Double Tank Setup??

[Teamcasa]

I use a Apeks WTX harness system. It can accept a steel plate for doubles or just if you want the extra ballast. I like it because of its flexibility and versatility. I think it is the best of both worlds.

 

[fnfalman]

Most BP/W's requires a special adaptor to use them with a single tank. Another option, the one I use, is a Dive Rite Transpac, which is basically a soft backplate.

The Transpac is a most versatile BC configuration. You can do side mount with ease not to mention configure it for rebreather if that's what float your boat.

 

[9supratt4]

YIKES!! So much info!! I do not have a dry suit, nor drysuit training, so I will be diving mostly on a 7MM wetsuit.

I guess the best thing for me to do is go to my LDS and check out all the differences.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

YIKES!! So much info!! I do not have a dry suit, nor drysuit training, so I will be diving mostly on a 7MM wetsuit.

I guess the best thing for me to do is go to my LDS and check out all the differences.

One other suggestion, whether you go BP/W or Transpac: Have someone experienced help you with the initial setup, weaving the webbing throught the backplate, wing sizing, etc., etc.

While not difficult to set up, an experienced mentor can greatly speed up the "fitting" process, especially with a traditional Hogarthian rig.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

 

[NorthWoodsDiver]

YIKES!! So much info!! I do not have a dry suit, nor drysuit training, so I will be diving mostly on a 7MM wetsuit.

I guess the best thing for me to do is go to my LDS and check out all the differences.

Mike at Dive Right In Scuba could help with the suit and training for a bargain...

but really take some time and look around, you are NOT going to be on trimix at 280ft inside a wreck in 200ft of water anytime soon.

a backplate and wing is a very simple system broken down into a couple components:

-a metal or plastic plate
-a harness
-a wing or buoyancy compensator
-an adapter for single tank use with bands, though this can sometimes be omitted

So break down each of those into their basic elements.

A backplate:

composed of metal or plastic, many manufactures make them including OMS, DSS, Dive Rite, Zeagle, FredT, Hammerhead, Salvo, Oxycheq, Halcyon, etc

most manufactures only make them in aluminum or stainless steel and usually only in 1 size to fit most people. However a couple companies make them in plastic or synthetics. some plates are heavy some are light. really though a plate is a plate.

A harness:

this can be as simple as a single continuous piece of webbing threaded through the plate or an elaborate harness made by one of the manufactures. Dive Rite, OMS, Zeagle and others make a fancy padded sewn harness but for a fraction the price and with infinite adjustability you can make your own with no sewing necessary.

A wing:

These come in all flavors and weight capacities. Usually for single tanks you need enough lift to overcome the negative buoyancy of the rig at max weight which usually is less than 30lbs. Tobin from DSS has about 100 threads discussing this on here if you use the search function. You will want a single tank wing for now and when you get into double tanks you can get one for that too. its an added expense but its worth it.

Many threads go into great detail on each of the above items and more. Check out the various forums and use the search feature.

T

 

[halocline]

I guess the best thing for me to do is go to my LDS and check out all the differences.

That depends, if your LDS happens to be a good one that's somewhat tech friendly you might get some good info. Unfortunately you're just as likely to be sold a BC that would be totally wrong for tech diving, and possibly not so great for rec diving. The simple BP/W set up is an excellent place to start. Too bad the mainstream dive gear industry can't seem to figure that one out, and instead keeps trying to "improve" BCs by adding more crap to them.

A good, simple set up is the oxycheq mach V on either a dive rite or oxycheq plate with a hog harness. The deep sea supply single tank rig is also an excellent, simple rig.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Most BP/W's requires a special adaptor to use them with a single tank.

Most back plates have slots cut in them to accept the option of one or two cam bands with no Single Tank Adapter (STA) needed. The pros of not using an STA is that the tank sits closer to your back and the weight is a bit lighter. The con is that the tank is a bit less stable and prone to rolling slightly.

STA's also differ in design. Some are essentially a channel that mounts flat to the plate and the tanks rides on two rails keeping it stable, but slightly farther off the back plate. Other STA's are very shallow valley shaped affairs that carry the tank closer to the plate but with shallpower contact angles on the "rails". In my experience the latter are preferrable. You can also find STA's in aluminum or in stainless steel so you can use them to add a bit of weight if needed.

Another option, the one I use, is a Dive Rite Transpac, which is basically a soft backplate. Also, I disagree with the asumption that D-rings and pockets are entanglement hazards. You have D-rings on a BP/W and ususally I see overstuffed pockets on the dry suits.

I am not a transpac fan. It will work with doubles but does not offer nearly as much stability with doubles even if you add the small stabilizer plates. Calling it a "soft backplate" is overselling it's (limited) virtues. It is however worth considering if sidemount diving is in your future as it gets you half way there.

D-rings are not bad in and of themselves, but most of the wannabee cross over BC's that are compatible with doubles have too many of them and they are in the wrong places. I think carrying anything you do not need or use is just adding unneccesary compexity and it just adds more things to potentially reach out and snag the line you are following in a silt out, while sharing air, etc. If it adds nothing to the dive, don't bring it along.

----

The Tanspac is similar to a BP wing in terms of offerring a very modular platform to which you can quickly add or subtract the things you need on a given dive. Recreational or crossover BC's do not offer that degree of flexibility or adaptability to different environments.

 

[Cave Bum]

I've had this discussion with DA before. He is unformed about how a backplate works for singles and is unaware of how to setup a TransPac. Additionally, he's not doing the kind of technical diving we are down here in north Florida (if indeed he is doing any technical diving at all). Last I heard he wasn't even full cave certified.

DA, make your own suggestions, don't disparage those of other peoples. When you attack someone, you only show your own ignorance.

There are a lot of virtual divers out there, who post more then they dive. Makes it tough on us real divers...

When used correctly TransPac's are every bit as stable as a BP/W. I've dove TransPac's with the inventor, Dive Rite's CEO, Lamar Hires, and with the folks doing the ongoing improvement studies at Dive Rite, including legendary tech diver Jerry Murphy when he was the product manage for the TransPac. It is the best and most versatile combination for tech divers doing different types of diving far from home. Unlike DA, I do have and do dive all the different types of tech gear available. Additionally, I've sold this equipment and taught divers how to setup and use this gear for many years. I dive backplates, I dive TransPac's and I dive the Nomad Sidemount rig.

(PS, DA, the reason for the single tank adaptor is that if you just put straps through a backplate, the single tank sits up on the hump in the backplate that's designed to go between the doubles and flops around like a freshly caught mackerel on the deck of a boat!)

Dive Rite has a video on line of how to set up a Transpac. It's at: SCUBA Diving Equipment for Technical, Wreck and Cave Diving: Dive Rite, Inc - Solution Finder then choose 'How do I fit a TransPac?'

One last comment, above someone mentioned to be sure you LDS is 'Tech Friendly' Unfortunately, many shops and many supposed 'Experts' in other parts of the country are less then proficient with tech setup. That's usually half of the first day of the cave class, just teaching the students how to set up their gear. Find a mentor, hopefully locally, who is currently in the tech community, knows the current trends and is currently doing tech diving (not just posting on the internet) and get them to help you.

Be safe and have fun in the water. Bruce

 

[fnfalman]

People who use HOG harnesses are usually in excellent shapes with excellent mobility in their shoulder joints. Without the quick adjustable straps on a Transpac (or Transplate for the Dive Rite hard plate), there is no way in hell I could get my arms into the chicken wing position in order to don the HOG harness. If people can use the HOG setup, then by all means. But some of us are limited by physical conditions and have to use a different type of quick adjustable harness.

Even the legendary Deep Sea Supply's Tobin has an optional quick adjust harness (ProFit) for a reason.

I had the pleasure of diving with a fellow forum member who was using the DSS rig with HOG harness. I'm not going to tell his age but let's just say that he's no spring chicken. It took the two of us quite a bit of struggling to get his arms bent enough and his shoulders twisted enough to get into the HOG harness. And we were doing this while sitting ashore instead of on a bobbing and moving boat. The DSS wing and backplate worked beautifully once he got into the water. However HOG harness isn't for everybody.

People that entertain the thought of using HOG harness need to try one out first.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I've had this discussion with DA before. He is unformed about how a backplate works for singles and is unaware of how to setup a TransPac. Additionally, he's not doing the kind of technical diving we are down here in north Florida (if indeed he is doing any technical diving at all). Last I heard he wasn't even full cave certified.

DA, make your own suggestions, don't disparage those of other peoples. When you attack someone, you only show your own ignorance.

There are a lot of virtual divers out there, who post more then they dive. Makes it tough on us real divers...

Bruce, you are totally out of line. I am Full Cave certified, so if you have not heard, you have not heard quite a while. I also do cave diving in North Florida and I am very familiar with the configurations used there. As a matter of percentage of cave divers i see there, few have transpacs. I have also been technical diving for about a decade.

If anyone reads my previous post it is obvious I did not personally attack you, I just stated I am not a transpac fan and stated my reasons why. It is neither disparaging of you nor is it uninformed. If you like it fine, keep right on diving it, but the fact is that transpac divers are a minority, especially in the back mounted doubles community.

(PS, DA, the reason for the single tank adaptor is that if you just put straps through a backplate, the single tank sits up on the hump in the backplate that's designed to go between the doubles and flops around like a freshly caught mackerel on the deck of a boat!)

Did you even read my entire post? I noted the same stability issue with not using an STA.

Feel free to apologize as you are being a complete and total jerk.