BackPlate and Wing, which is best for diving doubles?

[Manta Aria]

Hey guys, I don't know if this question has been addressed in this manner before. I have seen many fellow Divers diving the OMS BPW ( Backplate and Wing) Rig, they seem quite popular. Whether is a Stainless Steel BP or not, people seem to like them, and have absolutely no complaints about them. But a Local Shop Owner who sells an APEKS system says OMS has no warranties and APEKS would be better. While I respect him as a decent man and great Diver, I also recognize and respect that he is a business man. As a consumer, I have an obligation to get the best gear I can for the least amount of money, and Get QUALITY which INCLUDES the best custumer support for my gear.
Both systems look sweet and will fulfill my deeper diving needs and from what I can tell, they are roughly similar in Price.

What should I go for OMS, APEKS or another System? What do you guys dive and Why? What makes one better than another in your opinion?

 

[PerroneFord]

Neither would be my top choice but OMS has a strong presence in the northeast (and a few other places). I haven't much liked what I've seen from Apeks in regards to their wing and plate offerings. At least the OMS stuff is built well. Even if they do charge 1.5 - 2 times what everyone else does.

If you do much research here, you'll find that a few names continue to pop up over and over again when it comes to quality BP&W systems. There is a reason for it.

 

[David P]

back plate is a back plate is a back plate. Wings, well thats another matter. I would NOT recommend OMS, true the bands keep it nice and small, but it traps air, and if there is a puncture, it will push air out of the bc, plus their inflater hoses are usually like 5 feet long. I have tried Dive Rite Rec wing, remove the bungee from underneath and it works, I wasn't real impressed, I tried a DSS which seemed like a nice quality unit, but it wasn't the right wing for my application, I then ended up with a Halcyon Evolve 60. I really like it, only thing I don't like is I wish I bought the 50lb so it would be a little smaller.

 

[Jimmer]

I tried a DSS (seemed to be real nice quality) but it couldn't float my gear

If it couldn't float your gear, you had the wrong size wing, that's got nothing to do with DSS.

 

[Mitchell]

Oxycheq Vertex 55 great stable wing. Grommets should be replaced with stainless though. Easy fix. Hammerhead plate is cheap enough. The big question is what size bolt hole for your plate to band. I have Highland Bands that have a larger bolt. So I had to drill the hole on my plate. The bits seem to leave deposits on the plate and rust. Still I really like the Vertex 55.

 

[Rick Murchison]

Much depends on what kind of doubles you'll be diving, and whether you intend to use your rig for singles as well...
Backplates -
If you're doubling AL cylinders, then a heavy steel plate is nice as it helps reduce how much weight you must carry elsewhere. If you're sticking to doubles, my preference is for the Fred-T heavy. It's the heaviest plate I've found and has a deep channel and bend that keeps the wingnuts off the back and the tanks close, making valves easy to get to. The DSS steel plate is much flatter with a shallower channel, but still works well with doubles and is the best (in my opinion) for singles as it allows for a single to be close to the back and keeps the valve in easy reach. No wingnut problem either as Tobin provides custom Delrin thumbwheel nuts that lie nice & flat in the shallow channel.
If you're doubling steel, then a lightweight steel or aluminum backplate should be fine, though I still like my Fred-T heavy with anything smaller than 95's. For 95's & up I like an AL plate - use a Dive-Rite myself but there are many that are fine.
I don't like plastic plates - Don't have any experience with 'em but they just don't seem to be robust enough to me...
Wings -
Again, wing selection depends to a large extent on what you're diving. I dive the Dive-Rite Rec wing for E-7 100's, LP 85's and AL 80's, the Dive-Rite Travel wing for singles and the Dive-Rite Classic for 95's & up. I've tried several other brands in the decade since I bought the Dive-Rites and there are some good ones out there - but the Dive-Rites haven't worn out yet, and "if it ain't broke don't fix it." FWIW, I like the DSS and the OxyChek offerings as well as Dive-Rite. Haven't tried the Apeks.
--
There are a ton of threads on SB discussing this stuff
Rick

 

[TSandM]

Well, as everybody is saying, your choice of gear starts with assessing what you need from a functional standpoint. For example, I began with doubles and a steel plate, and went to an aluminum plate to move weight onto my belt for the purposes of trim. I travel with a Kydex plate for the weight advantage, and use a v-weight when I get to my destination. Wing shape can affect your trim -- if you have problems with low feet, a delta-shaped wing will put more lift around your hips, and if you're head down, a wing with a big upper arc can help with that. You also need to select an amount of lift that is appropriate for the gear you intend to use.

Beyond that, you have to decide a little bit about bells and whistles. Do you like the idea of an oversized bladder controlled by elastic cords? The benefits and safety of such a design can be argued (and have been). Some people like double wing designs, others avoid them like the plague. Some people like doughnut wings, others prefer horsehoes. Some like long inflator hoses, others prefer short.

A lot of information can be gained by going back through the archives here and reading about backplates and wing design. An informed consumer is someone much more likely to make a purchase decision that will not be regretted.

 

[cool_hardware52]

Hey guys, I don't know if this question has been addressed in this manner before. I have seen many fellow Divers diving the OMS BPW ( Backplate and Wing) Rig, they seem quite popular. Whether is a Stainless Steel BP or not, people seem to like them, and have absolutely no complaints about them. But a Local Shop Owner who sells an APEKS system says OMS has no warranties and APEKS would be better. While I respect him as a decent man and great Diver, I also recognize and respect that he is a business man. As a consumer, I have an obligation to get the best gear I can for the least amount of money, and Get QUALITY which INCLUDES the best custumer support for my gear.
Both systems look sweet and will fulfill my deeper diving needs and from what I can tell, they are roughly similar in Price.

What should I go for OMS, APEKS or another System? What do you guys dive and Why? What makes one better than another in your opinion?

There is huge range of choices available today. Most of it is of reasonable or better build quality, it's pretty hard to buy a "bad" BP&W today.

It is however quite possible to select gear that will either make your task easier or more difficult.

I suggest the following steps.

1) Determine which plate material is appropriate. If you need the ballast use a SS, if not look at lightweight plates. Your target is to be negative by the weight of your back gas +2-3 lbs. In other words your weighting is largely function of the buoyancy of your exposure suit. If you don't yet know what the buoyancy of your suit is I'd suggest waiting until you do to select a BP&W.

2) Determine how much wing capacity you need. This is largely a function of the buoyancy of your exposure suit, and the volume of your cylinders. If you don't yet know the buoyancy of your suit, and or aren't sure what cylinders you will be using you will be guessing about which plate, and wing is best.

3) Once you know what the buoyancy of your suit is, and the volume of your tanks, and the buoyancy characteristics and dimensions of your tanks you will be in a much better position to buy gear that will help you make the transition to doubles, and not fight you.

If someone suggests a particular combination, ask them to explain WHY they think it appropriate. They should be able to defend their recommendations.

If you'd like me to make specific recommendation, yup, you guessed it, I'll need to know the buoyancy of your most buoyant exposure suit, and exactly what tanks you will be using.

Tobin