Ditching the poodle jacket

[Tortuga68]

Dealing with leaking first stage/o-ring problem? Adjusting tank band? Passing gear through a narrow spot where both rig and human can't pass at same time (wreck/cave)?

Yes, yes and read Shadow Divers!

FWIW I haven't used a weight belt since OW; just one of the benefits of diving BPW. I don't like cold water and am lucky enough to be able to avoid anything below 19C, so I can dive up to a 5mm suit with hooded vest - which is enough to keep me warm for ~45 minutes at 19C - and only need an SS BP and a few pounds in non-ditchable trim pockets on a cam band (with a single steel tank)

 

[InTheDrink]

If you're doing a lot of diving at home, I'd recommend the stainless plate and the LCD 30 wing. If you primarily dive warm water through travel, I'd recommend the Kydex plate and one of the smaller wings (which one would be dependent on how much exposure protection you wear, and how much weight you carry). But my top recommendation would be to write to Tobin, because I think he does an absolutely superb job of counseling people into gear they'll be happy with.

Oh, and SeaJay, my number of 20 lbs for buoyancy loss on the thick wetsuit was from data presented during my GUE classes -- apparently JJ took a 7 mil suit to 100 feet and actually measured how much buoyancy it lost, and it was 23 pounds.

I may well take your advice and ping Tobin. My only concern is that some of the kit looks albeit pricey. The plate I was looking at was over $200 - this seems kinda steep. I'm presuming these are US rather than AUS dollars. Steep, no?

J

 

[Tortuga68]

Yes it's USD, although the Aussie is about $0.90 currently

You should have a look at Halcyon prices!

 

[gcbryan]

I may well take your advice and ping Tobin. My only concern is that some of the kit looks albeit pricey. The plate I was looking at was over $200 - this seems kinda steep. I'm presuming these are US rather than AUS dollars. Steep, no?

J

I think he has a complete package for $460 or something like that. Compare that to any but the cheapest BC and you'll see that it's the same as a mid-priced traditional BC.

 

[ScottUgly]

Mares makes a back inflate BCD called the Icon.
I have an Icon and a Dragon. 99% of the time I use the Icon.

I would post a link to their site, but I am not allowed to yet.

 

[InTheDrink]

Mares makes a back inflate BCD called the Icon.
I have an Icon and a Dragon. 99% of the time I use the Icon.

I would post a link to their site, but I am not allowed to yet.

Thanks for the post. Things I don't like about the dragon:
#1. High chest strap. Way too high
#2. Rides up on me
#3. Integrated weights make pockets all but unusable
#4. No holder/grip on the back (meaning have to carry rig by the tank neck)

No idea what the Icon is like in comparison but a lot of the design looks similar from the website so even if I went for a back inflate BC I'd probably shy away from Mares.

Cheers,
John

 

[InTheDrink]

I think he has a complete package for $460 or something like that. Compare that to any but the cheapest BC and you'll see that it's the same as a mid-priced traditional BC.

Well indeed, but I'm comparing it to Oxycheq not Halcyon, which seems to come in cheaper and looks like it's more for the money. That said, I will ping him and see what he says.

And I instinctively dislike 'complete packages'. Would prefer to tailor make mine, although with assistance from someone even better.

Cheers,
John

 

[Tortuga68]

Mares makes a back inflate BCD called the Icon.
I have an Icon and a Dragon. 99% of the time I use the Icon.

I would post a link to their site, but I am not allowed to yet.

I would post a link to their site for you but I'm a BPW nazi

 

[Tortuga68]

I instinctively dislike 'complete packages'. Would prefer to tailor make mine, although with assistance from someone even better

Tobin will be more than happy to advise you. In fact some people might say it's harder to get him to shut up

 

[Blue Sparkle]

And I instinctively dislike 'complete packages'. Would prefer to tailor make mine, although with assistance from someone even better.

I hear you. I'm one of those who had to buy separate stereo components to get the features of each one that I wanted (back when stereos commonly consisted of components, that is).

But that said, the DSS "complete package" is one that you make up of parts of your choosing. That is, there is an area where you select "singles rig," and then you have a choice of plates and wings (he makes different styles and sizes). You plug in what you want and then the price comes up. I think the $460 price was mentioned because with the "usual" basic choices in plate and wing, that's what it comes to.

So it's more like a "build your rig" package than it is something that gets pre-selected and then stuffed at you like "they" thought it should be.

B.