BP/WING...recommendations for travel and local use

[drakcheslav]

If you are in europe, DTD is a great recommendation.
400eur for a complete set and an 17kg wing.

 

[Altamira]

After starting with a jacket, then a back inflate Zeagle Covert, I finally transitioned to a HOG softplate bp/w. On this board you will get a lot of advice that starts with this "...get a (fill in the blank) plate, and a (fill in the blank) harness..." as if their particular preference is best for everyone, which certainly cannot be the case. Before you plunk down your money for a bcd of any type, I recommend you really think about the type of diving you will be doing, where you will be diving, and the end goal of your diving hobby. For example, you will hear a lot of guidance to get a SS plate, which is great for some type of diving, but may not be so hot for someone like me, that does a lot of international travel by air and cruise ship, that has to haul my gear to and from for the duration of my trip, and watch every pound that I have to carry, or goes into my luggage. Personally, I only want to carry the weight I need for diving on the boat or for the short hike on a shore dive. Considerations also needed whether or not shoulder pads and harness type will make donning/doffing and carrying your gear easier or more difficult. Have shoulder mobility issues? A quick disconnect harness might be better.

Like you, my wife is petite, but she also prefers shoulder/back pads, a quick release harness, integrated weight pockets and a jacket bcd. She would hate a bp/w/back inflate. It is hard to know what is best without trying a lot of different systems, which is generally difficult to do because I do not see much rental gear other than jackets. However, if you do enough research, you will likely come to the right decision for what is best for you.

 

[runsongas]

quick dry apeks psd wing and short freedom plate

swap the dgx wing or short oxycheq/subgravity plate if you need it to be a bit cheaper

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

Trailboss 123 actually owns a X Deep Ghost that he uses for both travel and local cold water diving. This is his review of the Ghost. Review: XDeep Ghost BCD- BP/W You can also message him if you have any other questions about the ghost.

 

[_anak_pulau_]

After starting with a jacket, then a back inflate Zeagle Covert, I finally transitioned to a HOG softplate bp/w. On this board you will get a lot of advice that starts with this "...get a (fill in the blank) plate, and a (fill in the blank) harness..." as if their particular preference is best for everyone, which certainly cannot be the case. Before you plunk down your money for a bcd of any type, I recommend you really think about the type of diving you will be doing, where you will be diving, and the end goal of your diving hobby. For example, you will hear a lot of guidance to get a SS plate, which is great for some type of diving, but may not be so hot for someone like me, that does a lot of international travel by air and cruise ship, that has to haul my gear to and from for the duration of my trip, and watch every pound that I have to carry, or goes into my luggage. Personally, I only want to carry the weight I need for diving on the boat or for the short hike on a shore dive. Considerations also needed whether or not shoulder pads and harness type will make donning/doffing and carrying your gear easier or more difficult. Have shoulder mobility issues? A quick disconnect harness might be better.

Like you, my wife is petite, but she also prefers shoulder/back pads, a quick release harness, integrated weight pockets and a jacket bcd. She would hate a bp/w/back inflate. It is hard to know what is best without trying a lot of different systems, which is generally difficult to do because I do not see much rental gear other than jackets. However, if you do enough research, you will likely come to the right decision for what is best for you.

I live and dive more in Western Australia, but also log around 10-20 dives per year in the tropics. I usually spend time in Asia when I go on holidays. But because I almost always not just go on a dive holiday (often go for dive trip for 1 week, then maybe another 1 or 2 weeks of non diving holidays), I will need to consider total weight if I am planning to take my full set with me.

At this point, no intention of tec diving in future. It's mainly a decision to make my rec dives more comfortable and simplified.

Switching from jacket style to bpw also reduces weight requirement due to a reduction in buoyancy, is this correct? In winter, I dive with 5mm + Sharkskin chillproof, 12 pounds weight, and still felt slightly underweight at the end of the dive when the tank is half empty.

 

[MichaelMc]

Switching from jacket style to bpw also reduces weight requirement due to a reduction in buoyancy, is this correct?

Yes. To the extent that it removes padding that you needed lead to sink. Beyond that it can move lead from the weight belt to the back, where it is more useful for trim.

A normal rigid plate BP/W is likely more compact to travel than non-BP/Ws, aside from very minimalist and less sturdy BCs. The bulkiest part is the wing, some of which can pack very small. It is also cleaner on the body. It can also be very light if you choose not to build ballast into the plate.

If only half your trip is diving, you might consider backplates that have slots for pockets that you can add lead to. Traveling with a steel plate for the purpose of diving is fine, but it might get tiring if you are lugging it around for a non-diving part of the holiday. Halcyon makes a travel plate with pockets, but there are others.

The BP/W system is very adaptable. So you could get used to it locally with a dive steel plate, and then evaluate how or if you want to modify that for travel. Aluminum plate with DIY added pockets, purpose built plate with pocket slots, or soft plate. The soft plate comes with compromises as it is not as fixed a foundation for the tank, it just depends on if that bothers you, and the weight savings over an aluminum plate or a cutout steel one are small.

Some of our shorter members have been very clear that a shorter plate made a world of difference. It depends on your spine length. A normal size/length plate might dig into the rear hips if your spine is on the shorter side.

On all the discussion of plates: They differ, but all do roughly the same thing. Some are a bit sweeter than others, and in different ways, but most any will get you set up well. Thinking here about various steel, aluminum and cutout steel plates. And on wings, in most likelyhood something in the 30 lb range will serve you well.

This thread provides an overview: Beginners Guide To BP/W

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

For Sale - DSS Torus 17 Wing - Great shape!

This would be a good start....and you could sit with the cool kids...

Jay

Edit- Ahhhhh Malaysia.... that might make shipping a bit trickier....

Jay

 

[dmaziuk]

Switching from jacket style to bpw also reduces weight requirement due to a reduction in buoyancy, is this correct?

Not really: you may lose a kilo but don't expect miracles. A steel plate will weigh a couple of kilos that you won't have to put on your belt -- but it's luggage weight when you travel. You win some, you lose some.

 

[NothingClever]

I’ve never found a SS BP to be burdensome while traveling by air.

 

[lowwall]

Not really: you may lose a kilo but don't expect miracles. A steel plate will weigh a couple of kilos that you won't have put on your belt -- but it's luggage weight when you travel. You win some, you lose some.

It's a 3 kilo of lead difference for me between my no-padding steel BP with small wing and a jacket BC.