Advice on first BP/W

[DanMont]

Hi all,

So it looks like I will be investing in my first BC after Christmas after having used rentals or club gear so far. I have used mostly jacket style so far but have had the chance to use BP/W a couple of times and felt an improved comfort level in them. My thinking is to go straight to BP/W rather than get a Jacket style and then finding myself shelling out for a BP/W later down the line anyway as it seems many people do. I am only using single tanks at the moment and have no plans to go into doubles anytime soon. Therefore I have been looking at single tank setups, and in particular I quite like the look of DiveRite.

I dive drysuits at home and with steel 12L 232bar tanks with about 10kg weight so I am definitely going to get a SS Backplate. I was thinking I would need a wing with around 30-40lbs of lift for this, does that seem right? I also do dive with a 7mm wetsuit sometimes and will be traveling a bit with it (have an upcoming trip to lanzarote soon which I am looking forward to!).

I guess at the moment my biggest question is about straps etc. I quite like the look of DiveRite's transplate set up does anyone else dive with this setup and give me your opinion on it? I notice a lot of BP/W people seem to just dive with a continuous webbing harness, will I just end up going down that route anyway? I am a student so don't have a lot of disposable income so if I would probable end up going with a continuous harness in the end anyway would prefer to not spend the money on a different harness system I would just replace after a year or two anyway.

Anyway sorry for the long post, any advice would be most welcome!

Cheers
Dan

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Dan shoot me your email in a PM. I have an article on BPW's that I will send you gratis. To answer your questions in a generic sense Dive Rite makes good gear. So does DSS, Apeks, Halcyon, HOG, Hollis, and a host of others now. Much of the difference in them is price when it comes right down to it. What do you want to spend? A steel plate is pretty much a steel plate. And for drysuit diving it's what I'd choose. A wing is a wing as long as you get the right size. For steel tanks and dry suits anything in the 30 -35 lb. lift range will be fine. I guess that's what in kilos 13.6 to 15.98 or so? For OW dives wing composition can be, but it not that big of, a deal. You have wings with bladders made of urethane, ballistic nylon type material within a shell and some where the shell and bladder are one.

Harness is going to be a range of options but frankly many, I can't say most as I don't have the numbers to back it up (but it really is most), end up with a basic one piece harness. Properly adjusted it is as easy to get in and out of as an adjustable with one big difference. Putting it on is the same every time. It fits, every time. No tugging this or pulling that. It just plain fits. And it fits you. And if something happens and it gets worn - it's a few pounds worth of webbing vs a hundred for a new complex harness. You can re-use all the hardware.

And by the way, I 'd categorize your first post asking about a BPW as rather short. So no apologies necessary for length of it!

 

[victorzamora]

So, yes, that is a good deal....but 25# of lift might be considered slightly too low for some diving. There are arguments in both directions about whether it's enough or not, but a lot of people generally agree that it's not.

CaveAdventurers has a really good deal on a Hollis wing, Aluminum backplate, and hogarthian style harness. Two more options are Tobin at Deep Sea Supply and Jim Lapenta (the previous poster) for good BPW setups. Not that that Dive Rite setup isn't, just they offer more list. You could also call DGX and see if they can swap the wing for one of higher lift.

As for harnesses, get a single piece harness. I got suckered into buying a "fancy" style harness, despite many others having warned me off, and I regretted it. I can tell you honestly that I now own a single-piece harness and am MUCH happier with it.

 

[cool_hardware52]

Hi all,

So it looks like I will be investing in my first BC after Christmas after having used rentals or club gear so far. I have used mostly jacket style so far but have had the chance to use BP/W a couple of times and felt an improved comfort level in them. My thinking is to go straight to BP/W rather than get a Jacket style and then finding myself shelling out for a BP/W later down the line anyway as it seems many people do. I am only using single tanks at the moment and have no plans to go into doubles anytime soon. Therefore I have been looking at single tank setups, and in particular I quite like the look of DiveRite.

I dive drysuits at home and with steel 12L 232bar tanks with about 10kg weight so I am definitely going to get a SS Backplate. I was thinking I would need a wing with around 30-40lbs of lift for this, does that seem right? I also do dive with a 7mm wetsuit sometimes and will be traveling a bit with it (have an upcoming trip to lanzarote soon which I am looking forward to!).

I guess at the moment my biggest question is about straps etc. I quite like the look of DiveRite's transplate set up does anyone else dive with this setup and give me your opinion on it? I notice a lot of BP/W people seem to just dive with a continuous webbing harness, will I just end up going down that route anyway? I am a student so don't have a lot of disposable income so if I would probable end up going with a continuous harness in the end anyway would prefer to not spend the money on a different harness system I would just replace after a year or two anyway.

Anyway sorry for the long post, any advice would be most welcome!

Cheers
Dan

Dan, for cold water diving the buoyancy of the divers exposure suit almost always determines the minimum wing capacity. Drysuits can vary quite a bit, but typically are at least 20 lbs positive and often range 25-30 lbs positive.

To test your suit:

Put on your undies and suit and jump into neck deep water with holding onto a bag of "too much" lead.

Vent the suit.

Pick up your feet, if you sink remove some lead.

Repeat until you just barely sink.

Weigh the bag of lead. That will represent the buoyancy of your suit with minimum gas in it. It also will represent the smallest wing you should consider using.

Given that you want to use this gear for both cold water and warm water avoiding oversizing your cold water wing will pay dividends when you go some where warm.

Tobin

 

[halocline]

Hi all,

I am only using single tanks at the moment and have no plans to go into doubles anytime soon. Therefore I have been looking at single tank setups, and in particular I quite like the look of DiveRite.

I dive drysuits at home and with steel 12L 232bar tanks with about 10kg weight so I am definitely going to get a SS Backplate. I was thinking I would need a wing with around 30-40lbs of lift for this, does that seem right?

Dive rite makes quality stuff, sometimes their wings are oversized IMO. Just avoid a wing that's supposedly for single and double tanks. I'd suggest just the continuos webbing harness, no extra padding or clips.

 

[TravisD]

As for harnesses, get a single piece harness. I got suckered into buying a "fancy" style harness, despite many others having warned me off, and I regretted it. I can tell you honestly that I now own a single-piece harness and am MUCH happier with it.

Second on this. My BP/W came with a "fancy" harness with padding and buckles, and I was much happier when I finally switched to a hogarthian type harness.

 

[TSandM]

Most folks in our area end up with a wing in the 32 - 35 lb range, which I would assume is similar for you in the UK. You definitely want enough lift to keep the rig on the surface if you have to take it off, and enough to make up for a flooded dry suit.

I would recommend purchasing the one-piece harness to begin with, and then get some knowledgeable assistance in adjusting it properly. If you eventually decide it just doesn't work for you, you can buy the fancy one. It's easier that way than to buy the expensive one with the bells and whistles, and eventually decide you don't want or need it, and go for the simple one.

 

[kelemvor]

My first bp/w was a diverite with a deluxe harness. I later switched to straight "Hogarthian" webbing for about 25 dives. I put the deluxe back on recently because I like the adjustment points on the deluxe. The webbing material used in the deluxe is a bit softer, but that's probably just a matter of finding softer webbing for the hogarthian.

The padding for the backplate is un-necessary. Even with no exposure protection, I've never felt the wing nuts on mine.

I don't mean to say the hogarthian isn't easy to adjust because it is; I just like the deluxe a little more.

Since the money is a concern, just get the continuous webbing and save a few bucks. You still need to buy a buckle and some D-rings for it. Also, don't forget a crotch strap. The little foam pad like you'd find on a diverite deluxe can be important if you end up diving in just shorts.

 

[tphelps]

Smart decision, BP and Wing is the way to go.

I dive all Hollis: "Solo" harness with a 25lb wing, SS backplate. Like Jim said, pretty much they're all the same it's just how much money you want to spend. I have a little loyalty to Hollis that's why I stuck with them.

From what it sounds like, a 38lb wing would be good for you. Make sure to check your weighting too, if you dive overweighted right now then you can get by with something smaller.

I'm a college student too, the "solo" harness was the cheapest option for me… and it works great. No complaints thus far!

 

[DanMont]

Thanks for all the comments guys. Definitely think I will go for the continuous harness now for the moment, as said better to swap to something more expensive than realise I spent all that money when I didn't need to.

A couple of other questions. I've read a bit about STA's for diving with single tanks and can't quite figure out what they actually are! I know they are supposed to stabilise a single tank but are they just an optional extra or is it something you definitely need?

Secondly I have read a bit about compatibility issues between brands, is this a real issue or just an attempt to get divers to buy everything off of one company? If it is an issue which brands should I avoid mixing gear from? i.e would a hollis wing work on a diverite plate? I guess it is only really the wing/plate attachment that is affected by this as the webbing should be the same regardless of brand, right?