I've completed AOW and Nitrox on rented gear and am ready to get my first BC. Thinking BP/wings are the way to go but would like to hear whether people think Dive Rite or Halcyon (or another?) manufacturer is the way to go. I've read a hell of a lot on this board but not everything so my apologies if this has been covered already. I've trained in the Northeast and Florida and have a trip to the Carribean planned. My guess is that I'll continue to dive both warm and cold for the next year but not sure where I'll be after that. I'm interested in tech diving, may do mostly rec--hard to tell but would like something versatile.
Dive Rite vs. Halcyon
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ericfine50
Contributor
You will really like the BP and wings for all your diving. I personally like the Halcyon wing (better construction and design). For the BP, a BP is a BP is a BP. Fred T has one that is great $$. Gary Hoardy as well, DR and Halcyon also make a nice plate, but cost a little more. For the harness, McMaster-Carr or ReefScuba.com has the best price for the D-rings, keepers, and webbing.
Eric
Eric
Scubaroo
Contributor
Most of the replies you'll get on this board are Halcyon. This is definitely a Halcyon board 
There is a search function on this board, you can easily do a search of previous threads for "Dive Rite backplate" and "Halcyon backplate", etc, I'm sure you'll find a wealth of information (if you can wade through it all).
To save 40 other people from responding with the same answer, this is what you're going to hear:
1. Buy an entire Halcyon rig.
or
2. Buy a Halcyon wing, and get a FredT backplate and harness to save a few $$$. The wing is the important part, the backplate is personal preference.
Welcome to ScubaBoard.
Ben
There is a search function on this board, you can easily do a search of previous threads for "Dive Rite backplate" and "Halcyon backplate", etc, I'm sure you'll find a wealth of information (if you can wade through it all).
To save 40 other people from responding with the same answer, this is what you're going to hear:
1. Buy an entire Halcyon rig.
or
2. Buy a Halcyon wing, and get a FredT backplate and harness to save a few $$$. The wing is the important part, the backplate is personal preference.
Welcome to ScubaBoard.
Ben
SPEEDSTER
Guest
go with the Halcyon wing/bp system, especially if you may get into tech, but even rec its the best system and really easy to pack if you travel a lot. If I were you, I would get a FredT bp and order the secure harness from halcyon unless you know someone familiar with setting the harness up. (I think you said you live/trained in florida, shouldn't be too tough finding someone there!)
Good luck,
mike
Good luck,
mike
SPEEDSTER
Guest
started replying before your post came up. I agree, this has been rehashed more times than which 1st tank to buy. (hehehe)
mike
mike
Scubaroo
Contributor
FredT should start paying us all commissions.
SPEEDSTER
Guest
or at least start paying KN and LD for advertising.
Scubaroo
Contributor
Actually Fred rarely plugs his products on here, he makes them that good that word of mouth sells them for him. So kudos to him. But it reminds me of a situation on another dive board recently, where a Halcyon dealer "somewhere near Australia" replied to almost every single gear question thread with a blatant plug for Halcyon products, "oh, and by the way, you can buy them from me", and they always resulted in a DIR bashfest. Did more harm to DIR acceptance than helped. He ended up being so despised I don't think anyone on that board would ever actually purchase from him! He ended up being forced to buy a banner ad on the site because of the number of complaints from users he was generating. I subscribe the the DIS-UK mailing list, and I see he's popped up on it as well, with the same spamlike tactics. Although I can't imagine too many brits are keen on ordering Halcyon gear from the other side of the worldSPEEDSTER once bubbled...
or at least start paying KN and LD for advertising.
boomx5
Contributor
I've never tried the Dive Rite so I personally can't comment. But I do have the Halcyon setup which I really like. I bought mine with the bp&wing as one package from Mike Ferrera instead of piecing the whole thing together.
The rest doesn't matter...I would go cheap and get someone to help you set it up...it isn't hard and will save you a lot of money. The wing is your main choice...and I can't imagine using another wing for singles. I would gladly give up my Explorer wing (doubles) way before I would my pioneer wing. I have dove an OMS wing with doubles before and, with the corrugated hose shortened, it worked great...I have yet to see a singles wing that is as good as the Halcyon Pioneer though...
Check the DiveRite and OMS sites and I think you will come to the same conclusion...nothing comes close. That being said, the one thing you lose with the Pioneer system is versatility to go from doubles to singles. The Halcyon wings are specific in design and function and you will need to buy another wing (explorer) if you decide to move to doubles later.
Check the DiveRite and OMS sites and I think you will come to the same conclusion...nothing comes close. That being said, the one thing you lose with the Pioneer system is versatility to go from doubles to singles. The Halcyon wings are specific in design and function and you will need to buy another wing (explorer) if you decide to move to doubles later.
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