DIR Article - Gear Configuration

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Adobo:
Exactly. And I am not sure how common this would be but in my case, I also had to get a different backplate. So the singles rig that I bought thinking that I would be able to reuse (stainless steel plate + wing) sits at home unused when I am diving doubles.
Its common. I have both an Alum plate and a SS plate.

My Alum plate is my double 130 and warm water wimp single tank plate.
My SS plate is my double 80's and my cold water single tank plate.

I have 6 regs, most of which sit on my shelf for most of the time.

But all of it gets used at some point.

But....I do have 2 Jacket BC's and about 3 sets of fins that are in my closest with no hope of redemption :wink:


Adobo:
Edit: Apologies if what I am "contributing" is not relevant to the point of the thread.
Ahhh...its good to let the thread evolve naturally.
 
A couple thoughts:

The first is my perspective as a new diver in this configuration. I'd agree it isn't the "best" per se, but that it is very adaptable and doesn't have to be tweaked as diving evolves. One example for me was my first scooter experience. I had never really thought about the front crotch-strap D ring, and had no occasion to use it. When I tried out an X the other weekend, it was as simple as getting in the water and clipping the scooter off (at least from a gear perspective-managing the scooter and the task loading was something else).

My second point is that, the finer points of the gear configuration start to become handy. I've adopted the extra double-ender on the right D-ring approach, and I find I use that not only to clip off my light but, for instance, to clip off the X on my left d-ring when I was leaving the water. It is clear to me that people with massive amount of experience (beyond where I will go with my diving) have thought this configuration out, and because of that, I am fairly confident I won't have to reinvent the wheel as my diving evolves.

That being said, I agree with the doubles/singles rigs being separate. I found that my DSS plate works better as a single rig, and a FredT plate worked better for doubles, because the deeper bend in the plate was more comfortable. I'm also contemplating a Kydex plate for a travel rig for the weight savings . . . so at the end of the day, I'd agree that the one-size-fits all plate thing is a possibility, but probably not the optimal solution if you are diving varied rigs. But, at least plates are relatively cheap.
 
I twinned up 2 80's that I already owned (no steels yet unfortunately) and just picked up a doubles wing, manifold extra reg and bands. Plus a shorter HP hose.

That's about the minimum you can do IMO to switch to doubles (no matter how non-ideal having aluminum doubles are for cold water :) )

Bjorn
 
jeckyll:
no matter how non-ideal having aluminum doubles are for cold water :)
Who says that?
 
JeffG:
Who says that?

From a weighting perspective, I thought double aluminum tanks and cold sea water (like dsteding dives in) was a bad combination. Assuming a drysuit and aluminum tanks that are positive when empty.
 
Between a bag suit and twin AL80's I need stupid amounts of weight.

I need to get a V weight or something to move weight up off my waist because I'm foot heavy ...

I'm pretty sure I could get much larger twin steels and the over all weight I'd be carrying would be around where it is now when you add it all up.

:)

Oh and Adobo, I'm North of dsteding water is another bit colder here :wink:
 
Adobo:
From a weighting perspective, I thought double aluminum tanks and cold sea water (like dsteding dives in) was a bad combination. Assuming a drysuit and aluminum tanks that are positive when empty.

Yeah, I dunno, I think the whole AL 80s and cold water thing is a bit over played. An 80 is about the same dry weight as a 100, it needs an additional 4 pounds of ballast, but that is ONLY another 8 pounds. Makes things on land somewhere between double 100s and double 95s in terms of dry weight.

I'm actually starting to see a few sets floating (no pun intended) around. Cheap doubles . . . but now that the LP 77 is out that may be the better option.
 
dsteding:
Yeah, I dunno, I think the whole AL 80s and cold water thing is a bit over played. An 80 is about the same dry weight as a 100, it needs an additional 4 pounds of ballast, but that is ONLY another 8 pounds. Makes things on land somewhere between double 100s and double 95s in terms of dry weight.

I'm actually starting to see a few sets floating (no pun intended) around. Cheap doubles . . . but now that the LP 77 is out that may be the better option.

Only 8lbs? Wow.. with doubles full of 32, the last thing I need is 8lbs more.
 
Adobo:
Only 8lbs? Wow.. with doubles full of 32, the last thing I need is 8lbs more.

Agreed in one sense, I love my double 100s, but tons of people do tolerate the weight of 95s . . . AL 80s are somewhere in between.
 
For those of us who are parsing every pound, Al80s in cold water are frightening.

I walk into the water with more than my body weight in gear as it is. Al80s would give me less gas for more tank weight, and require 8 pounds more than the 20 I already wear with LP85s. If you're 6'2" and in your 20s, you can laugh at that. 5'4" and in my fifties, and I don't.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/
http://cavediveflorida.com/Rum_House.htm

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