Dive Rite Travel-Pac + HOG D1 or BP2 first stage/regs good starting gear?

[gstrek]

At the risk of hijacking the thread topic, Searcaigh, do you use a separate strap on the tank for weights and if so how far from the bottom do you put them? I have 2 pockets with 2 lbs each on the tank strap but would like to play around with trim. 3 mil shorty and AL 80 tank, 8 lbs on belt, 4 on strap.

 

[SeaCobra]

Agreed. And did not bad mouth anyone. Just said I would not trust any tech I don't know. No matter what their experience level. Especially since a problem may crop up later on due to that service after returning home. Then what do they do?

Better option is to rent a reg from them, keep diving on schedule, and have my own known tech, or me, rebuild it at my leisure when I get home so that if there is an issue it can be taken care of easily.
Do regs fail? Yes. But it is not the horror story some use to scare people into things they don't want, need, or can't really afford.

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Hmmm, I don't quite understand, you would not allow them to service your reg, but you will rent a reg from them that they are in charge of the service and upkeep of that reg?

And you should never 'trust a tech you don't know regardless of experience'? Based on that, someone that does not know you should not trust you to service their equipment?

Just wondering

 

[Searcaigh]

At the risk of hijacking the thread topic, Searcaigh, do you use a separate strap on the tank for weights and if so how far from the bottom do you put them? I have 2 pockets with 2 lbs each on the tank strap but would like to play around with trim. 3 mil shorty and AL 80 tank, 8 lbs on belt, 4 on strap.

Hi gstrek

here is a photo of the cam band with weight attached to my AL63



It is about 4-6 inches from the bottom.

I still use a weight belt with soft weights and usually have 2 x 1Kg or 2 x 3lb with a full 5mm, oh and I am also balancing things at the other end with a housed SLR

 

[deskdiver]

Found my log book looks like I was using 6 american pounds worth of weight previously.... seems the travelpac won't have any issues with lift and I've got some room to spare if I end up needing to carry more for whatever reason.

One thing I would ask is can you get that reg set serviced? You can take a reg overhaul class once you are tech certified but until then you will be taking it to somdone fir service. Also if you travel to dive look at whether you will be able to get any reg serviced where you usually travel to. Larger name brands have largsr distribution networks.

To be honest this wasn't a big factor for me.

I figured I could buy AL or SP and have a shop nearby. Or get the HOG and learn how to do it myself, send it somewhere that does it already or try to see if someone local could use the service kit and utilise their skills from working on AL regs which I understand are similar to the HOGs. Worst come to worst I could always buy more regs.

I have been using a DR TravelPac for about 2 years now and it works well with a single HP100 plus a AL30 stage in a 3mm suit.

What you need to be aware of is that if you are using an AL80 (common in the tropics) it is useful to have a 2lb/1Kg weight on a cam band lower down the tank to maintain decent trim as the tank pressure drops

That's very helpful to know.

I think I'm just going to get the travelpac. Might stick with an external weight belt for now till I have my trim etc worked out. Thanks everyone.