Diving singles and doubles on a bp/w? Also surf booties

[icedveins]

So I'm about to finish my summer semester at college after getting BOW certified from PADI in July. I just got my paycheck and am super excited to blow it all on new scuba gear. I'm familiar with most of what I'll want for my first kit, but my long term goals include a lot of tech diving. I know that I'll want a bp/w setup for tech, so I feel like I should invest in that now, rather than later (and I've heard that bp/w is good for rec anyway). A lot of my hobbies tend to be pretty expensive (like scuba) so I'd like to avoid buying a jacket/back-inflate bc since its uses are more limited.

My main question is, can I buy a bc like the Halcyon Infinity and use it for both single-tank diving and doubles? From what I can tell, doubles on a bp/w means bolting your cylinders directly to the backplate, while singles requires an STA. I feel like this means I can buy almost any bp/w and use it for both singles and doubles diving, as long as I have both the STA and bolts.

I know doubles isn't necessary for rec diving but I'm trying to think long-term in order to save costs, and I know for sure I will be diving wrecks and caves in the future. I've also read a lot of people on SB think Halcyon is overpriced, but it was just a prototypical example. If I had to choose between singles and doubles, I would start with singles, but having the option for both would be nice.

As a sidenote, I was thinking about buying a pair of 5mm surf booties instead of dive booties. I find the surf booties a lot more comfortable than dive booties and I prefer using them for freediving/spearfishing, so why not scuba? I also surf, but when I'm surfing I go without booties or a hood (unless I'm somewhere with a prickly bottom). Any thoughts on the booties?

 

[Agility]

Yes you can dive doubles and singles with Halcyon systems. BUT you will need different wings for each purpose.
With Halcyon backplates you will need a STA, other BPs offer slits to thread cambands through so you can use them without a STA. OTOH switching from singles to doubles setup on the same BP might soon become too tedious so you might find yourself getting two complete outfits
I love the chinch system but got rid of the padding and replaced it with a storage pack to put a deco bag in.


I think you should go and talk to a dealer that carries more than only Halcyon as there are very good alternatives

 

[Centrals]

Don't buy anything yet.
1. Some plates do not need STA for single tank.
2. Some wings would not fit too well with different brand's plate.
3. Double wing is far too big for single tank diving, taco effect.
4. Plate comes in various materials. Aluminium and SS(heavy) are the most common.
5. Simple harness or whatnot.
6. The list is pretty long.
7. You really need someone to lead you through this mine field.
8. Would you be interested in SM in the future?

Good luck.

 

[Colliam7]

My main question is, can I buy a bc like the Halcyon Infinity and use it for both single-tank diving and doubles? . . . I feel like this means I can buy almost any bp/w and use it for both singles and doubles diving, as long as I have both the STA and bolts.

Yes, you can do (almost) exactly what you are thinking. Buying a BP as your starting point is a great idea. Centrals raises good points that every BP user has to consider - what BP material, the need for different wings for singles vs doubles, use of an STA or not for single cylinders. I inserted the 'almost' because wing size will differ between single and double cylinders. So, you can use a BP/W as your BCD with singles, and with doubles, and use the same plate although with different wings.

One of the characteristics of a BP which makes your choice a wise approach is the modularity that it will offer. Presuming your initial diving will be colder waters (CA), you are possibly looking at a stainless steel plate, probably a 25-30 lb wing, possibly a STA (I have some plates with slots, and all of my single cylinder wings have slots, but I still use a STA for the convenience of not having to thread / unthread cam bands - personal choice). When you move to double cylinders, you simply change wings (bolts are part of the doubles bands). But, there are a number of options available to you, and you should, as centrals also recommends take your time, talk to divers who are using plates for singles and doubles, etc. Your basic plan is a good one, just collect a bit of additional data before moving forward.

I am going to the Caribbean in a couple of weeks, and taking one BP, with 3 wings (18lb, 30lb, and 50lb). I don't need 3 wings for the single cylinder recreational diving I plan to do, but I plan to dive both singles and doubles while there, and do some gear evaluations. The same plate / harness will work / be used for both, I just take a couple of extra (compactly packed) wings to accomplish my diving goals.

 

[fire_diver]

Don't be intimidated to start out with a BP/W, just do plenty or research (like you are doing here) and know exactly what you need before you buy.

Don't get brand-blinded by the pretty blue "H"s. You can get gear that is just as good or better without paying the H-tax.

You have a choice of BP materials in stainless, aluminum or even kydex. Lighter weight has it's place, but so does weight. A SS plate is just about perfect for offsetting the bouyancy swing of an aluminum 80 tank.

Harness. Simple is better. You don't need QR buckles unless you have medical limitations. You are just fine with a single piece of webbing, 3 D-rings and 2 tank straps. These can take some time to get the fit perfect, but once it's set you never have to mess with it again.

Wings - biggest expense and the most important. You have to have a singles wing for a single tank and a doubles wing for twin tanks. Singles wings may or may not need a stay. read the descripts carefully. Some have built-in "anti-roll" tabs to keep the tank solid. Wings also may or may not have band slots which means you may or may not NEED a STA.

Don't get fooled into thinking that "more is better" with wing lift either. For a single tank, you are probably going to be perfectly fine with 18# lift wing. Calculate what you need to dive with and how much negative buoyancy you could ever need to offset during a dive. I am personally a HUGE fan of the Oxyxheq mach V wing, but you should look at all the options and make your own choice.

 

[Searcaigh]

Have a look at Dive Rite systems they are very modular and some work well with both singles and doubles

 

[boulderjohn]

One of the characteristics of a BP which makes your choice a wise approach is the modularity that it will offer. Presuming your initial diving will be colder waters (CA), you are possibly looking at a stainless steel plate, probably a 25-30 lb wing, possibly a STA (I have some plates with slots, and all of my single cylinder wings have slots, but I still use a STA for the convenience of not having to thread / unthread cam bands - personal choice).

That is why I, too, use a STA with single tanks. It is a heck of a lot easier to make the switch that way.

 

[icedveins]

8. Would you be interested in SM in the future?

I would definitely be interested in SM, but it requires a dedicated bc doesn't it?

And thanks for the input everyone, I really appreciate it. So it sounds like I need to find a good bp/w setup, and then it's just a matter of buying different wings for singles and doubles (plus or minus however I choose to attach my tanks).

I was leaning more towards a SS bp since I wouldn't have to carry as much weight, and I think I remember reading a lot of cold-water divers prefer SS. Does anyone have any recs for specific systems or components? I've looked around a little bit - mostly H and DSS - but I'm not sure what differentiates one brand from the other, other than the H-tax that fire_diver so affectionately mentioned. I know that what I get depends on my own prefs, but hearing what other people like and why is always a great starting point.

I'm heading into my LDS on Friday or Saturday to start picking up gear, but I'm not sure how much bp/w gear they carry; most of what they have is ScubaPro, a la the Knighthawk (which is a respectable enough bc but not what I want). So bottom-line, I don't know how much useful feedback I would get on this subject.

I was also really curious about the whole surf bootie thing and no one has responded to that idea yet

 

[Centrals]

SM is a completely different ball game!! The various configuration available is mind-boggling.
You need to know what you NEED to buy rather than what the shop want to SELL to you!!! If you can't even decide what kind of material that you want for your BP. You will be wasting your hard earned cash on something unnecessary.
SLOW DOWN and think.
Instead of going to your LDS why don't you surf the web and see what is available.
DGX can sell you a COMPLETE set of Dive Rite single/double set up for US$299.00!!!!!! SS plate is extra. I am not suggesting that you should buy this set up but at least you know how much to pay.

 

[icedveins]

I know SM is a different ballgame; that's why I didn't mention it until you asked me if I was interested in it - which I am, but down the road.

I also know that my LDS isn't going to be helpful - I mentioned that in my last post. I'm pretty well-decided on a SS bp, but I don't know much about the different manufacturers, which is why I'm asking here before I buy. All I know is that Halcyon is expensive and that many on SB consider them overpriced. Other than that, I know almost nothing about the different manufacturers.

I am a dive noob with a bad case of "I want to spend all my money" syndrome. I'm still doing the research, browsing some other threads about bp/w setups, but I didn't see an answer to my question about the singles/doubles bp, which is why I asked here. I will still be doing more research before I invest in my gear; I'm not rushing out to drop my paycheck on a shiny new Halcyon Evolve because it looks sexy. I'm simply very eager to start diving regularly and would like to make a long-term investment in my equipment as soon as possible, especially because I hope to volunteer with my university's scientific diving program as well as Bay-Area cleanups.

I did get my original question answered, but I'm still really burning for an answer about those surf booties...