I'm a newbie: What do I need in a BP/W?

[Rainer]

You'd have to totally flood a dry suit for it to offer no lift, which is unlikely to happen. A partial flood isn't going to change much at all. In any case, your dry suit can't lose more lift than it provides, which you can determine by jumping in a pool and seeing how much lead it takes to sink you in your suit. Tobin can walk you through all of this, so just give him a ring.

 

[WavyGravy]

I have to agree 100% - I called Tobin and discussed with him where I dive etc and we came up with a BP/W that I just started using and I love it. Highly recommended.

 

[ScubaSam]

I have to agree 100% - I called Tobin and discussed with him where I dive etc and we came up with a BP/W that I just started using and I love it. Highly recommended.

Yes, Tobin spent close to an hour on the phone with me about my exposure suit, my tanks, the environment I dive and how much weight I currently use, and helped me determine what wing will work best for my diving. I love my wing and Tobin was spot on about the weighting. Like WavyGravy, I highly recommend.

 

[fnfalman]

Maybe I can go by and take Tobin to lunch - there's some great restaurants in his area.

Have you guys ever been to Ocean Adventures Dive Co. in Venice? My girlfriend lives near them...

Thanks again.

mike

You can't go wrong with DSS products. They're reasonably priced and high quality plus Tobin is a fountain of information and a no-BSer. If I were to ever decide to go with a drysuit and double-tank setup, I'd get me a DSS Kydex rig.

Ocean Adventures is a great little shop.

 

[cs4160]

Hi Mike,

First of all, Oceanside is NOT in L.A.! (I live in Carlsbad)

I don't have any experience with DSS products, but i hear they are great. Last Saturday i received my new Eclipse system and haven't even had the chance to dive with it. Most people seem to love the halcyon equipment but not necessarily the price.

I bought the MC Eclipse system (SS plate, 40#lift, storage pack and webbing, and 6lb weighted STA) for $745 online at diveseekers.com (one of the largest halcyon dealers). No taxes, free shipping and they threw in the 10lb acb weight packets. So a complete system for 745 out the door. When you include the weight pouches, i didn't think Halcyon was that uncompetitive, price wise...especially given the quality of the equipment. While i have been diving for 25 years, i am new to the BP&W world, so i cant really compare their equipment to other manufacturers, but it appeared top notch.

In terms of customer service, i posted a question about how to rig the system on this board on Monday. 12 minutes later i received a post from a halcyon rep with his direct numbers volunteering to help with answering any of my questions. Now granted, statistically, one call is hardly a trend, but i was pretty impressed none the less. Support from where i bought the equipment has been great as well. Now all i need to do is get wet and hope i can justify replacing a perfectly good Zeagle Ranger BC! By the way, i was in Utila (honduras) in February, you are going to love the water temperature of Belize!!!!

 

[TSandM]

You've gotten a lot of answers, but here's my personal experience.

You can use a SS BP for cold and warm water diving. I use 2 lbs on the cambands in a 3 mil full suit in Hawaii with my SS plate. I traveled with the SS plate for several years with no problems, but now that many airlines are not allowing you more than one checked bag, weight can be a major issue. I have also traveled with a DSS Kydex plate, and used six pounds on the cambands, and that works, too. The problem with the light plate at home is that, using it, you have to add weight somewhere. That somewhere can be a large weight belt, or a belt and STA, or a belt and camband weight pouches. Depending on the thickness of your exposure protection, it can get awkward to try to hang enough weight in the right places to get good trim.

So I think the easiest answer is two plates. Next easiest is a SS BP and packing cleverly or paying for a second bag. Least desirable is using a warm water plate at home in cold water, especially if that is where you are going to be doing the majority of your diving.

I use a 30 lb wing with my setup. It's a little marginal if you assume I lose ALL the lift from my drysuit in a flood, but I have yet to have a flood that did that. I think you'd pretty much have to tear a huge hole in the suit to accomplish it. A leaking seal won't do it.

Go take Tobin to lunch. The Mexican place across the street from DSS is great, and if you're lucky, Tobin will show you his toy room -- oops, factory. It's fascinating!

 

[OceansideOcean]

Hi Mike,

First of all, Oceanside is NOT in L.A.! (I live in Carlsbad)

O.K, ya got me. Specifically, I own a house in Oceanside but I work in L.A., and stay with my GF most of the time.

YOU ARE SO RIGHT!!! Oceanside is not L.A. Thank goodness! Oceanside is paradise, L.A. is hell :cool2:

 

[OceansideOcean]

You've gotten a lot of answers, but here's my personal experience.

SNIP!

From reading and searching for hours, your advice is what I was guessing the correct answer would be (including taking Tobin to El Cholo).

I'm thinking exactly what you said execept getting a 40lb. wing.

As for the airlines, I'm getting a little annoyed by that game. I just came back from Australia and each airline has different requirments - they're playing "gotcha."

A preliminary conversation with the group I'm going to Belize with says we get one 50lb. check through and one carry-on. That's great - scuba gear in check through and my carryone has my cloths, reg, and mask.

HOWEVER - when we get to San Pedro, we take Tropic Air (if I remember right) and they allow only one check-through at 35 lbs. HOSERS!

So thanks again (I clicked the thanks button) and I'll let you all know what happens - with the BP/W and the airline.

mike

 

[dori fish]

try looking at an oms aluminum or ss bp, if you don't like what tobin has offered. oms makes a good wing also very tough, any size would be good, pending on your diving type.

 

[Colliam7]

He says it's not an issue until the drysuit floods. The SP GP has 34 lbs. of lift. Do you agree or disagree with this?

All that does is remove the lift component of the drysuit - IF totally flooded. It doesn't add to your weight, except climbing out of the water at the end, when lift from a wing is no longer an issue. If you are weighted and 'winged' without consideration of the DS, you will be fine. You will just add more weight for the (unflooded) DS.

1. Should I get a steel plate or aluminum plate to start or will I need one for cold and one for warm water? Go with a steel BP. It will handle 98% of your needs.

2. How about a Dive Rite Transpac with no plate? Will that baby work for me? Yes, it will work. But, why go with it? Nice unit. I have one I dive for sidemount doubles. I prefer BP for single tank recreational dives - simpler, easier to deal with. IF you are hiking 3 miles in full gear to get to a dive entrance, then maybe a padded BCD like the TransPac may be of value. Otherwise, ...

3. What size wing? I'm thinking 40lbs. but you guys know a lot more than me. 30 should be fine for a single tank. 40 is probably just as appropriate for single tank diving. Get the 40. You won't have problems just because it is bigger and you can be sure the lift is (more than) adequate. Personally, given your description I would go 30. But, either is fine.

4. Should I get weight on the STA/bands? I know why I should, so you don't need to explain. But I need to know for what combo of cold/warm water - steel/aluminum plate? With a SS plate, in the tropics, you probably won't need added weight, but you may. In that case just use a weight belt. With a drysuit, in salt water, you most likely will need weight. If you need more than you want to carry on you waist, consider weight pockets. They can be acquired later. I have some I use with a single tank - usually with an AL 80. They are great, but not essential.

4. I have an Atomic SS1 Titanium safe second on my BC and I'd like to use it on the BP/W. It's easy to move but can I put it on a wing? No comment.

1. The Halcyon Eclipse. 2. The DeepSeaSupply system. 3. The Dive Rite system. All good approaches. I really respect the service Tobin provides.

If you'd like to recommend a specific setup, please do so. That would help a lot. I dive a DR SS BP, and an OMS BP, and a 'homemade' SS BP, and an OMS AL BP. I have an Oxycheq 50lb wing I love, a Halcyon 55 lb wing I like, and a DR Recwing I use a lot. (All this is for doubles.) I use the DR SS BP for singles. Frankly, I am comfortable with a variety of rigs, and have trouble saying one is 'better' than another. I doubt you will be disappointed with any of the ones you are considering. Oh, have I mentioned that I really respect the service Tobin provides.