Backplate and Wing Round Table

[OkByMe]

I switched from an aluminum plate and harness strap to a Transpac because you can roll that up in the travel bag and it is infinitely more adjustable without having to slide straps through the plate when changing from wet-suit to dry-suit to none. For side mount it is great, you get a little wobble with doubles, even with the stabilizers. The trick is to carry a smidgen more air in the wing without the taco straps and a couple more pounds on the weighting. If you are carrying an aluminum cylinder side-mount or cross body in addition the the back gas...your extra weight can go on the bottom of the cylinder to keep the butt down.

I switched from dive-rite rec "horseshoe" wing to a dive-rite rec xt "doughnut". It will dump at all attitudes without having to roll up and over to clear the bubble in the side without a dump. I in fact added another dump to the "horseshoe" on that side just for this reason, before the "doughnut" became available in the weight class. You can clip the wing off to bungee loops on the harness, for side-mount, to control float up. The addition of a semi-rigid "butt-plate" to the bottom of the harness works for long cylinders and gets the valves well behind your armpits.

 

[Hoag]

Your experience is consistent, but the aluminum plate changed the numbers a bit. The inherent buoyancy of a "full featured" generously padded BC can be 4-5 lbs.

Good luck. My prediction is you will keep tweeking your harness for the next 1/2 dozen dives before achieving BC "nirvana"

Tobin

Thanks. I should have plenty of opportunity to fine tune things next month on the Aquacat.

 

[RonzoTheGreat]

i bet you'll enjoy a shorthose/ long hose reg set-up as well ( and stay streamlined a tad more with easier to reach config than overloading
D-rings and having to "unclip" an available redundant reg in an OoA drill or forbid actual ooA situation with a buddy but it doesn't get comfortable* overnight! my primary buddies did OoA drills for practice on every dive for more than 75 consecutive dives , and some other people even more( why not? it could save a life and that life could be yours!) it's not at all cliché best wishes and welcome to an all around better scuba experience! best wishes! stay well and dive safely !