Which BP/W system to buy?

[RAWalker]

I dive a OMS Deluxe Comfort Harness and am very happy with it. I prefer having a sternum strap which orients the shoulder straps to a more comfortable position for me. I also prefer to have the quick release shoulder straps as I have surfaced on boat dives to find the weather had significantly changed for the worse. In a heavy chop slipping out of a Hog harness can be a bit more challenging and pose additional risks that are more difficult to control that (IMHO) the quick release mitigates.
Although I have an OMS 45# Bungie wing that I have used for singles I also have a Oxycheq Mark V 30# that I really like.
The best advise I can give you is try as may different configurations as you can before investing in your own. The most popular configuration may not be the one that is best for you.

 

[on_two_wheels]

I'm one of those mentioned here that had a "comfort harness" (OMS IQ pack) and now just webbing. If I had known, I'd have kept the pack until AFTER rescue. Since removal of your gear in-water is a must, I had to borrow a bcd. There's no way my current rig is coming off my drysuit except cut a strap. In a real emergency, no problem. I wasn't going to cut it for the class, though. If I had the pack, I could have dove my own rig with more comfort and familiarity.

So, I say get the harness (used). As time goes by you might realize it's completely unnecessary and sell it to the next guy. If you lose a few bucks, so what? Consider it the cost to use it that long.

 

[sabbath999]

Everybody I know who has started with a comfort-type harness has gone to a simple webbing harness, because it works better.

Add me to your list. I started with a Transpac and have moved on to a hog rig within a relatively short period.

Anybody want a used 2XL Tanspac & Venture wing?

As far as lift goes, when diving wet I use a SS backplate & 120 LP tank that is fairly negative, plus a primary canister light's weight and a 30 pound lift wing is all I need.

Keep in mind a wing just has to do two things.

1) Keep your rig afloat when you toss it in the water

2) Give you enough lift to get you off the bottom... since most people are almost alway naturally buoyant with an exposure suit, this should not be an issue.

I got a 40 pound wing so I can use bolt-on weights on my wing to take weight off my belt, and a 30 won't cut it for that... but using as small of a wing as you need is the plan.

 

[sabbath999]

I'm one of those mentioned here that had a "comfort harness" (OMS IQ pack) and now just webbing. If I had known, I'd have kept the pack until AFTER rescue. Since removal of your gear in-water is a must, I had to borrow a bcd.

Even though I had been diving bp/w for quite a while, I did rescue in my poodle jacket that I bought when I was getting certified.

I am keeping it for doing my DM class as well, since there is the equipment exchange stuff in that, and working with people that just are not familiar with a bp/w setup.

 

[cool_hardware52]

I'm one of those mentioned here that had a "comfort harness" (OMS IQ pack) and now just webbing. If I had known, I'd have kept the pack until AFTER rescue. Since removal of your gear in-water is a must, I had to borrow a bcd. There's no way my current rig is coming off my drysuit except cut a strap. In a real emergency, no problem. I wasn't going to cut it for the class, though. If I had the pack, I could have dove my own rig with more comfort and familiarity.

So, I say get the harness (used). As time goes by you might realize it's completely unnecessary and sell it to the next guy. If you lose a few bucks, so what? Consider it the cost to use it that long.

It's easy to don or doff a BP&W in the water, easier perhaps than on dry land.

Open the waist strap / crotch strap , grab the manifold or tank valve and pull the gear over your head. You kinda slide back under it. The rig ends up floating divers side up with the valves towards the diver in front of you.

Donning requires a bit of planning, but the motions are essentially the same as "over the head" move seen at many dive site parking lots. In the water all you do is kinda flip the rig over and swim under it. You don't have to support the weight.

Try it in the pool. As long as you can keep a reg in your mouth while doing it you can recover from any miscues.

Tobin

 

[RJP]

If I had known, I'd have kept the pack until AFTER rescue. Since removal of your gear in-water is a must, I had to borrow a bcd. There's no way my current rig is coming off my drysuit except cut a strap.

If that's the case, I think you might want to loosen your straps a bit. If you can't get out of it without cutting it... it's probably too tight.

 

[sabbath999]

Thanks Tobin...

It was Tobin that actually taught me that a smaller wing would get me by, my wife and I both dive DSS wings and plates, and are very pleased with them BTW.

 

[DevonDiver]

There's no way my current rig is coming off my drysuit except cut a strap. In a real emergency, no problem. .

2 issues:

1) You need to train in the gear that you will dive in. The rescue course was the perfect opportunity to get your kit adjusted so that it worked properly. Using alternative gear just to simplify the course practices is a short-cut to nowhere.

2) If you can't remove the BP&W then, unless you have a serious upper limb/shoulder mobility impairment, you simply have your harness adjusted too tight. This is a common error amongst new BP&W divers...and is persisting legacy from the habits they get into wearing a jacket BCD.

Remove & replace BP&W is child's play. I teach OW and Rescue courses to students in BP&W. I fit them correctly...and even absolute novice OW students can achieve remove and replace easily in their confined sessions.

 

[hypertech]

I did rescue in my BP&W w/ basic harness. Actually, I'm generally faster in and out of my gear than my BC wearing colleagues. Once you figure out the "shoulder roll" to get out of it, its easy.

I spent some time trying to figure out what I wanted in a BP&W when I switched. I've only bought one and it is a DSS. I am exceedingly happy with it and DSS. I'm a customer for life.

 

[Codyjp]

I'm personally quite partial to DSS and Tobin, but that might just be because we've become friends through the process! I'm going to give this new overhead procedure a try some time. The one time I though I might eat it while diving was when I was removing my doubles on the surface. I miffed that one up bad!

RaWalker. it had been months since I've ran into you here... I was liking it.