I choose OMS because of their reputation, and had heard nothing but good things before I bought it. I did look at toher companies that were less money but was really happy with the OMS
BBW (Big, Beautiful Woman)
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alo100:
The Hammerhead plate can accommodate anything from my rebreather with any manufacture's wing on it to any single tank adaptor but most all will do this. All backplates for the most part are the same just holes in different places made a little different. Hammerhead can custom make the plate anyway you want it.
Look at ScubaLab Review: Backplate Buoyancy Systems in the July 2005 issue.
Vickie In Vegas
Guest
alo100:
Choose the TransPac due to the deal we got on it, the local DS was closing and it was $99 with Trek Wings... And good things I've read about them.
Scuba_Vixen
Guest
That's one of the plusses of the BP/W. ... Modularity
With a BP/W, you can choose you BP and then wing seperatly, based on your needs for each particular item.
Backplates basically come in Aluminum and Stainless Steel. (a few ABS plastic ones are also available, but not commonly used)
SS is heavier, and allows you to use less weights. This is nice if you have a gear config that requires lotsa lead.
Aluminum is lighter.
Depending on your tank choice and other factors, using either Al or SS can help with getting the proper trim.
There are some small variations in finish and smoothness around the slots kinda stuff, but generally speaking, the BP is pretty universal. One or two are a little flatter to yout back, some are available in shorter, (usually for women) or longer, (for tall folks) lengths as well as the generally standard length. (about15.5") All BP's have mounting holes for the wings and tank attachment at 11" spacings. Most have at least 2 sets (some 3) of holes to facilitate trimming the rig and accomodating various tank and wing sizes.
Wings all have their mounting holes on 11" centers, with the possible exception of a couple small wings that use the cam bands to secure them.
Wings come in sizes from 18 # of lift capacity to 100#. You use a wing size based on need, not some sales butthead's hype. Bigger is NOT always better. They will all fit on the same BP though.
Generally, any wing will work on any back plate.
Wings come in 2 basic bladder shapes. Horseshoe and Oval (or round) Oval means just that, joined at the bottom so it's a continuous loop. This shape vents easier with less body movement required to get the air inside to a vent. These are usually preferred for rec/single tank configuration.
As wings get bigger and wider, they are all in the horseshoe shape. ...Not Joined at the bottom.
They also require more effort on the diver's part to dump air from.
Typically,the more a wing tacos up around the tank, the more the diver has to roll sideways to get the trapped air to shift from one side to the other, either to dump or for axial trim.
Wings come in 2 basic width patterns. One for single tanks, and a wider width for double tanks. There are a couple advertised to work with both small doubles and bigger singles. DON'T believe it. Use the correct wing for the job.
Well, thay's pretty much it: BP/W 101
Choosing the harness is a whole 'nother can of worms.
Darlene
As to my reasons for choice: I have Tagge Custom BP's that are longer than standard. (I'm tall and wanted the waistbelt to actually be at my waist, not my lower ribs)
I like the Dive Rite deluxe harness, no QD's and it fits my torso and boobs best. I scooter a lot and with arms extended, a D ring digging into my armpit suxxx. I also have the Transplate harness, but prefer the deluxe, as it seems more stable in use. The Transplate is Much More quickly adjustable and adaptable to another person using it or a different exposure suit though.
I have both dive rite and abyss wings. Different sizes, each gets used with different sets of doubles and stages. I'll be buying the Oxycheq 40# wing soon for my RB, as it's designed for the short wide profile that some rb's have. Again, the right wing for the job.
With a BP/W, you can choose you BP and then wing seperatly, based on your needs for each particular item.
Backplates basically come in Aluminum and Stainless Steel. (a few ABS plastic ones are also available, but not commonly used)
SS is heavier, and allows you to use less weights. This is nice if you have a gear config that requires lotsa lead.
Aluminum is lighter.
Depending on your tank choice and other factors, using either Al or SS can help with getting the proper trim.
There are some small variations in finish and smoothness around the slots kinda stuff, but generally speaking, the BP is pretty universal. One or two are a little flatter to yout back, some are available in shorter, (usually for women) or longer, (for tall folks) lengths as well as the generally standard length. (about15.5") All BP's have mounting holes for the wings and tank attachment at 11" spacings. Most have at least 2 sets (some 3) of holes to facilitate trimming the rig and accomodating various tank and wing sizes.
Wings all have their mounting holes on 11" centers, with the possible exception of a couple small wings that use the cam bands to secure them.
Wings come in sizes from 18 # of lift capacity to 100#. You use a wing size based on need, not some sales butthead's hype. Bigger is NOT always better. They will all fit on the same BP though.
Generally, any wing will work on any back plate.
Wings come in 2 basic bladder shapes. Horseshoe and Oval (or round) Oval means just that, joined at the bottom so it's a continuous loop. This shape vents easier with less body movement required to get the air inside to a vent. These are usually preferred for rec/single tank configuration.
As wings get bigger and wider, they are all in the horseshoe shape. ...Not Joined at the bottom.
They also require more effort on the diver's part to dump air from.
Typically,the more a wing tacos up around the tank, the more the diver has to roll sideways to get the trapped air to shift from one side to the other, either to dump or for axial trim.
Wings come in 2 basic width patterns. One for single tanks, and a wider width for double tanks. There are a couple advertised to work with both small doubles and bigger singles. DON'T believe it. Use the correct wing for the job.
Well, thay's pretty much it: BP/W 101
Choosing the harness is a whole 'nother can of worms.
Darlene
As to my reasons for choice: I have Tagge Custom BP's that are longer than standard. (I'm tall and wanted the waistbelt to actually be at my waist, not my lower ribs)
I like the Dive Rite deluxe harness, no QD's and it fits my torso and boobs best. I scooter a lot and with arms extended, a D ring digging into my armpit suxxx. I also have the Transplate harness, but prefer the deluxe, as it seems more stable in use. The Transplate is Much More quickly adjustable and adaptable to another person using it or a different exposure suit though.
I have both dive rite and abyss wings. Different sizes, each gets used with different sets of doubles and stages. I'll be buying the Oxycheq 40# wing soon for my RB, as it's designed for the short wide profile that some rb's have. Again, the right wing for the job.
Very nice BP/W 101!
Maybe we should make a copy of it and sticky it. Great info. Thanks.
Maybe we should make a copy of it and sticky it. Great info. Thanks.
PerroneFord
Contributor
This one is easy for me.
Dive Rite is headquartered 60 minutes from me. Halcyon/GUE is 90 minutes from me. I like both of their gear. Since I will be taking some GUE classes, some of the Halcyon stuff is better suited (wings, backplate with backpack for SMB storage) for how I will configure for class. Both make great gear. Dive Rite makes regulators so I may get those, Halcyon doesn't.
Nearly anything from one company will bolt up to another's so it's really not too big a deal. And most basic systems are within $50 of each other either way. Buy what you like. That Hammerhead stuff looks nice, as does the Oxycheq, and DSS. I'd be happy to own any of it. If I lived a stones throw from any of them, I'd support them instead.
Good luck!
Dive Rite is headquartered 60 minutes from me. Halcyon/GUE is 90 minutes from me. I like both of their gear. Since I will be taking some GUE classes, some of the Halcyon stuff is better suited (wings, backplate with backpack for SMB storage) for how I will configure for class. Both make great gear. Dive Rite makes regulators so I may get those, Halcyon doesn't.
Nearly anything from one company will bolt up to another's so it's really not too big a deal. And most basic systems are within $50 of each other either way. Buy what you like. That Hammerhead stuff looks nice, as does the Oxycheq, and DSS. I'd be happy to own any of it. If I lived a stones throw from any of them, I'd support them instead.
Good luck!
alo100:
Have you ever had to send anything back to them or get them to replace faulty equipment? I have had nothing but problems with them. Their customer service is zilch!adrisen:
I am throwing away everything OMS that I own because I cant get it fixed if it fails. Not even gunna bother with trying to sell it as I will just make some other poor bugger suffer.
alo100:
For me, it is simply availability of the gears in my market. I live in Thailand and BP+Wing system is rare. I only know that Halcyon and Dive Rite has their presence here. Others..........not sure. Went with Dive Rite coz that's the only brand I knew when was trying to get it locally.
DiveGolfSki
Contributor
Since my original post was unceremoniously scrubbed in the interest of "office friendly", I've censured the photo and added another.
The former is a flip clip from "The Deep" starring Jackie Bisset. Needless to say, she wasn't wearing a BP/W since it was the 70's. The second is the latest redo of the film "In to the Blue" with Jessica Alba WEARING a Halcyon BP/W setup.
Point of all this? Another benefit for using BP/W ... Comfort for "Big, Beautiful Wome(a)n"
.
Bisset would have been properly promoting safe diving back in the 70's had the BP/W setup been available back in the 70's.
The former is a flip clip from "The Deep" starring Jackie Bisset. Needless to say, she wasn't wearing a BP/W since it was the 70's. The second is the latest redo of the film "In to the Blue" with Jessica Alba WEARING a Halcyon BP/W setup.
Point of all this? Another benefit for using BP/W ... Comfort for "Big, Beautiful Wome(a)n"
.Bisset would have been properly promoting safe diving back in the 70's had the BP/W setup been available back in the 70's.
mike_s
Contributor
DiveGolfSki:Since my original post was unceremoniously scrubbed in the interest of "office friendly", I've censured the photo and added another.
Funny how they censored your first post (now removed) due to a wet t-shirt but allowed discussion of a 'brazilian wax job' in another thread.
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