Hey guys,
I am new to the bp/w. I've done a lot of searches and a lot of reading. As I read more and more my ideal configuration kept changing. Finally I settled on a basic hog harness, a 30lb donut style wing, and a stainless steel backplate. I thought I was done, but then I did some more reading and I came to realize that for my typical diving, a 30lb wing would be overkill. My diving is south Florida / Keys / Florida Springs. Without a wetsuit I usually use 8lbs in salt water with an AL tank and standard BC. I think I could go 6lbs, but I like to evenly distribute the weight between my front integrated pockets and my rear trim pockets so I use 4 up front and 4 in back. In the springs I use 10lbs with an AL tank and a 5/4/3 wetsuit.
So I did some more reading to determine what my options were, and I settled on oxycheq or DSS. I liked the fact that DSS had different sized plates and that Tobin was an active participant on multiple scuba boards. His product seems well thought out. I also really liked the overall aesthetic of the oxycheq wings and the ruggedness (especially in the case of the extreme series).
My end state is to have a bare bones, simple rig, that does everything I need it to do and nothing I don't. I want it to be bulletproof (figuratively), non-proprietary (as much as possible), and of course extremely effective.
At the end of the day I bought 2 rigs. An Oxycheq 30# mach V extreme wing + oxycheq bp, and a DSS 17# Torus wing + DSS kydex backplate (their travel setup).
While not apples to apples, I took some side by side comparisons. The overall top down footprint of both wings is nearly identical. The medium DSS backplate seems to have the same footprint as the oxycheq standard plate as well. I also noticed the bend in the plate is not as pronounced in the DSS plate. Naturally, the DSS wing is much thinner when inflated. The 17# wing is barely there. Fit and finish seem to be similar, although the oxcyheq wing seems more robust (it is the extreme version and the price difference is fairly substantial). The oxycheq wing has a zipper, while the DSS does not.
If anyone feels like weighing in on which setup they recommend I go with, please feel free. Additionally, if anyone would like any additional pictures, just ask and I'll post them up.
The picture that shows the kydex backplate on top of the oxycheq wing, I have the backplate sitting on top of the oxycheq stainless backplate. They seem to be an approximate match dimensionally.
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