BP/Wing Weighting Question

[milbournosphere]

I'm not sure if this is in the right place or not; I guess it's technically an equipment question, but I would imagine that I'd get more responses here in this forum.

I'm slowly moving towards a Backplate/Wing setup. My buddy dives a Halcyon eclipse single tank rig, with the weighted tank adapter and steel plate. I like the idea of the weighted tank adapter as it moves 6lb of the weight off of one's belt and puts it right on one's back without cluttering the tank cam bands with pouches and whatnot. I've been shopping around and nobody really seems to mention a weighted single tank adapter other than Halcyon. Are there any other vendors offering a solution like this or will I need to look into third party p-weights should I go with a vendor like DiveRite or Hollis?

Thanks for any replies. I'm still very new to the configuration of BP/wing systems, so forgive me if it's a somewhat silly question.

 

[chrpai]

Oxycheq makes one:

http://www.northeastscubasupply.com/store/index.php?_a=product&product_id=3902

But the question would be, do you really need it?

What's your current BCD, tank type and what is the range (min and max) weight that you currently need?

 

[fisheater]

Look at Deep Sea Supply. Tobin makes great stuff (@ a better price point than "H") and he has 8 lbs. flat weight plates that can be bolted onto a DSS steel backplate.

I love mine.

 

[rongoodman]

I'm not sure what the question is. If you like the Halcyon STA(I do), then why worry about whether another vendor offers the same thing? There's no reason you can't use one on a non-Halcyon plate.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Or cast your own with a couple pounds of lead, a smelting pot, and a bit of patience and attention to detail.

 

[milbournosphere]

It'd sure be nice to have as my current rig has 22lb in it plus the jacket BC's weight and the weight of an ALU80 tank. This configuration gives me good buoyancy in a full 7mm suit. I usually dive an ALU80 but will likely be moving to steel high pressure tanks as I get more bottom time under my belt.

Ron, I'm simply trying to get a feel for the other options out there. I'm trying to learn more about the options available to me. I know there are a lot of people out there with a lot of different configurations, so I'm just looking to find out what's worked (or what hasn't) for other folks out there. Thanks for the replies and info.

 

[chrpai]

The Jacket BC probably has a bit of inherent buoyancy. Switching from that to a SS BP/W with STA will probably drop your weight from say 22lb to 12lb. Switch from an AL80 to a steel tank ( so many to quote ) and you are at about 6lb. Switch your fins to jet fins, add on a can light and what not and suddenly you are closing in on 0lbs. At that point the question becomes, can you swim it up?

FWIW, I sometimes put XS Scuba weight pockets (up to 5lb each) on my tank straps. I turn them inside to "bury" them so that there's no concern for accidental ditching. Depending on whether I'm in a 3mil or 7mil, steel or aluminum, stage bottle or not, I'm anywhere from just my plate and nothing else to 6lbs on a weight belt max. Most of the time I don't wear a belt.

 

[RV]

does anyone know if a Hollis S Series (Single Tank) Wing (25#) will fit (cam strap and mounting holes line up) on a large DSS plate?

 

[raftingtigger]

The Jacket BC probably has a bit of inherent buoyancy. Switching from that to a SS BP/W with STA will probably drop your weight from say 22lb to 12lb. Switch from an AL80 to a steel tank ( so many to quote ) and you are at about 6lb. Switch your fins to jet fins, add on a can light and what not and suddenly you are closing in on 0lbs. At that point the question becomes, can you swim it up?

FWIW, I sometimes put XS Scuba weight pockets (up to 5lb each) on my tank straps. I turn them inside to "bury" them so that there's no concern for accidental ditching. Depending on whether I'm in a 3mil or 7mil, steel or aluminum, stage bottle or not, I'm anywhere from just my plate and nothing else to 6lbs on a weight belt max. Most of the time I don't wear a belt.

Decide if you want any ditchable weights. Even if you will never ditch at depth, you may want the ability to ditch on the surface. Personally I won't dive without some weight ditchable.

Decide if you will ALWAYS use the same tank type (steel, Al, size). If not then you need to be able to vary the ballast depending on the choice of tank for the dive. Figure out where that variable ballast will live.

Check your trim and see where you need the weight. You want it distributed so you are in trim in pitch and roll (sorry I'm a pilot). Do your feet float? Do you wear a dry suit? Heavy fins, ankle weights, and/or gaiters can help there.

If you have all your weight on your back, even if close to your spine, when you roll you will naturally continue to roll until on your back. If some of the weight is in front this tendency will be lessened. I'm told this is one of the advantages of side-mount.

What I have done is:

9# SS backplate with a neutral STA
2 upper tank band trim weight pockets -- located as close to the bp as reasonable (0-10# depending)
2 anterior hip ditchable weight pockets mounted on a weight harness (5# each)
pair of ankle weights and also use gaiters (3# each - too cheap to buy negative fins)
dive dry in 48-55 degree water.

ankle weights and hip weights generally stay the same for any of my typical configurations
tank band trim weights vary depending on configuration. +5 if using an Al tank, -3 if carrying a pony, -?? if carrying a can light (guessing 1-2# still working on the light)

 

[milbournosphere]

Switch from an AL80 to a steel tank ( so many to quote ) and you are at about 6lb. Switch your fins to jet fins, add on a can light and what not and suddenly you are closing in on 0lbs. At that point the question becomes, can you swim it up?

Switching to steel tanks isn't likely to happen for a while (those suckers aren't cheap and I've collected a small library of ALU80s), but I see your point. Until I actually get the rig purchased, setup and adjusted, I won't really know. For that reason, it'd be nice to have the option. I do like the approach DSS takes. From what I've heard their gear is tops; I'll have to check them out.

Thanks for the advice everybody.