Well - now I've done it.

[Boogie711]

I must have paid too much attention to all you folks on here or something, but I have gone and bought a BP/Wings combo.

Word to the wise - I am new. Very new. In fact, I get my OW certification in late May, if things go on track. I figure I'll do the classes in whatever rental jacket/back inflate BC they want to train me in (my LDS doesn't do bp/wings) and after my certification, I'll take my bp/wing setup for a few pool dives. Assuming everything checks out, I'll give it a go.

If I hate it, I can always pitch it back unto E-Bay.

For those of you who are curious, I bought a SS backplate, heavy one-piece STA and harness kit from S&W Metalworks, for a grand total of around $130 US. I just bought a Deep Outdoors 40lb wing - probably a little more lift than I need or want, but I only paid $81 plus shipping.

Total investment = $210, including wing, sta, harness, d-rings, SS backplate. All I need now are cambands - and I guess from reading here that Dive-Rite Express has good ones for around $15 or $20 or so. Do they ship to Canada?

Anyway - I might need some help putting the whole thing together. Luckily, I'm not in a hurry, since I can't do anything with it yet, but count on me harassing you with questions like "How does this harness thingy work? "

Thanks everyone!

 

[Mo2vation]

Pretty new to BP/W myself.

Its curious that your OW class won't support your choice in BC - I'm wondering why that is? To me, its just a BC in another form.

I can see them getting weird with a DIR regulator config (everyone else using octo in triangle, you with necklace) but from what I'm reading, I presume you'll be using a conventional regulator set up with a BP/W... Have they offered any reason for not supporting the BP, or is that just your presumption.

Anyway - you'll find, as I did, a great community here that will put up well crafted arguements on both sides of every issue.

Welcome - ask lots of questions - nothing is too dumb (I've asked some winners...) Take responsibility for your own education, do not dive ignorant and get as many informed, experienced opinions as possible. There is wisdom in a multude of counselors!

Ken

 

[leadweight]

Where did you buy the Deep Outdoors wing?

 

[Waterborne]

Booogie, good deal on the new purchase! If I was me, which I am, I would use the BP/wings for the class. Why not learn on what you'll most likely be using in OW anyway. You just bought a nice BC, why use a run-through rental for the class? A friend of mine asked last summer if he could use my spare BP/wings for his class so I let him. He loved it so much he had one within a week after his checkout dives.

Wlecome to the board as well!

 

[Boogie711]

Leadweight - a wing just sold on E-Bay for that price, so I emailed the seller and said if he had an extra one, I'd give him the same $. He went for it, so hopefully the wing arrives and I didn't just get ripped off.

My concern about going BP/Wing in the class is that the shop doesn't do BP/Wings - it's just 'recreational.' They are a really good shop, with an excellent reputation, and an active dive club, so I'd like to be in good stand with them. I'll probably still end up buying my regulator there, but like any LDS, they get a little ticked off if you don't buy your gear there.

Secondly, my understanding (and again, all of my knowledge is theoretical, not practical) is that a BP/wing would be uncomfortable without exposure protection, and wouldn't most of the in-pool in-class stuff just be done in shorts and a T-shirt? It's a 12 pound rig in and of itself. I suppose I could go find an ABS backplate, but to be honest, I would never use it again and I'm not looking forward to fitting the harness once, much less twice.

My other reason is simply experience - I'm brand spanking new. I figure I should at least TRY a jacket and a back inflate BC a few times, right?

 

[leadweight]

with scuba gear on, all of the OW classes there had wetsuits on. Our class was rescue and they did not ask us to wear suits, but we could have. Interesting, because without a wetsuit and wearing a jacket BC I sank easily without no weights. I wore a weightbelt without any lead just so that the other divers could take it off during the drills. The water was 86 f, but after 2 hours a few of the divers got a bit cold. One very big guy did need about 4# in a t shirt.

If your rig is 12# negative, it will be rather heavy in fresh water unless you have on a fairly thick wetsuit or a drysuit. Might borrow a jacket for that class, or try to find someone who will lend you an STA that is not weighted. I assume you bought that rig for cold water, right? So far as trying a jacket, no reason not to. It is just experience.

 

[Boogie711]

I've done numerous searches on the board for instructions on how to thread this thing...

I've found http://www.gasdiving.co.uk/pages/misc/kit/harness_2.htm

which was helpful, to a point, but there have to be other sources out there on how to thread this thing out. Can someone help me out?

 

[Dryglove]

Here is a site for adjusting the harness http://www.baue.org/images/galleries/view_album.php?set_albumName=equipment

 

[Dryglove]

Another site http://www.wkpp.org/articles/Gear/equip_moreimages.htm

 

[Boogie711]

I've already seen the sites, but they are helpful. I was specifically looking for something that would be like "the idiot's guide to threading a backplate harness" or something. I've figured out the shoulder straps and D rings so far, but I've given up for the night on trying fo figure out waist strap configuration.

No one ever claimed I was bright, I guess...:bonk: