OP
Better to have multiple rigs or get one modular rig?
- Thread starter DBPacific
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Bob DBF
Contributor
I'm with @JohnnyC, get a backplate and singles wing and start diving. When you go to doubles, the cost of a doubles wing will pale in comparison to everything else. And ones aspirations and choices may change as one gains experience, so grab the basics now and down the road you will have a better vision of what you need next.
And yes it is better to have multiple rigs, but very few divers start out that way. Gear has a way of accumulating over time if one keeps diving, like dust bunnies only more expensive.
Bob
And yes it is better to have multiple rigs, but very few divers start out that way. Gear has a way of accumulating over time if one keeps diving, like dust bunnies only more expensive.
Bob
Great advice. I'd add that tech cert in the scientific world is more onerous by an order of magnitude.
I started off with one setup. It took me a while to get everything fitting well. Get in the water, move some weights around, adjust the harness a little, try again. Lots of little tweaking until it was tight but not too tight. Then I tried using it with 3mm wetsuit (started with 7mm wetsuit). Didn't fit right. Thought about adjusting the harness a little but then thought was a pain. So I bought a second plate and harness for my 3mm wetsuit. So now one for cold water and one for warm water.
As far as the wing went, I could switch the wings from single to double. So I can use all my wings on all my plates.
I recently started sidemount. Just decided to get a XDeep harness rather than try to do a toddy rig with back mount plates. But I'm at a point in life I can just afford to spend a little more.
As far as the wing went, I could switch the wings from single to double. So I can use all my wings on all my plates.
I recently started sidemount. Just decided to get a XDeep harness rather than try to do a toddy rig with back mount plates. But I'm at a point in life I can just afford to spend a little more.
Eric Sedletzky
Contributor
AFAIK, and this came from a guy I know that did some scientific diving for a while through the Bodega Marine Lab, most or all of the divers doing fish counts, abalone stock reports, running quadrants/transects etc. all of them just used regular jacket BC’s from the dive shop.
OP
DBPacific
Contributor
Yeah, I'm hoping to not need anything too specialized but I was looking for some of my own gear anyways and was wondering how many bases I should try to cover. Jacket BCs like the ones in most shops usually wreck my back and hips after more than one dive a day, though.
Justin Bove
Contributor
I know this might sound silly but have a local dive shop that you’re friendly with? I’ve meet all sorts of divers with different setups and all were willing to let me try it out in the shops pool. The only setup I can think of that might be hard to try is a rebreather one. Though most RB reps will do a demo day once or twice a year at most OW cert locations. I was convinced I wanted a specific BCD model and brand. Lucky I was able to demo a huge variety. I wound up purchasing a completely different style of BCD from a completely different manufacturer.
OP
DBPacific
Contributor
I was friendly with two dive shops but that was when I was studying abroad and now I'm back home. The closest shop is an hour's drive away and I don't have a car. My roommate does but she works at the movie theatre and is currently dying from Endgame with no end in sight (1 theatre for a decent sized city). I ended up just taking in people's advice and talking to the other grad students and undergrads in my dive class about their gear configurations. I've only been able to try a jacket BC and recently a BP, both were pretty generic. I ended up just getting a basic but if necessary modular BP with a steel plate as well as an aluminum plate that I can switch out if need be. Here's hoping that online shopping won't screw me over!
Justin Bove
Contributor
I thought I wanted a jacket style till I was able to use a wing style underwater. Took me an hour in the pool messing around to get comfortable. I don’t know if this forum discourages users from recommending specific websites to purchase items from or not. What I can say is that I personally use a very large online store that makes a big deal of “doesn’t fit, don’t like it 60 day money back guarantee, 120 day store credit guarantee, and a pressure free fit guarantee. I’ll buy different size and brand gear and then return all that didn’t fit or didn’t like. Only problem is when you order 6 or 7 dive boots your credit card bill is going to be large until you return the unwanted items.
OP
DBPacific
Contributor
When I ordered mine (after I'd spent a few 4-hour long pool sessions with a similar rig), it didn't even give me a size option but they're the same way with flexible returns. It's a very basic BP so I don't think I'll have issues, but I'm definitely keeping the return policy in mind for the exposure gear that's coming in.
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