BP/Wings: Why aren't they offered to first time purchasers??

[VTWarrenG]

Pug,

Okay, I'm a cheapass. My rent is $1795 a month, so I have to be frugal. Screw you, Bay Area.

- Warren

 

[FredT]

Man Warren... get a grip...the stuff only costs $1 a foot


Where are you getting it?
With a hardware order I sell regular webbing at 1.50/YARD!

I attampted to correct a typo in the spreadsheet. I managed to loose the attachment in the edit function. The text file below has been corrected. 3/22/02
FT

 

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by VTWarrenG
My rent is $1795 a month

Yikes!!!!

 

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by FredT
Where are you getting it?
With a hardware order I sell regular webbing at 1.50/YARD!

I'm trying to attach a zipped excel sheet I use for for making estimates.

Fred... Dive Commercial Intl, in Seattle... retail... they make a little on us...

I tried to open your file but alas... Bill said no...

 

[Lost Yooper]

I couldn't open it either, Fred. Came out like jibberish. Could be me though .

Mike

 

[FredT]

It opens in Excell. It takes a three step process. Save to disk, then unzip with winzip while you have an Excel or other spreadsheet program running. Then double click on file in the winzip window and it'll automaticly open it in the spreadsheet window. The zipped internal file name is "Generic plate etimate 2-07-02.xls", a native Excel format document so as quantities are changed, the totals change automaticly. This makes it easy to do "what if" comparisons. Most spreadsheet programs can handle Excell format documents as input. The freight $ is an estimate for what a full plate and harness kit ships for to UPS zone 5. Real freight can be ± $3 or more depending on destination and other "goodies" ordered.

lets try it again in plain text format for those without Excell. It provides the same info, will open with anything, but is not as easy to use.

FT

 

[chris_b]

What a fortuitous thread! I was just about to post looking for sources of "DIY DIR" stuff (i.e. backplates and harness materials) and here is a whole price list all set up, thanks FredT!

My wife and I are just in the middle of taking our OW class (it lasts from January to May) and like a good geek I've been doing all sorts of research on the internet on scuba gear.

I've read quite a bit here, on usenet, and elsewhere. To me, the bp/wings setup sounds like the most logical of all. Regardless, I hate the jacket-style BCs we use in the pool! And the stupid octopus always floats around back and gives me a wedgie 'cause there's nowhere to tuck it in.

So anyway I guess we are typical first time purchasers. I am really attracted to the fact that other than wings, it's pretty much a do-it-yourself proposition. So in addition to the info posted by FredT are there other sources for parts/DIY stuff? I've found AUL but that's about it.

Of course we're just going to be using single tanks for quite a while so it looks like the Halcyon wings with integrated STA are the poop. Do you folks know whose backplates will work with these?

Well I have about a million questions and comments about all this gear stuff (I'm afraid I'm a real gear geek) but I just got Jarrod Jablonski's DIRF book in the mail today so I will try to refrain from a question-posting frenzy by reading this weekend!

TIA for answers and replies!

Chris

Edit: Just wanted to add that I've found some good sources of DIY info, just not sources for parts. For example, there's a really nice clear explanation of harness threading at http://www.fifthd.com/gear/harness.html

 

[Lost Yooper]

Chis,

If I were looking at getting another new BP/wing (which I am -- for the wife), I would go with the Fred T stuff. I'm not sure if he sells Halcyon wings, but the guy I get my stuff from sells the Halcyon 36lb wing for about $220 (pretty cheap, eh?). Depending on the type of diving you plan on doing and the type of suit you will be wearing, will determine the type of plate (AL or SS) you should get.

You're one of the few lucky one's out there that has figured all this out before spending thousands of dollars on "less-than-optimal gear" (I'm putting this nicely ). There's several people on here who are eager to answer any questions you may have about BP/wings and other stuff. Just ask away.



Mike

 

[jetblast00]

Halcyon http://www.halcyon.net makes the gear that is ussualy most often seen in DIR configurations (I'm not starting anything here... yes, there are other companies too...)

They provide dealers with what they call a "Fair Price List" a little searching on the internet, and you'll turn up a .pdf version that lists all their gear's prices... if you can't, contact me and I'll e-mail it to you... (I'm not sure exactly, but I don't think a Halcyon reseller is allowed to charge more than this list states... anyone?)

And dude... your octopus gives you a wedgie??? man, where are you running that hose through???

check out
http://www.gue.com for DIR education,
http://www.dirquest.com for DIR info,
http://www.wkpp.org for interesting bit in gear config,

and staying w/ singles for a while planning to get into doubles later is a great reason to definatly get a BP/wing

 

[Lost Yooper]

Here's some DIR links -- some are repeats of those above.

www.gue.com -- Read equipment section.
www.wkpp.org -- Read equipment section and pics.
http://www.sfdj.com/dive/dir1.htm -- Download both DIR 1 and DIR 3. This is good stuff.
http://wrolf.net/index.html -- Scroll down and read all the hogarthian and DIR stuff.
http://www.sfdj.com/dive/dir1.htm -- DIR shop.
http://www.fifthd.com/divestore/classes/video/ -- Compilation of videos showing some DIR procedures and drills in action.
http://gue.com/equipment/backplate6.html -- Backplate Illustration
http://www.gasdiving.co.uk/pages/misc/kit/harness_2.htm -- Webbing a harness.
http://www.cisatlantic.com/trimix/gmism/gmiindex.htm -- DIR FAQ
http://www.tekdyk.dk/doux/UK/setup.htm -- WKPP Doux de Coly
http://www.dis-uk.org/index1.html -- DIR UK
http://www.cisatlantic.com/trimix/other/dirshops.htm -- List of DIR shops.
http://www.halcyon.net/ -- Halcyon
http://www.extreme-exposure.com/ -- EE
http://www.lloydbaileysscuba.com/ -- Lloyd Bailey’s Scuba
http://www.cisatlantic.com/trimix/text/HOGARTH3.TXT -- Hogarthian article by Billy Williams