Which rig?

[Centexbear]

Tobin,

I talked to you on the phone a couple of weeks ago and I now know more of what I need and have some better info for you after a week of ocean warm water diving.

This rig will be for singles, using AL 80's in tropical/warm water diving or in Texas lakes (also warm water). This will be for recreational purposes only.

I have a 3/2MM wetsuit. In the pool with no gear except my wetsuit and swim trunks it is about +3 lbs. In the ocean my wetsuit is +7 lbs. This is the suit I'd wear in Texas lakes or on tropical ocean diving trips. I could wear a little less, maybe a 0.5 MM or swim trunks only but never more than a 3/2 MM wetsuit.

I'm 5'9" and you told me on the phone that I'd need a medium sized plate.

During the week with my regs, my 3/2MM wetsuit and a rented Mares BC I used 12 lbs on a weight belt. A few times with an empty tank (500 +/- psi) I had to swim facedown and fin kick just a bit to maintain my safety stop (was easy and didn't struggle while doing this) but down below it seemed that 12 lbs on the weight belt was perfect.

Please help me walk through the math. Your help is greatly appreciated!

Jeff

 

[Centexbear]

Any thoughts on which wing and bp would be appropriate? When we talked on the phone, you asked several questions to which I didn't have all the answers....but now I have them for ya.

Or, I could call you.

Much thanks!

 

[cool_hardware52]

Tobin,

I talked to you on the phone a couple of weeks ago and I now know more of what I need and have some better info for you after a week of ocean warm water diving.

This rig will be for singles, using AL 80's in tropical/warm water diving or in Texas lakes (also warm water). This will be for recreational purposes only.

I have a 3/2MM wetsuit. In the pool with no gear except my wetsuit and swim trunks it is about +3 lbs. In the ocean my wetsuit is +7 lbs. This is the suit I'd wear in Texas lakes or on tropical ocean diving trips. I could wear a little less, maybe a 0.5 MM or swim trunks only but never more than a 3/2 MM wetsuit.

I'm 5'9" and you told me on the phone that I'd need a medium sized plate.

During the week with my regs, my 3/2MM wetsuit and a rented Mares BC I used 12 lbs on a weight belt. A few times with an empty tank (500 +/- psi) I had to swim facedown and fin kick just a bit to maintain my safety stop (was easy and didn't struggle while doing this) but down below it seemed that 12 lbs on the weight belt was perfect.

Please help me walk through the math. Your help is greatly appreciated!

Jeff

Jeff,

Sorry I missed your post.

If you are using 12 lbs with a 3mm suit, al 80 and jacket bc you had about 14 lbs or ballast (12 lead + 2 for your reg)

Your tank is a bout +3 at 500 psi and your jacket BC is likely about +4 with an empty bladder. 14 -3 - 4 = 7 (+7 for a 3mm is on the high side, so I'd guess you are maybe a tad positive yourself.)

If you + your suit are +7 and you plan to use al 80's which are +4 empty you need about 11-12 lbs of total ballast. That makes a SS plate the right choice.

Your rig, plate, harness, reg and full al 80 will be about -10 with a full tank and -4 with an empty tank.

If you need 12 lbs of ballast that leaves about 8 in a weight belt.

You can use a very small wing. A 17 is enough for a 3mm suit and al 80's.

If you plan on thicker suits or larger steel tanks you might want to consider a LCD 20.

Recap:

For 3mm suits + al 80's

Medium SS plate
Hogarthian Harness
Torus 17 Wing

For 5mm suit + maybe HP100's

Medium SS plate
Hogarthian Harness
LCD 20

Tobin

 

[Centexbear]

Tobin,

Given I'd need approx. 8 lbs, how would you recommend I approach the weighting?

I guess around the waist with a belt is ditchable but I've read your posts about it maybe being more optimal attached to the tank and over your chest/lungs.

I see you make an 8.1 lb weight attachment for the Medium bp. That might be a little too much if I'm not exactly right on my weight estimations for my 3/2 MM wetsuit.

Maybe attach weight pockets to the tank on the straps?

Jeff

 

[cool_hardware52]

Tobin,

Given I'd need approx. 8 lbs, how would you recommend I approach the weighting?

I guess around the waist with a belt is ditchable but I've read your posts about it maybe being more optimal attached to the tank and over your chest/lungs.

I see you make an 8.1 lb weight attachment for the Medium bp. That might be a little too much if I'm not exactly right on my weight estimations for my 3/2 MM wetsuit.

Maybe attach weight pockets to the tank on the straps?

Jeff

I'd recommend a weight belt. I'm not a fan of having 100% of your ballast attached to your rig. If you do this your wing has to be sized to float all the ballast + all the gas.

If you split up the ballast so part of it is on your rig (plate, tank, reg) and part is on your person (weight belt) you can often use a smaller wing. That's because the wing need not float all the ballast + all the gas if you ditch it.

Tobin

 

[Centexbear]

I felt obligated to come back with a report after a real dive trip.

Last year when I got the BP/W, I did a test run in a buddy's pool a few times but last month did 24 dives in a week in Cozumel with my new Torus 17 wing and Med. steel bp.

In short, it rocked. In fact, it rocked hard.

Very comfortable, easy to dive with and improved my diving in the water.

Thanks Tobin and DSS!

 

[cool_hardware52]

I felt obligated to come back with a report after a real dive trip.

Last year when I got the BP/W, I did a test run in a buddy's pool a few times but last month did 24 dives in a week in Cozumel with my new Torus 17 wing and Med. steel bp.

In short, it rocked. In fact, it rocked hard.

Very comfortable, easy to dive with and improved my diving in the water.

Thanks Tobin and DSS!

Very cool! Thanks for the report. 24 dives in a week, sounds like a great trip.

Tobin

 

[divesergeant]

centexbear,

Wow. That's what I call packing the dives in.

Sounds like a great time. Did you notice any reduction in air use? I did with my DSS BP/W, presumably due to less drag, and wonder if that is universal.

DS

 

[Centexbear]

I definitely had an improvement in my consumption rate. However, being such a new diver, I don't know if it's just naturally improving or if it's because of the new piece of gear...or maybe a little due to both! I know on this trip, I was making a concerted effort to focus on my breathing and my air rate.

Got my weights down to 6 lbs, got Nitrox certified and I was never the first guy out of the water. Lotta fun!

Yeah, I travel solo, so when I go I do pack em in. 4-5 dives every day for a week.

 

[Centexbear]

Wanted to stop by a year later to say thank you to Tobin and DSS.

I love my wing and made the right decision thanks to the wonderful recommendation. I've put 75ish dives on it and love it. I didn't pack it on a particular trip for a specific reason and I HATED the bcd i had to dive with compared to my Torus 17 DSS wing...it is worth every penny!

Heading to Cozumel in a few weeks and I'll have my trusty DSS wing with me again.

Thanks again Tobin!

From an extremely satisfied customer.