Backplate/wing questions

[divad]

Well, the more you know about ANY thing the less likely you'll want to deal with a midddle-man who may or may not know more than you.

 

[Tollie]

IMO you will do yourself a big favor if you have established a strong relationship with your LDS. The Halcyon rig is better in the details… its complete and the pieces work well together. It will accommodate your diving needs now and in the future. The storage pocket on the BP is worth the price of admission by itself… for storing and deploying a surface marker which you will do in DIR-F. Even if the Halcyon product costs a bit more the quality is there. Think also about the hardware… the D-rings and their shape. Halcyons have a slight bend in there’s which allow for an easy clip off.

Best wishes on your course… it will change the way you think about diving.

 

[jonnythan]

FWIW, not everyone deploys an SMB during DIRF, and the MC pocket is not the preferred way to store an SMB anyway. Keep it attached to your spool and shoved into a pocket.. keeping a spool on your back ring is asking for a CF.

The stuff about the quality is BS, and you don't want shaped D-rings.

 

[PatH]

...you don't want shaped D-rings.

Say's you. Maybe a better way to phrase this would be... "I prefer straight d-rings". An opinion you're welcome to, but not shared by all.

 

[PatH]

I am not a fan of the truly "local" LDS due to my initial experiences there, but there is a nice shop about 40 minutes away and they are a Halcyon dealer - certainly if the prices were equal I would buy Halcyon and maybe in the big scheme of things, the extra money is a small investment over the life of the equipment.

"Local" Dive Shop doesn't just mean you have to be a slave to whoever happened to setup shop in your backyard. It means support a worthwhile shop in your "area" that supports you with reasonable prices, equipment YOU want and concerned, quality service. Just don't sacrifice them in order to save 5% at an internet or big city warehouse.

 

[jonnythan]

This is the DIR forum, leave your opinion at the door

 

[PatH]

This is the DIR forum, leave your opinion at the door

Are you implying that bend D-rings aren't DIR? Get real. You're the one who stated an opinion... I just suggested you qualify it as such. Even in DIR there is room for preference.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

This is the DIR forum, leave your opinion at the door

Well, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but my DIR instructor didn't seem to share your opinion.

As I recall the explanation, DIR doesn't want you to use welded D-rings, or Billy rings. Clip-mounted D-rings with a slight bend are fine for the shoulder straps, but not recommended for the waist harness.

At least, that's the way my rig was set up, and he was pretty cool with it.

So ... was my DIR instructor wrong?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[PatH]

Well, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but my DIR instructor didn't seem to share your opinion.

As I recall the explanation, DIR doesn't want you to use welded D-rings, or Billy rings. Clip-mounted D-rings with a slight bend are fine for the shoulder straps, but not recommended for the waist harness.

At least, that's the way my rig was set up, and he was pretty cool with it.

So ... was my DIR instructor wrong?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Nope... right on the money. I do seem to recall that the DIR requirement is to be able to clip one handed your stages / lights / regs etc. If you can do it with straight rings... fine, but the recommendation was for slightly bend D-rings on the chest.

 

[jonnythan]

That's interesting, because I'm pretty sure mine specifically told us that we should use only standard D-rings. Whatever is officially DIR, you're perfectly aware that my quoted comment was a joke.