Looking for advice for my first backplate and wing purchase

[stuartv]

I can FEEL the love!

 

[Soloist]

I can FEEL the love!

Wait a minute. If I like this post does it mean I agree with you???

 

[purbeast]

I have broad shoulders too and experienced similar results with a hogarthian harness. If you think your harness feels uncomfortable now just wait till you are all geared up with a full steel tank. Once horizontal in the water the weight will transition from your shoulders to your back, so if you are boat diving it’s probably not a big deal. However, a large percentage of our diving is done from shore, so we do a lot of tromping around fully loaded down with gear. I know it is sacrilege and I will be summarily castigated for suggesting this, but a deluxe harness “may” be a good alternative. This orients your shoulder straps perpendicular to the ground for better weight distribution, eliminates pinching under your arms by providing additional space and it’s easier to don and doff. It is much more comfortable for me. The chest strap helps keep everything in place when you sling bottles too. Now, let the abuse begin!

It's actually not uncomfortable at all for me when I wear it, but I haven't gotten in the water with it or anything yet either.

The chest strap was something I was contemplating before I got one. But, when I tried out the only BP/W I have used in the pool (which is the reason I decided to go this route) I didn't feel at all like that one was going to slide off. I don't actually feel like it's going to slide off either when just wearing it around as I was trying it on and stuff. I also don't have any tank on though so it's now heavy at all.

 

[purbeast]

Got my VDH #35 today. While I don't have anything to compare it to, the quality on this thing feels great. Feels VERY heavy duty. I was surprised at the heaviness to the inflator hose, but in a good way, because of how heavy duty it feels. Definitely feels more solid than any of the rental jacket BCD's I've used. It took me 4 full breaths to inflate it with my lung which wasn't bad. I don't really have anything to compare it to size wise either but it seems fairly compact, although when inflated it's a decent size, which is good because at the surface I want to be as good as I can be!

I am not sure what the zipper is for on it and didn't mess with it or anything though.

Hopefully after I get my regs next Friday I can put it all together and try everything out in a pool.

 

[Soloist]

I am not sure what the zipper is for on it and didn't mess with it or anything though.

VDH wings have zippered outer shells so you can easily repair the inner bladder in the unlikely event of a leak. Unlike this one from DSS...

Has anyone on the board repaired/replaced a Deep Sea Supply BP+W bladder?

 

[purbeast]

VDH wings have zippered outer shells so you can easily repair the inner bladder in the unlikely event of a leak. Unlike this one from DSS...

Has anyone on the board repaired/replaced a Deep Sea Supply BP+W bladder?

That's good to know. Hell even the zipper on this thing is like industrial grade heavy duty.

 

[purbeast]

Alright I have some more pics since I finally had time to get the crotch strap finished. I think I got the crotch strap in a good "snug"ness.

So it's still sagging quite a bit on my back as seen in these pics.

But then if I pull tighter, almost like if I had a chest strap, everything rides up quite a bit. Here are some pics of what I mean.

So basically I'm just wondering WTF I should do or if everything will be okay once I get into the water. I definitely plan on trying all of this out in the pool once I get my regs and have my full setup. I still need to trim some of the webbing on this too and have excess just in case, but I do plan on trimming it a bit more still.

 

[eelnoraa]

Just give it a try in water.

Removed brain fart commey, although already being quoted. Haha

 

[purbeast]

Not sure if you are being sarcastic about the tail comment since it's quite long still lol, but I followed this video here:

 

[dmaziuk]

Just give it a try in water.

Oh, I think your waist buckle is not threaded correctly. When done correctly, the tail should be on the inside.

On my buckle the relevant piece is not offset high enough to do that comfortably. Maybe with very soft webbing... threading it straight through works just fine.