Backplate/wing: set-up questions concerning buckle and weights.

[Roger Hobden]

crotch strap to the right of the buckle, buckle is on left side of waist

OK, great !

 

[lowviz]

Just to make it super-clear about the initial questions of this thread: Absolutely no weight belt involved. All weights to be attached to the BP/W itself.

Oops. Nevermind. Press on.

(Wow, so you go in negative and have no options)

 

[runsongas]

with balanced rig, you just plan on swimming up or inflate your drysuit/redundant lift source in a pinch. dropping ballast is like plan D.

 

[rhwestfall]

(Wow, so you go in negative and have no options)

Open Velcro flap and remove a weight pouch (or, the other style one has a rubber "tab" that dumps the pouch.....)


FWIW - I frequently have to "duck dive" to get off the surface...

 

[decompression]

Well you’ve been told what to do, several ways actually. How about look at reasons why,
Firstly, buckle towards your right hip....
1. Secures your canister light, unless you have to dump it, then you can release the light but the buckle is held in place by the crotch strap.
2. Free’s up belt space for left D ring, SPG
3. Not covered by Deco bottle for access.

Now, buckle centered.....
1. Affected by scooter and crotch strap......better to move it to your right side
Now, buckle on the left.....
1. Reasons above......better to move it to your right side.

 

[tbone1004]

Consider the standard recommended minimalist bp/w configuration with stainless steel plate and single webbing with 3 D-rings and a crotch-strap with 2 more D-rings, and a donut-shaped wing.

When using a backplate/wing, is it better to have the buckle on left or right side of crotch-strap, and why ?
Or is it simply a matter of personal preference ?

Concerning the discardable weights, is it better to have a "horizontal" pouch with the long axis following the webbing of the belt at the waist, a "vertical" pouch, with the long axis perpendicular to the belt, or a "square" pouch ?
The inconvenience of the horizontal pouch would be that you would probably have no space left on the belt to attach a canister, but I have no plans of buying a canister light in the short or medium term anyway.

Another question: do divers who use backplates sometimes attach supplementary trim weights elsewhere then on their belt, or is that a clear sign of an unbalanced rig in the first place ?

EDIT: Just to make it super-clear: Absolutely no weight belt involved. All weights to be attached to the BP/W itself.

you are taking fundamentals, you do not get to make that choice. Your buckle will be set up for right hand release which means the buckle is on the left side webbing.
You do not get to use "ditchable weights" as the concept is incompatible with a balanced rig.
You may not get to use "weight pockets" because they interfere with the other stuff you have to put on your waist belt. You can use other means to get weight onto the rig *weighted STA's, etc*, but if you want "ditchable" weight it's going on a weight belt, at least until you're out of that course.

You'll also learn that 1-2lb trim weights are really only a crutch for poor skills, especially in single tank rigs. In doubles and sidemount they can be necessary because of the added mass of the valves and second regulator set, but in singles, you should be able to trim out with body positioning alone which will be heavily emphasized in your course

 

[Roger Hobden]

you are taking fundamentals, you do not get to make that choice. Your buckle will be set up for right hand release which means the buckle is on the left side webbing.

OK, so the buckle on the waist webbing is towards the left side of the diver.

Strangely, on the GUE 20 anniversary website gear sale, the picture shows the buckle towards the right side.

Indeed, there are even two buckles apparent on the picture ! What is the second buckle there for ?

 

[Magnus Lundstedt]

OK, so the buckle on the waist webbing is towards the left side of the diver.

Strangely, on the GUE 20 anniversary website gear sale, the picture shows the buckle towards the right side.

Indeed, there are even two buckles apparent on the picture ! What is the second buckle there for ?

View attachment 482502

That buckle is setup for right hand release, therefore the buckle is sitting on the left part of the waist strap, if you open it up. but going to sit on the right side of your body when you have it closed, and the crouch strap over the buckle.

The second buckle is for keeping a canister in place.

 

[Roger Hobden]

You do not get to use "ditchable weights"
You do not get to use "weight pockets".
You can use other means to get weight onto the rig *weighted STA's, etc*,

You do not get to use "ditchable weights" : OK, I get that.
*weighted STA's: OK, I get that.
You do not get to use "weight pockets": Hmm, OK ... I had missed that notion completely.
You can use other means to get weight onto the rig: What other means ?

Say I have a stainless steel BP that weighs 6 lbs. I am using a 80 AL cylinder. I am diving in a 7mm wetsuit. I weight 220 lbs.
In Appendix A of the GUE website, a weight belt is not mentioned as a required piece of equipment.
Standards - Appendix A | Global Underwater Explorers
By what means can weight be added "somewhere" , without using a weight belt, nor weight pockets ?

Still puzzled, but I feel I am somehow getting there, slowly but surely ...

 

[Magnus Lundstedt]

By what means can weight be added "somewhere" , without using a weight belt, nor weight pockets ?

Still puzzled, but I feel I am somehow getting there, slowly but surely ...

I think most common is to bolt weights directly to the BP, You can also thread them on cambands. I have also seen someone have weights on the sholder straps.