” aluminum travel back plate. Edges are rolled and fully contoured. Resembles a vintage Healthways back pack from the 1960’s. This plate is a very lightweight prototype model designed specifically for travel. It has no holes for a STA, rail bracket, or wedge...

scubaboard.com

I bought it for my son, but by the time he was ready for his OW class, I had received my Freedom Plate and so he got my old DSS plate instead.

That looks interesting. Do you have any pics of it with a harness?

 

[happy-diver]

Just remembered I had this instead

 

[undefined]

Update: The package arrived yesterday. Minor issues... ordered an Infinity, but the box was missing the cinch system and the back padding (those are now en route). Bigger issue.... these now ship "assembly required", unlike when I got mine 13+ years ago. I get to put it together twice - once without the cinch and padding, so he can dive it this weekend, and again next week once those last two parts arrive.

Ended up with the stainless steel short plate and weighted STA, but I removed the weight from the STA. He might be a bit overweighted this weekend (the back padding is positively buoyant, but it isn't here yet).

His Hollis F1 fins arrived yesterday as well. That very well may have been a mistake, the darn things are huge and heavy. We'll see how he does in the water with them, but I can see switching him out to something lighter weight (for travel) and neutral or slightly positively buoyant.

 

[JoeTPhilly]

Update: The package arrived yesterday. Minor issues... ordered an Infinity, but the box was missing the cinch system and the back padding (those are now en route). Bigger issue.... these now ship "assembly required", unlike when I got mine 13+ years ago. I get to put it together twice - once without the cinch and padding, so he can dive it this weekend, and again next week once those last two parts arrive.

Ended up with the stainless steel short plate and weighted STA, but I removed the weight from the STA. He might be a bit overweighted this weekend (the back padding is positively buoyant, but it isn't here yet).

His Hollis F1 fins arrived yesterday as well. That very well may have been a mistake, the darn things are huge and heavy. We'll see how he does in the water with them, but I can see switching him out to something lighter weight (for travel) and neutral or slightly positively buoyant.

The Infinity comes fully assembled. Also, comes with a bag. It sounds like they sent you an Eclipse system. Did it come with all the extras of the Infinity?

I added a link that may help to make sure you are getting everything: