and weight... which may or may not be a good thing.
btw... using the SS cam buckles I have no trouble getting a LP104 steel rock solid with out and STA .... plastic buckles can't stand up to the strain and break.
equipmnt for my children, long, but please help.
- Thread starter gbf
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
btw... using the SS cam buckles I have no trouble getting a LP104 steel rock solid with out and STA .... plastic buckles can't stand up to the strain and break.
plongere
Registered
We jsut had a similar circumstance. My wife and I got certifed last year. We got duplicate gear Scubapro 16/550's, Mares BC's and AIR2 integrated octo, Apollo bio fins and genesis computers.
Out kids just got certified (15 & 16). We stuck with the Scubapro line, 16/380's so my save a dive kit would have the right tools, and the regs are built the same, so at my age I wouldn't have to remember so much. They got good deals from our LDS on their Cressi BC's and their Scubapro fins as these gave them the best fit / power. We gave them our bulletproof genesis console setups and got ourselves nitrox capable Oceanic Versapro consoles.
For wetsuits our LDS was turning over their rental outfits and we picked up two sets for a reasonable price. We got really good deals from our LDS on equipment and instruction.
Looks for deals and talk to your LDS. Tell them your circumstances and if they are anything like my LDS they are more than willing to work with you.
Good luck, it is fun diving with the family, just lots of gear to haul through airports! But, it sure is fun watching the family discover another world!
Out kids just got certified (15 & 16). We stuck with the Scubapro line, 16/380's so my save a dive kit would have the right tools, and the regs are built the same, so at my age I wouldn't have to remember so much. They got good deals from our LDS on their Cressi BC's and their Scubapro fins as these gave them the best fit / power. We gave them our bulletproof genesis console setups and got ourselves nitrox capable Oceanic Versapro consoles.
For wetsuits our LDS was turning over their rental outfits and we picked up two sets for a reasonable price. We got really good deals from our LDS on equipment and instruction.
Looks for deals and talk to your LDS. Tell them your circumstances and if they are anything like my LDS they are more than willing to work with you.
Good luck, it is fun diving with the family, just lots of gear to haul through airports! But, it sure is fun watching the family discover another world!
I use HP steel and alum. tanks with my FredT/Halcyon. With ScubaPro tank bands, SS buckles, my tanks are very secure. As UP said...rock solid.
I didn't like the STA for the very reason you mentioned.
I didn't like the STA for the very reason you mentioned.
sdexcalibur
Guest
As far as bc's goes they have a company out their that will let you trade in you bc for a bigger one until the child reaches 16-17. It's about 550.00 if you want more info I will have to look it up but would be happy to just drop me an e-mail
sdexcalibur@cs.com
sdexcalibur@cs.com
leadweight
Contributor
Some possible suspects are the Transpac ll and Zeagle Concept. The TP ll straps can be changed out which allows an extra small to be converted to a small.
The Concept ll can grow from an XS to a medium without any new parts, although the Medium is a bit too short in the back. Try to get the 35# wing as the standard size is 44#.
My wife has a small mouth and likes her Scubapro R380 second stage.
I really think the girls will not like a backplate, but there are a lot of people around here that think everyone should use one no matter what.
Meanwhile, my son who will soon turn 22 is about to get his c-card & will be begging for gear.
The Concept ll can grow from an XS to a medium without any new parts, although the Medium is a bit too short in the back. Try to get the 35# wing as the standard size is 44#.
My wife has a small mouth and likes her Scubapro R380 second stage.
I really think the girls will not like a backplate, but there are a lot of people around here that think everyone should use one no matter what.
Meanwhile, my son who will soon turn 22 is about to get his c-card & will be begging for gear.
Brad,
If you don't want to go the BP route, look at the Zeagle Scout. It's a back inflation BC that is small, light weight and well built. It can be purchased in small sizes and is ajustable over a wide range. Leisure Pro (on line dealer) has them for about $215. I have one that I use for warm water diving. It does have a simple form of weight intergration but you can always wear a weitht belt with it. I suspect that your girls could use the intergrated system as I would bet that they will only use a few pounds. I use 6-8 lbs in salt water with no wet suit.
If you don't want to go the BP route, look at the Zeagle Scout. It's a back inflation BC that is small, light weight and well built. It can be purchased in small sizes and is ajustable over a wide range. Leisure Pro (on line dealer) has them for about $215. I have one that I use for warm water diving. It does have a simple form of weight intergration but you can always wear a weitht belt with it. I suspect that your girls could use the intergrated system as I would bet that they will only use a few pounds. I use 6-8 lbs in salt water with no wet suit.
OP
Thanks, all.
Here's what I've done and my plan:
I put the each girl in the pool with my plate/wing and a single, after spending some time fitting the harness to them, and jury-rigging a single tank adaper from an old single tank backpack (at least 25 yrs old) I had. Obviously, nothing fit properly - both complained about the plate digging in. It was just too long for them and the wing was way too big for a single.
No problem with the rig shifting more than expected with misfit plate. Excellent trim/bouyancy control. No problem inflating/deflating. No surprise to me, it worked really well.
I'm going to order a FredT short plate and do the same experiment before ordering the proper sized wings for them. If it doesn't work out, then I'll either mothball it or ebay it, and then I'll start looking at BC's.
Now time to start thinking about regs. I have a mental block re: ScubaPro, so probably won't go there.
Thanks again to all of you
Brad
Here's what I've done and my plan:
I put the each girl in the pool with my plate/wing and a single, after spending some time fitting the harness to them, and jury-rigging a single tank adaper from an old single tank backpack (at least 25 yrs old) I had. Obviously, nothing fit properly - both complained about the plate digging in. It was just too long for them and the wing was way too big for a single.
No problem with the rig shifting more than expected with misfit plate. Excellent trim/bouyancy control. No problem inflating/deflating. No surprise to me, it worked really well.
I'm going to order a FredT short plate and do the same experiment before ordering the proper sized wings for them. If it doesn't work out, then I'll either mothball it or ebay it, and then I'll start looking at BC's.
Now time to start thinking about regs. I have a mental block re: ScubaPro, so probably won't go there.
Thanks again to all of you
Brad
If your kids are young I would give some consideration to their posission in the water when the bladder is inflated.
A BP and wing or any back mounted bladder will tend to float them face down. where as a vest type of bcd will teld to float them face up.
just some thoughts. btw I dive both my kids dive vest style BCD
A BP and wing or any back mounted bladder will tend to float them face down. where as a vest type of bcd will teld to float them face up.
just some thoughts. btw I dive both my kids dive vest style BCD
OP
Auatec,
Yeah. I laid it off on my wing being too big, but we'll see after I try one of them out ready to dive for real. If it is a real problem, then I will re-consider. May still do wings, but will re-think it carefully before doing it.
thanks
bf
Yeah. I laid it off on my wing being too big, but we'll see after I try one of them out ready to dive for real. If it is a real problem, then I will re-consider. May still do wings, but will re-think it carefully before doing it.
thanks
bf
Scubaroo
Contributor
Crap. The face-down argument is a myth - you just lean back against the bp/wing/tank on the surface like it's an armchair, and you float face up fine. Just keep your knees in front of you, instead of trying to "kneel" or stand in the water like you can with a jacket BC with your knees below you. Bend your knees and put your fins behind you - THEN you'll go face down. You don't position your body at the surface in a backplate and wing like you would with a jacket BC - plain and simple.
Similar threads
