BC/regulator for both tech and open water?

[Lorenzoid]

Hi, I'm a fairly new diver. Within the next few years my hope is to begin cave training, but in the mean time I want to get plenty more open water practice. Hopefully this is the correct forum.

I've been postponing purchasing my own BC, regulator, and computer/compass/gauge because I'm wondering If I can have gear that works for both OW and tech? I'm a fan of simple.

Thoughts? Thank you.

To echo what Marie said, often touted as one of the advantages of a backplate and harness (as opposed to a jacket-style BC) is that it easily switches between recreational and technical configurations. You switch between a smaller wing for single-tank rec diving and a larger wing for double-tank tech diving, but you can use the same backplate and its harness. In reality, I think most people end up buying a second one when they get into tech diving, but at least in theory you can use the same one for both.

As for regulators, there is another current thread in which someone asked about regs that would be good for him right now in recreational diving and later in tech diving.

 

[Vitesse2l]

Good advice above.

Having your own gear is great and you get to tweak the setup how you prefer it.

I might suggest picking up some theory and work on dive planning. That may help guide your future purchases. Feel free to ignore if granny already knows her job.

 

[Kamaros]

Two things I'd add to what other have already said:

1. Pick up a wrist mounted compass as well. I suppose you could use the integrated compass included with most high-end dive computers, but it's good to have both a backup depth gauge/timer as well as a compass in case your computer fails.

2. If you think you'll be switching between single and double tank rigs fairly often after you go tec, you can thread your cam bands onto a single tank adapter (STA) to make switching wings and tank bands a little more convenient.

 

[Hartattack]

This should help get you started. However, my only complaint is that I've had trouble with dive shops who dislike my configuration and ask that I wear a normal BCD to teach in. I've since gone independent and only teach recreational courses in a BP/W with a long hose.

 

[jadairiii]

Here is another thought for you. If you are going the Apeks route, for your recreational rig get the XTX50 2nd stage with the DS4 first stage, super simple and a great reg. When you transition to tech shift that reg to your deco/stage bottle and get a couple of DST's for your back gas. I really prefer the non-swivel first stage on my stage/deco bottle.

And I know there is the push for the 5th port, and I have used them, but I like the way the hoses route without the 5th port on my DST for back gas.

Another thing, watch ebay, lots of old DST first stages show up pretty cheap matched with the old TX50 first stages or Zeagle (Apeks) seconds. And on occasion the original TX100's. Some you might have to toss a DIN on so figure that in the cost. I really like my TX50's, they are bigger but breath as good or better than the XTX50 IMHO. And use all the same parts internally. You can put together a inexpensive tech rig if you take your time and shop wisely. Over the years I have bought some Zeagle/Apeks regs crazy cheap on Ebay and just needed to rebuild them.

 

[rick00001967]

i did not read thru the response so hopefully i am not just repeating what has already been said.
i would first say that the first rig you buy depends on the type of diving you will be doing. fresh cold water ? warm salt water ? are you only interested in no decompression diving or will you want to get into deco diving ?
i would then suggest that even though the above dives can be obviously be done in a variety of rigs, "if" you decide to get into cave diving as you suggested, most people today move into sidemount. not all. you can certainly do caves in backmount doubles.
so can you get a rig that would work for basic ow dives that could also be used for tech ? of course. but "if" you ever decide to do sidemount for cave diving, you will need a whole different set up.
that said.....there are regs avail that will do both backmount and sidemount and a high quality computer is a good investment for sure. same with lights.
there are all kinds of options out there. but i think most people would agree that most of the time divers always think that what they are using currently is great. then things change and you find yourself changing equip to suit your current needs.

 

[formernuke]

A basic BP and harness will work with both singles and doubles. You can move it between single and doubles wings. That’s what I do. Buy a single tank wing for now. You can pick up the doubles wing later.

Just get two sets of whichever reg you settle on. That way you’ll have them for tech later on and can pick up a single tank reg later if you do both tech and rec dives.

^^^ this.

I got my shopping list from my tec instructor.

BC, backplate wing with continuous 2 inch webbing, stainless or aluminum plate, crotch strap and stainless steel buckle. I already use one for rec so I'm just replacing the wing with a doubles wing.

Regulator. Apeks DS4 or DST with XTX 50 second, verbally told me other Apeks are also ok as long as cold water rated. Also Scubapro MK25/S600.

Computer, shearwater with any other in gauge mode or bottom timer as backup. Wrist mount compass.

That's what my instructor will allow for tec training.

 

[tbone1004]

^^^ this.

I got my shopping list from my tec instructor.

BC, backplate wing with continuous 2 inch webbing, stainless or aluminum plate, crotch strap and stainless steel buckle. I already use one for rec so I'm just replacing the wing with a doubles wing.

Regulator. Apeks DS4 or DST with XTX 50 second, verbally told me other Apeks are also ok as long as cold water rated. Also Scubapro MK25/S600.

Computer, shearwater with any other in gauge mode or bottom timer as backup. Wrist mount compass.

That's what my instructor will allow for tec training.

that's incredibly restrictive and narrow minded on both the regulators and the computer...

 

[runsongas]

just start with the dgx package and build from there

DGX Custom - DGX Singles Harness / Backplate / Wing / Reg Package | Dive Gear Express®

 

[stuartv]

For tech, regulators with a swivel turret and a bottom port (e.g. Deep6 Signature series, Dive Rite XT, Atomic M1, and many others) offer the most flexibility. You can use those for anything. Doubles, side mount, single tank, deco cylinders, etc.. Regs with no bottom port or no swivel turret can be used for all those things, too. But, for some of those things, the hoses won’t route as nicely. With swivel and bottom port, you can route your hoses however you want - even routing them as if you didn’t have a bottom port, for example. If you wanted.

For a computer, buy a Shearwater now and then buy another Shearwater when you’re preparing to start tech training. One of them will be your backup for tech dives. A fully capable tech computer as a backup is way better than a rec computer in gauge mode as backup. I think that every tech diver I have personally dived with has had 2 (or more) tech computers. I have only seen people doing tech dives using a rec computer in gauge mode as backup when they were new tech divers and they were still using the first computer they ever bought because they couldn’t yet afford a second Shearwater.

Any back plate and single tank wing will work for now. When you go tech, you’ll either buy a doubles wing to use with the BP you already have, or you’ll buy a side mount rig. Or you’ll realize that OC tech training is just wasting time and you’ll go straight to CCR and keep your BPW setup strictly for single tank rec diving.