HOG Total BCD/Reg Package

[Bowers]

Any tips on setup or accessories that make this rig better?

When setting up the harness, instead of using the short cut of tubular webbing at the bottom plate slots, it works better to use a triglide on the backside of the plate.
The protectors at the top need favored upwards to protect the strap from the top of the plate more than the slots.

Are you using their STA? I was just looking at this set-up and when building it, the drop down menu says it is optional for the soft back plate but makes no mention of the AL or SS back plates.

No, the wing has little stabilizers attached that do a fine job without an sta and has the added benefit of lower center of gravity.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

Don't those rubber tank strap thingies keep the tank from settling between the stabilizers?

 

[Bowers]

Don't those rubber tank strap thingies keep the tank from settling between the stabilizers?

Nope, they cam bands crank down way too tight for them to stand a chance of getting in the way!

 

[Barnaby'sDad]

Don't those rubber tank strap thingies keep the tank from settling between the stabilizers?

I have my rubber strap mounted tank stabilizers on the side of the strap (away from the vertical stabilizers).





One way or the other though...if you properly tighten both straps, the tank isn’t going anywhere.

 

[Bowers]

I have my rubber strap mounted tank stabilizers on the side of the strap (mounts away from the vertical stabilizers).


View attachment 607141


One way or the other though...if you properly tighten both straps, the tank isn’t going anywhere.

Yup, ive tried it both ways, and used them without the rubber keepers to. All three ways worked fine but my preference has been along the back as pictured.

 

[jale]

Hi
Nice set you bought. Good choice.
Just, one thing I don't get: why didn't you just reuse your dive rite setup you had.
The plate didn't need to be changed and if needed, the harness and the wing could have been replaced cheaply.
Where did you get that 700 for repairing the wing?!

 

[Daniel Garner]

Are you using their STA? I was just looking at this set-up and when building it, the drop down menu says it is optional for the soft back plate but makes no mention of the AL or SS back plates.

I am not using one at the moment but I may bring my old one over to this rig. As it is, HOG installed two small rods down each side of the wing right where the tank sits. There was little to no tank rocking going on. My Dive Rite rig needed the STA. I’m still thinking about it.

 

[Daniel Garner]

Go with a simple webbing harness and lose the console.

I’m not sure we are on the same page. I’m not a tec/DIR/caver. I like my harness. I like my console. I get the argument about the clips and snaps. There are a lot of failure points there. It’s a risk I have decided to accept. As for the console, I don’t get the hate and discontent for consoles. This thing is tiny and tucks away nicely. It’s not a big deal.

 

[Daniel Garner]

Hi
Nice set you bought. Good choice.
Just, one thing I don't get: why didn't you just reuse your dive rite setup you had.
The plate didn't need to be changed and if needed, the harness and the wing could have been replaced cheaply.
Where did you get that 700 for repairing the wing?!

I was looking at links to reply to you and discovered an error on my part. When I priced the transplate harness, I didn’t see that it came with a plate. The price I saw was $275. There was something else I had priced to go with it but it eludes me at the moment. It may have been parts for my regs or something. The Dive Rite Rec wing averages $260, and I see that the harness without a plate is about $150. Before shipping that is still a little over $400. Wish I had caught that before, but I have no regrets with my purchase. I’m happy with the size of this wing and the quality of the entire kit.

I still have the stainless plate. I’m probably going to just clean this up and prep it as a backup. It’s not unsafe to dive with, but some of the plastic is getting towards the end of its life span. It really has been abused. LOL.

 

[Daniel Garner]

Yup. That’s what I eventually did.

Everything padded on that setup (ex. Shoulder straps and mine came with the padded backplate) is positively buoyant. I want to say that when I asked HOG about it, they said the pads required roughly 1lb each. I did a test in a bucket with water at home and even the 10lb weight pouches needed something like ~2lbs to sink.

After ditching all of the padding, I eventually went from their SS plate to a lighter SS plate, as I didn’t need anywhere near as much added weight anymore. Just a thought...but that’s a great setup to start with.

My old rig was the dive rite SS plate, their transplate harness, and SS DR tank adapter. Using a steel 110 I wear 4lbs of weight in fresh water, and about 6-8 in fresh water depending on my wet suit.

this HOG rig is an aluminum plate. I have no STA and I’m still using the steel 110. I do have the padded shoulders but not the padded back plate. In the pool in shorts and a T-shirt I was staying on the bottom with 4lbs. I still need to dial in for a wetsuit, so there is that. But so far I’m not seeing a huge increase in buoyancy.