BP/Wings Users -- Who has what?

[TexasMike]

Originally posted by pgraham11
It really is amazing how expensive the whole setup is though compared to its simplicity, although I will grant you that my SeaQuest QD Pro cost about the same amount.

I thought much the same thing as I was justifying a purchasing decision last night at the regional Tekkie dive shop. But I guess part of what we are also purchasing is the brand name (like paying the extra $$ to get the Cadillac Escallade versus the basic Suburban).

 

[Lost Yooper]

Hey Mike,

The only thing worth the bucks is the Halcyon wing. Everything else can be bought from somewhere else for a lot less $$$. If I were going out tomorrow to buy a BP/wing BC, I would get a Fred T heavy SS BP, get my own stiff webbing (10' or so), a Halcyon wing and crotch strap, and the SS hardware from where ever I could find it. The quality is in the Halcyon wing, not the rest of it. If people want to go out and buy a quality BC, and budget isn't a primary concern, the Halcyon is a sure bet.

Pgraham11,

As far as the Pioneer wings being unstable, I have heard of that before, but there is a solution to it -- I don't know what it is. Contact EE. I believe you can use an STA with the Pioneer wings too if you want. I use an Explorer wing which doesn't have the STA built in.

I had that pocket for a while, but I got rid of it. Those plastic nutts are terrible. Just use zip ties to hold it on.

Take care.

Mike

PS. I would take any simple BP, harness, and non bungied wing (from any manufacturer) over any jacket style or fancy "tech" BC. Without question, I love the simplicity and the streamline nature of the harness/BP BC.

 

[foothillsdiver]

OMS IQ/SS BP/100 lb Dbl. for Dbl 112s Bungeed of course.

OMS harness single 100lb with Large singles. non bungeed

BTW Yooper. the best thing I like about the IQ is the comfort.

Next wing might be a Halcyon, you never know. gotta wear these out first.


T mike, Whatta you up to ????

BTW does anyone remember that Coyne ventured into scuba tanks for a while. I love their 95s but their 120 had to go. Man was that thing an anchor. 16lbs neg full.

Happy diving.

 

[watergal]

Thanks for the reminder, guys. If using the transpac with banded/bolted doubles, stabilizers plates are needed. Although it is versitile, and I do not know of any failures, I do not recommend it for someone intending to walk with doubles on a regular basis. I don't know that I would call myself a fan, but I do have one and I do still like to dive it in several conditions

Oh, yeah, that's right; LY does use Halcyon. I think I remember reading that somewhere once...

It's rough being old. I bought my gear before there was Halcyon or GUE, and JJ was teaching IANTD. Still works fine.

 

[Lost Yooper]

Foothillsdiver,

If by comfort, you are referring to comfort on the surface, there might be a slight advantage to the padded fancy "tech" BC's. Comfort underwater (the important part, BTW) clearly goes to the more streamlined and simple BP and harness. Whenever you start adding "stuff" like double bladders (completely unnecessary), bungies (unnecessary), pads (certainly unnecessary underwater), and whatever else isn't needed, you're creating drag, using more energy, and therefore using more air than necessary. It's as simple as that.
One thing is for certain, the fancy "tech" BC's certainly portray the "look" of a "tech diver" to the recreational divers looking at getting into more advanced diving. Of course, looks, gizmos, and gadgets are the most important parts of this industry anyway. Price is secondary and genuine practicality falls to a distant third.

Take care.

Mike

 

[JoelW]

Dive Rite Al plate
Dive Rite STA
OMS SS plate
Dive Rite Trek Wing (no bungee, no pull dump)
Halcyon Pioneer 36
can't remember whose webbing and rings

JoelW

 

[roakey]

Halcyon SS backplate
FredT Heavy backplate
FredT AL backplate

Halcyon 18lb Pioneer wing
Halcyon 45lb Explorer wing
Halcyon 65lb Explorer wing

Halcyon STA

Roak

 

[omar]

Dive Rite SS bp
Dive Rite Al bp
Halcyon SS bp
Abyss Al bp

Halcyon 27 lb Pioneer wing
2 Dive Rite 45lb Jr wing - no pull dump or ball
Dive Rite 60lb classic wing - no pull dump or ball

2 Koplin weighted STA

omar

 

[Green_Manelishi]

OMS SS backplate with one-piece harness. I also replaced the
silly fastex-buckle crotch-strap with a DIR loop.

OMS STA with singles

Halcyon 55lb explorer with doubles
AUL wing with LP104 (single)
some-other (i do not know brand) with LP95

 

[bio guy]

OMS IQ
Dive Rite Classic Wing
Homemade SS Backplate (Since it is so easy to make)
Homemade SS STA
Dive Rite Harness

Cheers