Backplate In PSD

[bridgediver]

Hi Mark

Have a look at oxycheq and agir. They make good stuff too. Agir actually makes a light blue wing if you want non-black (the environment is usually black so whats the difference?). If you go halcyon, avoid the SS inflator - they're prone to freeze ups.

For wear points with a BP they usually only occur in the crotch and rarely, on the kidney area where the bottom of the plate rests. Shoulders are somewhat loose when diving if you've got it fitted right so it doesn't tend to wear there at all so shoulder pads are unecessary.
Also, if you're using vikings you won't have any problems with straps wearing through.

 

[dittrimd]

Thanks for the additional info. I have seen oxycheq but not AGIR, I will do a search and see what they offer. I agree that we dive in black water but anything that improves the ability to see another diver seems a good thing to me. The orange/red bladder that OMS is the only one I have seen in a brighter color. Maybe it is over kill becuase if you have a bright tank and suit then that should be good enough. I also really like the OMS construction and quality. The reality is that at this level all of the products seem to be top notch. I really like what Tobin has at DSS plus he is great to deal with. I think for my personal rig I am going to go with one of his.

I was suprised to hear about the SS inflater from Halcyon freezing up. I had heard about a recall they had but I thought that had been addressed. Ironically my teamate and the shop that sold him his Halcyon say that SS is the only way to go and has a very low failure rate especially in cold water?? I would love to hear what you have seen, heard, experienced with these inflators.

Thanks

Mark

 

[bridgediver]

I was suprised to hear about the SS inflater from Halcyon freezing up. I had heard about a recall they had but I thought that had been addressed. Ironically my teamate and the shop that sold him his Halcyon say that SS is the only way to go and has a very low failure rate especially in cold water?? I would love to hear what you have seen, heard, experienced with these inflators.

Thanks

Mark

Ask around some more. I've had (have) 2 of the post recall SS inflators. They aren't as bad as the first batch but if you're in and out of the water in sub-zero temps as we often are these will free flow as they freeze up with repeated use (again as a PSD often does). The reason, I would guess, is that steel obviously conducts cold allot more than plastic and will freeze up faster. The reason Halcyon went with SS was to build something that the diver could take apart and maintain himself - a solution for a non-problem in my mind; a good plastic one works fine without taking it apart.
Probably works great in the caves of Florida like all Halcyon stuff though, right?
Most of the sub-zero temp divers I know have reverted back to the plastic inflator. I've seen 2 (out of 8-10?) post recall SS inflators free flow during ice dives - which was enough for me and my sport diving group to switch. I'm actually one of the few that still dive halcyon as most of them went to agir or oxycheq and like them allot better.
BTW - we are a DIR group. Halcyon doesn't make you DIR so I hope you didn't get that impression from your friend

Agir is almost identical to oxycheq but they do have that nice powder blue colour for you.

 

[dittrimd]

Thanks for the info on the inflator. Everything you said made perfect sense so I will keep that in mind. Come to think of it the inflater on my ranger is the original one (6 years) and I have had no trouble.

As for the Halcyon = DIR I do realize that this does not make you DIR, its just that the guys he was coverted by are DIR with Halcyon rigs and swear by them. So of course this guy who is very impresionable only wants Halcyon.

Thanks again.

Mark

 

[ReefGuy]

We use the Genesis Recon, which I like, except that the wing is rather large (75lb lift).

 

[bdshort]

Our FD/PD is just beginning a PSD team. We actually just had our first day of training today. We received a grant to purchase our first round of equipment, and for our BCs we ended up going with Apeks BP/W and the hog style harness. It's beginning to be apparent though that maybe the hog harness wasn't the best idea, as our equipment will be shared between divers, and a quicker method of adjustment would be more desireable. Also, a couple members of the team do not like the idea of a hog harness at all. Mainly, they're concerned about it having no quick release buckles that they can quickly unclip if they need to get out of gear. Also, they seem to be tricky to don over the thick vulcanized rubber Viking drysuits we have.

Do other teams here have shared equipment, and have you used hog harnesses with any success?

 

[Otter]

You might want to check out Deep Sea Supply as well. I believe that they will make wings in a number of different colors upon request.

 

[bridgediver]

Our FD/PD is just beginning a PSD team. We actually just had our first day of training today. We received a grant to purchase our first round of equipment, and for our BCs we ended up going with Apeks BP/W and the hog style harness. It's beginning to be apparent though that maybe the hog harness wasn't the best idea, as our equipment will be shared between divers, and a quicker method of adjustment would be more desireable. Also, a couple members of the team do not like the idea of a hog harness at all. Mainly, they're concerned about it having no quick release buckles that they can quickly unclip if they need to get out of gear. Also, they seem to be tricky to don over the thick vulcanized rubber Viking drysuits we have.

Do other teams here have shared equipment, and have you used hog harnesses with any success?

The answer you'll get from the DIR types is that if you need to you just cut the harness off - which is fast and will only cost you 12ft of webbing. This is fine for the sport diver - unless they need to practice the doff and don occasionally (which can be debated).

For the PSD that shares it doesn't work as you've noticed. Different body sizes need to be adjusted on the fly. You can incorporate QR into the hog style but I personally haven't tried it, we just use an actual QR harness. Theres a few different ideas in this thread
http://thedecostop.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22913&highlight=quick+release
(I know we should'nt cross post but I think this would really help those looking to do this)
If you do try one of these methods out let us know which way you went and how its worked for you.

I've tried my sport rigs (hog harnesses) on the viking and feel your pain!:shakehead