new/old vintage BP-because Orange! How old?

[Sam Miller III]

Thank You @regulator bj

I was just heading that way == Hirsh Weiss , then White stag and finally DEEP

Was White Stag popular in UK? It never gained popularity in US - especially So Cal

Thanks again,

SDM

 

[aquacat8]

"White Stag" produced that style have catalogue circa 1971 att pix to help identify.

john68



View attachment 475124 View attachment 475125

Thank you that is it, the White Stag... it had a riveted web belt like that which I removed. It has the buckle too but the sticker was off. You guys are amazing! Thanks for all the vintage coolness you share! Newer is not necessarily better. I can’t afford a Halcyon or DSS lightweight plate and now I don’t need one. This was $10!

 

[Luis H]

I have three black backpacks that look exactly like this one. They are all White Stag.

I also have one orange that was sold by Nemrod.

In Puerto Rico (at Divers Service Center, in early 1970's) we used to import some gear that wasn’t as common on the rest of the US and I remember seeing these packs being sold by Nemrod. I did not see the White Stags until later. I think they look like they came out of the same mold (or very similar).



An important feature of this packs is that the plastic is a lot more flexible than the one used by US Divers in their contour packs. The US Divers packs were very brittle and would crack very easily.

Just gently laying the tank down on top of the pack would easily crack it. The weight of the tank was enough to crack the pack at the bottom.

These packs on the other hand are much more flexible and forgiving to abuse. They will flex and bounce back without cracking.

I often use all three of my black ones for pool sessions when I am sharing a double hose kit with any of the local dive club members. On this events the backpacks get a lot of abuse, and they still work just fine.


These are also extremely comfortable backpacks.

 

[aquacat8]

This one had a smaller diameter tank in it that the dive shop kept for their vintage display as it had a tapered valve and I think a 1982 hydro.

 

[aquacat8]

Ah, a mystery! It would go nicely with my orange Sportsways tank with the orange boot!

Did this replace the "killed poodle?"

Yes, it did replace the killed poodle. What happened was I decided I just hate rented aluminum 80s for shore diving and I bought a used high pressure steel 80, which was the closest thing to my old steel 72s I could find. With three mil for warm water the first thing I had to do was take the lead blocks out of the kilked poodle. Also it turned out that the killed poodle was not comfortable to backpack any distance on land as it dug into my lower back. When I found this I was thrilled as it is really quite a nice comfortable design.

 

[aquacat8]

They were called Back packs

Voit equipment was basic Blue and White
US Divers Equipment was Yellow
Sportsways equipment was Orange and Black
However, this does not appear to be made by Sportsways
????????
Contour back packs appeared in early 1960s


SDM

Thanks Sam, As always I am grateful for your historical knowledge and thanks for correcting my terminology. I really like to use the correct terms for a vintage things!

 

[aquacat8]

I have three black backpacks that look exactly like this one. They are all White Stag.

I also have one orange that was sold by Nemrod.

In Puerto Rico (at Divers Service Center, in early 1970's) we used to import some gear that wasn’t as common on the rest of the US and I remember seeing these packs being sold by Nemrod. I did not see the White Stags until later. I think they look like they came out of the same mold (or very similar).



An important feature of this packs is that the plastic is a lot more flexible than the one used by US Divers in their contour packs. The US Divers packs were very brittle and would crack very easily.

Just gently laying the tank down on top of the pack would easily crack it. The weight of the tank was enough to crack the pack at the bottom.

These packs on the other hand are much more flexible and forgiving to abuse. They will flex and bounce back without cracking.

I often use all three of my black ones for pool sessions when I am sharing a double hose kit with any of the local dive club members. On this events the backpacks get a lot of abuse, and they still work just fine.


These are also extremely comfortable backpacks.

Maybe it is the Nemrod. I sure wish I could get in that pool with you and dive some vintage gear…

 

[Akimbo]

Regardless of color, Voit did not have the carrying handle on top:

This early 1960s model is injection molded ABS. Previous versions, as @Sam Miller III indicated, were a pretty poor fiberglass formula. Sportsways backpacks were stamped aluminum and painted back and the harness attached to the top much differently. I can't say for sure but I also believe that @regulator bj is correct.

 

[aquacat8]

It really looks exactly like the White Stag pictured, and it seems to be a very good plastic, and it did have a web belt with two rivets like that on it. I think it was older than the tank on it, which was attached with a metal hose clamp not as wide as the metal strap shown, but metal nonetheless, too thin to be the original for that wide slot.

 

[Sam Miller III]

@Luis H

Thanks for joining

White Stag had 4 different sagas

I) Hirsh Weiss (White Stag in German) located in NW... produced camping equipment etc
(@John C. Ratliff were are you??)

2) White Stag - diving & campong equipment

3) DEEP (Diving Equipment Engineered for Professionals
This was the last and final company - the late Dick Anderson was the front man

4) Sea Tec, Harry Rescigno hired Chuck ??? (at this moment cant recall his last name)
He was in charge of producing all of Sea Tec's wet & dry suits
I never really knew Chuck well - Only met him in meetings when I was consulting with Sea Tec.

Chuck passed on about 30 or so years ago

@aquacat8 more than you ever thought you would ever know....

Sam Miller, 111