How to fold and stow the lift bag in the backplate?

[CompuDude]

DSS plates are quite flat in overall bend compared to most others, and the center channel is much more shallow on a DSS plate compared to most other plates. This is an advantage in terms of fit, comfort, and reduced tank offset when diving single tanks, but it leaves very little room between the plate and the diver for storage.

This is why we do not offer a plate pocket, it would not be very useful IMO.

Gotcha. The flatter plate is a nice advantage for singles and I can see how there wouldn't be much room. I wonder, though, would there be enough room when your plates are used with doubles (often the plate is farther from the small of your back, since the tanks push the body farther away than the plate)? Perhaps not quite as much room as with plates with a steeper bend, but I still wonder if there would be room for such a pack one your plates, solely for doubles use. Just idle speculation.

 

[cool_hardware52]

Gotcha. The flatter plate is a nice advantage for singles and I can see how there wouldn't be much room. I wonder, though, would there be enough room when your plates are used with doubles (often the plate is farther from the small of your back, since the tanks push the body farther away than the plate)? Perhaps not quite as much room as with plates with a steeper bend, but I still wonder if there would be room for such a pack one your plates, solely for doubles use. Just idle speculation.

It would depend somewhat on your err, um, personal geometry.

The fact remains that plate pockets / pads are an expensive item,($50~$70) require attachment hardware, and cover at least to some extent the wingnuts / thumbwheels

Two loops of bungee can be had for a $ or two.

Tobin

 

[Rainer]

It would depend somewhat on your err, um, personal geometry.

The fact remains that plate pockets / pads are an expensive item,($50~$70) require attachment hardware, and cover at least to some extent the wingnuts / thumbwheels

Two loops of bungee can be had for a $ or two.

Tobin

I know my GUE instructor didn't like the idea of bungeeing bags to the plate, given the possibility of using a storage pack. I keep my marker in my pocket, but a 50# bag in my storage pack. It's much less likely to fall out than from bungee loops (I know, I tried). Would like to hear from others about what their instructors said about the use of bungee to secure lift bags. The GUE guys I dive with up here all pretty much have larger bags in an MC pack, secured with a bolt snap to the butt D-ring.

 

[CompuDude]

I know my GUE instructor didn't like the idea of bungeeing bags to the plate, given the possibility of using a storage pack. I keep my marker in my pocket, but a 50# bag in my storage pack. It's much less likely to fall out than from bungee loops (I know, I tried). Would like to hear from others about what their instructors said about the use of bungee to secure lift bags. The GUE guys I dive with up here all pretty much have larger bags in an MC pack, secured with a bolt snap to the butt D-ring.

MHK gave me a pretty hard time (note he "gave me a hard time" as in teased, however; he didn't say it was banned or anything) about my DiveRite storage pouch, which I have secured to the side of my plate for my large SMB (smaller on in my thigh pocket). I wonder if it was the side placement or the bag itself that bothered him? I'll have to ask when I see him tomorrow. Until DiveRite makes an MC Storage Pack-like add-on for their plates, I only have such storage on my singles plate (Halcyon).

 

[Rainer]

MHK gave me a pretty hard time (note he "gave me a hard time" as in teased, however; he didn't say it was banned or anything) about my DiveRite storage pouch, which I have secured to the side of my plate for my large SMB (smaller on in my thigh pocket). I wonder if it was the side placement or the bag itself that bothered him? I'll have to ask when I see him tomorrow. Until DiveRite makes an MC Storage Pack-like add-on for their plates, I only have such storage on my singles plate (Halcyon).

I only carry the 50# bag with my doubles (Halcyon plate), so it isn't an issue for me (for singles I use a DSS plate, which I very much like). I also had some eyes raised about my DR sleave when I first met my GUE instructor last year, and so I sold it. It was a bit of a pain getting my larger SMB out of it. Just don't trust bungee loops all that much, having seen other people's bags fall out. Obviously somewhat more of a potential for entanglement as well (yes, not much, but why risk it when you DO have a storage pack).

 

[CompuDude]

I only carry the 50# bag with my doubles (Halcyon plate), so it isn't an issue for me (for singles I use a DSS plate, which I very much like). I also had some eyes raised about my DR sleave when I first met my GUE instructor last year, and so I sold it. It was a bit of a pain getting my larger SMB out of it. Just don't trust bungee loops all that much, having seen other people's bags fall out. Obviously somewhat more of a potential for entanglement as well (yes, not much, but why risk it when you DO have a storage pack).

If I didn't like my Mach V so much, I would probably sell off my DiveRite rig, convert my H rig for doubles, and pick up a DSS rig for singles. I suppose I could probably just switch the two rigs, now that I think of it, which would give me the MC pack for doubles. I'll have to think about that...

 

[Belmont]

Would like to hear from others about what their instructors said about the use of bungee to secure lift bags.

My instructor told me to avoid hanging anything that could flop around on my backplate and cause an entanglement hazard. I guess that would apply to a bungee'd lift bag.

As far as what an MC Storage Pak costs, it's the equivalent of what my brother spends on gaz and oil for his Seadoo in one day, plus it's a one time purchase and no maintenance...:14:

 

[cool_hardware52]

It's much less likely to fall out than from bungee loops (I know, I tried). Would like to hear from others about what their instructors said about the use of bungee to secure lift bags.

I keep the bungee loops pretty snug, and I roll the bag so it's pretty wide, never had a problem with it falling out...


Tobin

 

[Rainer]

My instructor told me to avoid hanging anything that could flop around on my backplate and cause an entanglement hazard. I guess that would apply to a bungee'd lift bag.

As far as what an MC Storage Pak costs, it's the equivalent of what my brother spends on gaz and oil for his Seadoo in one day, plus it's a one time purchase and no maintenance...:14:

Shoot, I got my first MC pack with a used Halcyon plate I got off TDS for next to nothing. Picked up an extra one (with another H plate) for $15 (brand new). [Tobin, it's WAY easier finding used H plates than used DSS plates!] If you're patient, you can find them for real cheap. Some people don't have any use for them. Personally, I like them. It's a very cleam solution to storing bigger bags, IMO.

 

[Rainer]

I keep the bungee loops pretty snug, and I roll the bag so it's pretty wide, never had a problem with it falling out...


Tobin

Was what I tried. I know my gf still does the same (for now) on her singles rig. Don't know what to say other than I had mine come loose and have seen it twice on others. Have never had my bag come out of the storage pack. I also like that if I don't want to bring the extra bag, I don't have loops hanging free. In a DIR mindset, I just think the storage pack is a bit cleaner way to go than bungee loops (for extra security and reduced risk of entanglement). As with most things, probably a very minor point.