Yet another BPW question

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Personally, I would use a AL bp with steel tanks and a wetsuit. In addition, It’s easier to travel with, Ideal with any future steel doubles training and you can use weight pockets you can drop or p weight. Proper weighting is very personal and something you have to work on but I believe from your post, an AL bp is more flexible in terms of options and your future plans. (Just my opinion)
 
Thanks for the replies all, this has certainly been very helpful. SS it is then. (And a few replies below too).

How buoyant, positive or negative, are your tanks towards the end of your dives?
-Z

Steel - always negative, even at the end of a dive.

with a 5mm wetsuit, I'd definitely go stainless. from your specs, it looks like you'll still be carrying a bit of lead, but it's better to have the weight distributed over your lungs in the backplate instead of on a belt. Also, when you buy your wing, make sure it is large enough to float your rig with a full cylinder. I think 30lb will probably be the way to go for your. 40lb, at first glance, appears to be too much imo. GL

Thanks. Sizing the wing is an interesting procedure in itself - especially without the ability to try a few options first.

For single tank diving get a single tank wing. If you plan to dive doubles then get a double tank wing.
-Z

100%. That's definitely the plan.

Planning to get down to 330 feet?? That's pretty darn deep and I think you were referring specifically to caves, but that sounds like serious overhead diving to me. That SS will also serve you well as the core for your future doubles setup.

Good luck!

Definitely not overhead - I'm too claustrophobic to do caves or wreck penetrations - as much as I would absolutely love to, I know my limits. The 330ft dives I want to do are down to some wrecks and the coelacanths at Sodwana Bay. That's all a long way and a lot of training away though.

...Also, you’re slightly overweighted I think. It depends, but you normally shouldn’t need 4kg with 5mm wetsuit if diving with steel 15L. If you get SS plate, you should need no or almost no weight.

Secondly, stop diving 15l single, they’re horrible tanks to dive with. Too unstable. If you’re used to diving with 15L, then D12s will feel so stable, wait till you see!

Interesting comment. As it is, I struggle to descend the first 10ft; I feel slightly under weighted. Once I'm past 10ft, my weight is perfect with just a tiny (1/3 second) burst of air in the BC.

Yeah, I bought the 15l when I was still an air hog, now I just like it because the majority of my diving is around 27m so it's nice to have a little extra nitrox... I'm dead keen to move to 12l doubles and this move to BP/W is exactly why I'm starting down this road. (I will be the only doubles diver in our [quite large] club though).

Personally, I would use a AL bp with steel tanks and a wetsuit. In addition, It’s easier to travel with, Ideal with any future steel doubles training and you can use weight pockets you can drop or p weight. Proper weighting is very personal and something you have to work on but I believe from your post, an AL bp is more flexible in terms of options and your future plans. (Just my opinion)

What would the internet be without at least one spanner thrown into the works... Hahaha :) :) :)

Thanks!
 
Whatever you pick, make sure you can swim it up with a simulated ruptured wing. I tried one day with my double Worthington X7-100's (the HP 100 steels) and an SS backplate, in a 3mm wetsuit.... no dice.

That was a long time ago though.
 
Either will do just fine, that said I prefer SS (less lead). You already have a 15, why double 12's?
 
Whatever you pick, make sure you can swim it up with a simulated ruptured wing. I tried one day with my double Worthington X7-100's (the HP 100 steels) and an SS backplate, in a 3mm wetsuit.... no dice.

That was a long time ago though.

Good point, thank you.

You already have a 15, why double 12's?

Well, this is all part of my learning.
Step 1: Move to BP/W with my regular single (15L)
Step 2: Learn to dive doubles (I have two 12L matched already so I will just need a manifold, new wing & some training)
Step 3: Tec Rec. Start with new gas mixes etc.
Step 4: Stage & Deco
Step 5: DEEP! :)

I'm trying to approach my progression to tec/deep in an iterative fashion where I slowly add gear/complexity over time so that I can learn, but keep it safe.
 
Either will do just fine, that said I prefer SS (less lead). You already have a 15, why double 12's?
What sort of question is this? D12s are much more enjoyable to dive with, carry much more gas, need no lead to descend, and they are redundant.
 
What sort of question is this? D12s are much more enjoyable to dive with, carry much more gas, need no lead to descend, and they are redundant.

Its a basic question, not sure what you are on about.

in any cas double 15’s carry more gas than d12s and is just as enjoyable to dive. That”s why I asked, I prefer 15”s because of the extra capacity. He already had a 15....
 
Its a basic question, not sure what you are on about.

in any cas double 15’s carry more gas than d12s and is just as enjoyable to dive. That”s why I asked, I prefer 15”s because of the extra capacity. He already had a 15....
D12s are much nicer to dive than a single 15 L.

If you’re referring to diving D15s it wasn’t obvious from your post.
 
Good point, thank you.



Well, this is all part of my learning.
Step 1: Move to BP/W with my regular single (15L)
Step 2: Learn to dive doubles (I have two 12L matched already so I will just need a manifold, new wing & some training)
Step 3: Tec Rec. Start with new gas mixes etc.
Step 4: Stage & Deco
Step 5: DEEP! :)

I'm trying to approach my progression to tec/deep in an iterative fashion where I slowly add gear/complexity over time so that I can learn, but keep it safe.
If you already have matched 12”s, stick to your plan, all good.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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