Choosing a BP/W

[skatermegs]

So, I know this subject has been reviewed ad nauseum, but I am definitely having a tough time deciding what I want.

Background: I dive in cold water, and dive as a divemaster, so often with students. For that I will continue to use my Zeagle ranger, which is something our dive shop sells and encourages use of. I love my ranger, however it is truly not the best fit for me. It shifts heavily underwater, and if I choose to lean forward I end up with the tank valve on the back of my head. It is definitely not a part of me.

I am also super short and rounder then I would like, and so finding anything that works well for me has been a challenge. I don't plan to go full DIR anytime soon, but would like something that fits me better and allows better trim for fun diving.

Specs:
5'2 female (fairly well endowed, around 170lbs)
I dive an apollo drysuit with a Northern Diver 200 underlayer and a layer of smartwool under that. I am planning on adding an argon system too, as I can not stay warm.
I use HP80 tanks, singles only, no intention of doubles at this point.
I usually use between 28 and 34lbs of lead, 3 in a trim pocket, two on the tank and the rest in the front pockets. I also use a 13 cubic foot pony, which won't change anytime soon.

Clearly I want a stainless steel backplate, but beyond that I am clueless as to what I will need. I have been looking at a Hollis set up. Help!
Megan

 

[fisheater]

Especially for cold water, drysuit diving, I highly recommend Deep Sea Supply. Asides from making excellent gear, their plates come in various sizes and they have the ability to bolt on extra weight plates.

Plus, Tobin (the owner, inventor, etc.) is awesome at putting together a system that'll be optimal for each diver. Give him a call.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Capt.Gene]

New gear is always exciting, but have you considered shorter shoulder sections and a crotch strap for your Ranger?

 

[HenrikBP]

DSS makes SS plates in different sizes which may be helpful to you being 5'2". They also make bolt-on steel weights for the plates, which helps distribute the necessary ballast. The DSS plates also have plastic inserts in the webbing slots so you don't have to use keepers to hold the webbing in place. And last but not least for single tank diving, the plates have a fairly shallow bend which gets the tank closer to your back.

DSS wings are nice too, and they incorporate tank supports so you wont need a Single Tank Adapter (STA)

https://www.deepseasupply.com/

Give Tobin a call - he's very thorough in determining which of his gear would suit your diving best.

Henrik

Fisheater beat me to it

 

[ColdH2O]

Have you looked at Apeks? Northwest Sports Divers in Lynnwood sells their stuff and have really good prices, call Matthew and he will help you out.

 

[TSandM]

I would also suggest DSS, for the weight plates, assuming you don't mind a somewhat heavy rig. My husband uses them and loves them, and they cut the amount he has to wear in his DUI Weight & Trim down to only 10 lbs. I don't use the weight plates, because I like to be able to make my rig as light as possible for moving and disassembly, so I use XS Scuba weight pouches on the cambands. No matter what, in our cold waters, figuring out where to put all the lead takes a bit of doing!

For single tanks, a 30 lb wing is almost certainly big enough. (It's what I use, with anything from an HP80 to an HP130.)

 

[eelnoraa]

For your height, I would go with a short plate. DSS and DiveRite both offer short SS plate. DSS's plate bands more, so tank is further away from you while DiveRite plate band less (flatter), so the tank is closer to you. Which is better is really your personal choice. A more band plate means your reg is less likely to hit your head. A flater plate means it will be more stable.

I have DiveRite plate with Oxycheq V 30lb wing for cold water use. I have been happy with it. It is very low profile. With HP80, the Oxycheq wing is longer than the tank, so you need to be careful when putting it donw not to pinch the wing.

Maybe it is grass greener on the other side. If I have to do it over, I will go with DSS plate & wing. For 1), DSS offers bolt on wieght plates, so good for drysuit diving 2)DSS's wing/plate attachement implementation is just the best I have seen. You can easily take wings off WITHOUT unthreading camband or STA. 3)most importantly, support from Tobin

Compare to Oxycheq wing, DSS wing is shorter and wider. This maybe better for short tank like HP80. Material is a lot softer but not as tough.

I would avoid Hollis brand myself. After owning a few pieces of gear from them, I don't have much confident anymore. While they make good quality product, they are inconsistent. If you like to know detail, PM me.

If you plan to use a STA, be careful when choosing one. NOT all are created the same. Most, including DiveRite's, OMS's, Halcyon's, ... they have cam slide line up with the bolt. This makes the tank sits too high.

 

[ligersandtions]

I'm also 5'-2" and use a DSS small plate with the bolt on weight plates. I've been very happy with it (I wear between 4 and 12 pounds on a belt, depending on what undergarments I'm diving).

 

[Bubbletrubble]

I have to agree with Capt. Gene. Try a crotch strap on your current BCD. The Zeagle Ranger has a slot on it to accommodate a crotch strap; no elaborate modifications are needed. It should prevent the rig from shifting too much when you change body position (inverted, leaning forward, etc.) in the water column. That could be a $10-$15 solution to your problem.

FWIW, with a little bit of patience and some creativity, a person can distribute weight on any BCD (even conventional jacket-style BCDs) in such a way that static horizontal trim is promoted. That being said, there are several advantages of going with a BP/W rig. If you insist on purchasing a BP/W and you plan on doing a lot of teaching for your dive shop, it might make sense to stick with gear that the shop sells. I know that local shops in my area require instructors and DMs to teach in gear that's sold by the shop. It's an "advertising" thing. BTW, Zeagle sells BP/W rigs...so does Apeks.

 

[Pullmyfinger]

DSS is a great option for many reasons, you've probably read most of them. The availability of a short plate is a plus which will contribute to making your rig feel a part of you, unlike eyour current BC.
The bolt on weight plates add versatility to the set-up. I use weight plates when I dive in Alaska, they're an ideal way to distribute weight.
I use an LCD 30. I agree with the others, it's an ideal size.

-Mitch