Rockhound
Guest
to make a few more dives with my Ranger over the last few weeks. It DOES trap some air, but not very much. I estimated that diving with an AL80, the difference between my weighting with the Ranger is now about 1 lb. or less in saltwater. I now see no difference in fresh. I don't think this air trapping would be considered a safety issue.
As for the post regarding discomfort with the straps on a backplate rig: I used neoprene pads on my AT PAC straps. These pads are wraparound and secured with velcro. While they may not be readily available anymore, similar pads are available as "stay/chain" guards for bicycles. I have one on my bike. They wrap around the lower stay to protect it from dings...or in the case of my bicycle, from completely flying apart (carbon fiber). Mine is of sufficient width to work with harness webbing.
Of course, I don't know if such pads would be approved DIR add-ons. I mean, you could get the velcro caught in your beard, causing a potentially tragic self-entanglement hazard (sorry, Uncle Pug, I couldn't resist).
Another possibility regarding the fit is the length or width of your torso. If you are "long bodied" or have a weightlifter's breadth (or my bubba-girth), then some adjusting might be in order. Do these backplates come in different sizes or have different web lacing points? (I don't know much about the new "BP-Wings" beyond what I read here.) You might need to "spread" the loop formed by the shoulder straps by lengthening the attachment points (my AtPac had continuous webbing, but you could adjust the spread by changing "slots"). That way, you couldn't tightent the webbing to your body without digging in under your arms.
I agree, it sounds like an adjustement issue. While I'm unfamiliar with Halcyon and the other BP wing setups out there, I agree that back inflation and simplistic rigs are the way to go. Still, though, I like me new Ranger just fine......
Speaking of bicycles, someone congratulate me....I rode my bike from Houston to San Antonio over the weekend--215 miles, half of it in the rain. It was great. I wasn't alone, as I was a ride marshall for about 400 bikes attempting to make the trek.
My diving will have to taper off for this biking thing, since I'm training to ride with the Houston Police Dept. Bicycle Relay Team from Houston to Edmonton, Alberta next summer (We'll be in Calgary for the Stampede, and may even riding in the parade). I'm not a cop, but I'll be riding as a civilian member of the team in "honor" of my 7yr. old son. We are riding and fundraising for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
If I kept diving, flying powered parachutes AND riding a bike almost every day, I'd be deeevorced fer sur.
As for the post regarding discomfort with the straps on a backplate rig: I used neoprene pads on my AT PAC straps. These pads are wraparound and secured with velcro. While they may not be readily available anymore, similar pads are available as "stay/chain" guards for bicycles. I have one on my bike. They wrap around the lower stay to protect it from dings...or in the case of my bicycle, from completely flying apart (carbon fiber). Mine is of sufficient width to work with harness webbing.
Of course, I don't know if such pads would be approved DIR add-ons. I mean, you could get the velcro caught in your beard, causing a potentially tragic self-entanglement hazard (sorry, Uncle Pug, I couldn't resist).
Another possibility regarding the fit is the length or width of your torso. If you are "long bodied" or have a weightlifter's breadth (or my bubba-girth), then some adjusting might be in order. Do these backplates come in different sizes or have different web lacing points? (I don't know much about the new "BP-Wings" beyond what I read here.) You might need to "spread" the loop formed by the shoulder straps by lengthening the attachment points (my AtPac had continuous webbing, but you could adjust the spread by changing "slots"). That way, you couldn't tightent the webbing to your body without digging in under your arms.
I agree, it sounds like an adjustement issue. While I'm unfamiliar with Halcyon and the other BP wing setups out there, I agree that back inflation and simplistic rigs are the way to go. Still, though, I like me new Ranger just fine......
Speaking of bicycles, someone congratulate me....I rode my bike from Houston to San Antonio over the weekend--215 miles, half of it in the rain. It was great. I wasn't alone, as I was a ride marshall for about 400 bikes attempting to make the trek.
My diving will have to taper off for this biking thing, since I'm training to ride with the Houston Police Dept. Bicycle Relay Team from Houston to Edmonton, Alberta next summer (We'll be in Calgary for the Stampede, and may even riding in the parade). I'm not a cop, but I'll be riding as a civilian member of the team in "honor" of my 7yr. old son. We are riding and fundraising for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
If I kept diving, flying powered parachutes AND riding a bike almost every day, I'd be deeevorced fer sur.