Hi Tobin,
My name is Mikel, live in Northern Spain (excuse my english). I have over 50 dives and have always rented my BC, reg and back up regs (always BC rec type since it is quite difficult to have the chance to rent a BP/W). I am planning to buy my own and opted for a BP/W configuration. At this moment I fell I´ve read to many threads and the more info I get the more confused. I thing DSS can give me what I want.
-My diving in Spain is mainly in summer (salt water) with a 5 mm wetsuit, 3 mm gloves and 5 mm hood and boots, sometimes (early and late summer) I change the hood for a hooded 2 mm vest. I am 1.80 cm and 85 kg (sorry about the metric, I guess is something like 5´9" and 187 lbs) I wear the scubapro jet fin (plan to get a torch, a small backup light and a SMB in the future). In europe we usually dive with steel (200 bar) and I normally take the 12 l, so I guess that is about 85 cuft?. In terms of weight, I am using 5 kg (11 lbs) but lately I´ve tried a couple of times with a bit less (9.5 lbs) and I am sure with some practice I could easily go with 8.8 lbs).
-When abroad (not as much as I would want), I´ve normally dived with the 5 mm wetsuit (maybe at some point depending on location I will use a 3 mm wetsuit I guess) but I´ve been diving a 5 mm with surf temp of 25-27 ºC and no problems (salt water). No hood or gloves but boots and same other bits. When abroad i have normally been given Aluminium 15 l at 300 bar (need math revision!). In terms of weight, I´ve used betwenn 11-13 lbs.
In terms of further diving skills, I think for some time I will be doing the same kind of diving, maybe some deco with stages (I´ve tried it a couple of times for longer deep dives and like it) but this is it.
Regarding the BP/W configuration, as I would like to get rid of weightbelt (but still want to have some dropable ballast just in case!) and counting on ocasional wearing a 3 mm wetsuit, I was thinking in getting the Kydex medium and adding some weight pockets in the harness and some in the cambands for trim, but maybe the SS plate will do (I guess I would not have huge problems traveling with a SS backaplate in most of my trips) just adding some dropable ballast (weight pockets).
In terms of wing lift, haven´t worked it out but though about a donut shaped 26 or 30lbs. I would prefer a wing that could be bolted to the plate to stay fixed with cam slots so I can pass the cambands through them and through the plate. STA?, dont know, if stable enough and no need of extra weight....if not, then I guess yes.
Well, in term of harness, the hog type seems allright in terms of simplicity, but I would like to add just one shoulder release (DIY?) since it seems it would be easier to put on/off, dificult to say without trying. Regarding the adjustability of the harness when changing the wetsuit, again, I am guessing that 2 mm up/down would not be substantial, woul it?. I am wearing my 5 mm in 80 % of my diving anyway.
One thing for consideration guess it is the height of the tanks, as I said her I normally dive with steel 12 l and these are considerably shorter and wider than Al bottles, so I worry about the distance of the cambands to be able to hold it properly, and the height of the wing (maybe the wing is bigger than the tank).
Another thing for consideration is price and delivery (and service! in the worst case). Shipment cost to europe I guess is quite expensive when adding the custom taxes
I am finding it really dificult to work the system out without having a real look at it. I wish I could just fly to the US, pop in at the shop and try everything out. Could you please at least put up some close up pictures of a similar complete set up.
This ended up being quite long.....sorry!
Thanks for everything
My name is Mikel, live in Northern Spain (excuse my english). I have over 50 dives and have always rented my BC, reg and back up regs (always BC rec type since it is quite difficult to have the chance to rent a BP/W). I am planning to buy my own and opted for a BP/W configuration. At this moment I fell I´ve read to many threads and the more info I get the more confused. I thing DSS can give me what I want.
-My diving in Spain is mainly in summer (salt water) with a 5 mm wetsuit, 3 mm gloves and 5 mm hood and boots, sometimes (early and late summer) I change the hood for a hooded 2 mm vest. I am 1.80 cm and 85 kg (sorry about the metric, I guess is something like 5´9" and 187 lbs) I wear the scubapro jet fin (plan to get a torch, a small backup light and a SMB in the future). In europe we usually dive with steel (200 bar) and I normally take the 12 l, so I guess that is about 85 cuft?. In terms of weight, I am using 5 kg (11 lbs) but lately I´ve tried a couple of times with a bit less (9.5 lbs) and I am sure with some practice I could easily go with 8.8 lbs).
-When abroad (not as much as I would want), I´ve normally dived with the 5 mm wetsuit (maybe at some point depending on location I will use a 3 mm wetsuit I guess) but I´ve been diving a 5 mm with surf temp of 25-27 ºC and no problems (salt water). No hood or gloves but boots and same other bits. When abroad i have normally been given Aluminium 15 l at 300 bar (need math revision!). In terms of weight, I´ve used betwenn 11-13 lbs.
In terms of further diving skills, I think for some time I will be doing the same kind of diving, maybe some deco with stages (I´ve tried it a couple of times for longer deep dives and like it) but this is it.
Regarding the BP/W configuration, as I would like to get rid of weightbelt (but still want to have some dropable ballast just in case!) and counting on ocasional wearing a 3 mm wetsuit, I was thinking in getting the Kydex medium and adding some weight pockets in the harness and some in the cambands for trim, but maybe the SS plate will do (I guess I would not have huge problems traveling with a SS backaplate in most of my trips) just adding some dropable ballast (weight pockets).
In terms of wing lift, haven´t worked it out but though about a donut shaped 26 or 30lbs. I would prefer a wing that could be bolted to the plate to stay fixed with cam slots so I can pass the cambands through them and through the plate. STA?, dont know, if stable enough and no need of extra weight....if not, then I guess yes.
Well, in term of harness, the hog type seems allright in terms of simplicity, but I would like to add just one shoulder release (DIY?) since it seems it would be easier to put on/off, dificult to say without trying. Regarding the adjustability of the harness when changing the wetsuit, again, I am guessing that 2 mm up/down would not be substantial, woul it?. I am wearing my 5 mm in 80 % of my diving anyway.
One thing for consideration guess it is the height of the tanks, as I said her I normally dive with steel 12 l and these are considerably shorter and wider than Al bottles, so I worry about the distance of the cambands to be able to hold it properly, and the height of the wing (maybe the wing is bigger than the tank).
Another thing for consideration is price and delivery (and service! in the worst case). Shipment cost to europe I guess is quite expensive when adding the custom taxes
I am finding it really dificult to work the system out without having a real look at it. I wish I could just fly to the US, pop in at the shop and try everything out. Could you please at least put up some close up pictures of a similar complete set up.
This ended up being quite long.....sorry!
Thanks for everything
