First BC purchase (BP/W) Help Wanted
- Thread starter Hydrogen
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LeadTurn_SD
Contributor
*** Pulls out UKT (Universal knowone Translator) from wetsuit thigh pocket***
"USED GEAR IS CHEAPER THAN NEW GEAR"!!
That is what the UKT says.....
Buy top quality gear, a couple years old, in near-new condition, for a fraction of new cost.
It really wasn't that hard, so I'm not going to charge for the translation this time.
***Puts UKT back into thigh pocket***
Ok, carry on with the discussion.
Oh, and if you want to buy NEW, I'd recommend looking at HOG gear.
Best wishes.
diveprof
Contributor
DSS and others make great products. However,if you are on a budget, you might want to take a look at the values offered by the folks below - he does well on Oxycheq (great product)pricing. He provides quick shipping too.
Cave Adventurers!, We will NOT be undersold!!!
Cave Adventurers!, We will NOT be undersold!!!
Let's be honest, a plate is a plate. They all have fairly standard hole spacing and cam band placement, these days. I bought a Salvo Stainless Steel plate for $59 I think. It works very well. As for wings, I suggest buying two, even with my limited experience. The "ultimate lift calculator" thread pasted as a sticky at the top of the BC subforum is a great way to determine your own needs as far as size. I don't dive doubles but, according to the calculator, I can dive doubles with a smaller wing than most people seem to be buying for singles. You can buy a big wing and bungee it for singles, but it won't work as well as having dedicated singles and doubles wings. It's trivially easy to switch wings on a plate, and takes less than a minute.
As for the price of wings, I've only found a couple that were under $200 new. Buying used is a great way to save money, especially on the doubles wing. Personally, I'd buy two used wings for the price of a single new one, but I'm cheap that way.
Find a harness that is comfortable for you. Some people, a lot of people, actually, swear by HOG style one-piece webbing harnesses. A lot of other people are just as happy with a "comfort" harness. I don't have a horse in that race as I'm equally comfortable in either one. The HOG is a cheaper option, though, if that's a factor.
As for the price of wings, I've only found a couple that were under $200 new. Buying used is a great way to save money, especially on the doubles wing. Personally, I'd buy two used wings for the price of a single new one, but I'm cheap that way.
Find a harness that is comfortable for you. Some people, a lot of people, actually, swear by HOG style one-piece webbing harnesses. A lot of other people are just as happy with a "comfort" harness. I don't have a horse in that race as I'm equally comfortable in either one. The HOG is a cheaper option, though, if that's a factor.
RonzoTheGreat
Contributor
i have "over collected" gear and can get you into a bp/w in superb condition for well under $500... email me (see your pm)
sobe
Registered
Thanks for the post (with the exception of the need for 2 tanks) we are - spot on in the same scenario.
I dont mean to threadjack in any way: but is there a forum post that describes step by step what to buy? Sex bolts, go with crotch strap but only one cam stap needed.. etc (couldn't find one searching)
I know I know, its all about customization and preferences, but I am a new diver and this site got me to switch from BC to BP/W and convinced me to spend more on used high quality gear. So with just the the BP/W left to buy -- I need to purchase online to make the budget (lol and by "make" I mean going over by not too much)
OP - Hydrogen: PM' me if you want to compare notes on this: TECHNICAL SCUBA BCD PACKAGE @ Divers-Supply.com
If you have any interest or thoughts.
thanks all!
I dont mean to threadjack in any way: but is there a forum post that describes step by step what to buy? Sex bolts, go with crotch strap but only one cam stap needed.. etc (couldn't find one searching)
I know I know, its all about customization and preferences, but I am a new diver and this site got me to switch from BC to BP/W and convinced me to spend more on used high quality gear. So with just the the BP/W left to buy -- I need to purchase online to make the budget (lol and by "make" I mean going over by not too much)
OP - Hydrogen: PM' me if you want to compare notes on this: TECHNICAL SCUBA BCD PACKAGE @ Divers-Supply.com
If you have any interest or thoughts.
thanks all!
This month, I have bought two Halcyon eclipse systems with SS plates, one 30# for my wife and one 40# for me, includingharness, storage pocket, all the necessary d rings and EPCM webbing bands, and the Halcyon weight pockets, for $400 each. Adding a doubles wing can set you back another $250. Buying used is the way to go. One of my purchases was from this forum, another from an instructor I met who had an lots of gear and preferred a jacket style for teaching.
Quality and function is superb, no complaints, only the highest recommendation. Be patient and look around, you can find good deals out there.
Someone posted "stay away from Halcyon." I have no idea why anyone would say that (unless he meant buying new, which would be substantially over your budget). That being said, Dive Rite, Zeagle, DSS, OMS, Apeks, just to name a few, make quality BP/W setups. Lots to choose from in the used market.
Quality and function is superb, no complaints, only the highest recommendation. Be patient and look around, you can find good deals out there.
Someone posted "stay away from Halcyon." I have no idea why anyone would say that (unless he meant buying new, which would be substantially over your budget). That being said, Dive Rite, Zeagle, DSS, OMS, Apeks, just to name a few, make quality BP/W setups. Lots to choose from in the used market.
Hydrogen, the backplate and wing system has three parts: The plate, the wing, and the harness. You can, within very broad limits, enjoy a variety of choices for each part. Plates come in various materials and sizes. Wings vary as to whether they are made for single tanks or double tanks (despite what some will say, you really can't buy one wing that will do both adequately) and within each group, how much lift they offer. Harnesses can be simple webbing or have padding or clips.
What you have to decide first is the environment in which you will be using the gear. If you are diving in Canada, you will most likely want a steel plate, and you may actually want something like the DSS steel plate, to which you can attach lead weight plates. My husband uses them and likes them a lot. On the other hand, if you are planning on warm water diving, you may not want steel, because you don't require the ballast.
You will want to buy a wing for single tanks to begin with. Such wings come in sizes from 17 lbs of lift (warm water aluminum tank diving) to 35 pounds or so (large, steel tanks in cold water). They vary in how they attach to the plate, and whether you require an additional piece of equipment to stabilize the tank (single tank adapter). They also vary in materials and in access -- with some wings, you can easily replace the bladder if you have to; with others, you have to send the rig back to the manufacturer for repair.
I think most of us who are using backplate setups would recommend starting with a simple webbing harness. If you find it unmanageable, you can always spend the money for a "comfort" type harness later. But it's been my experience that most people who spend the money for the complex harnesses, eventually go to simple webbing, anyway, so the extra money was wasted.
Within your budget constraints, I would recommend a DSS setup, especially if you are diving cold water. This is for three reasons: One, Tobin George (owner of DSS) will walk you through the process of selecting equipment that will match your needs. Two, you have the option of the weight plates, which are an elegant solution to ballast requirements in cold water. And three, should you ever have issues with the DSS gear, their customer service is incredible.
What you have to decide first is the environment in which you will be using the gear. If you are diving in Canada, you will most likely want a steel plate, and you may actually want something like the DSS steel plate, to which you can attach lead weight plates. My husband uses them and likes them a lot. On the other hand, if you are planning on warm water diving, you may not want steel, because you don't require the ballast.
You will want to buy a wing for single tanks to begin with. Such wings come in sizes from 17 lbs of lift (warm water aluminum tank diving) to 35 pounds or so (large, steel tanks in cold water). They vary in how they attach to the plate, and whether you require an additional piece of equipment to stabilize the tank (single tank adapter). They also vary in materials and in access -- with some wings, you can easily replace the bladder if you have to; with others, you have to send the rig back to the manufacturer for repair.
I think most of us who are using backplate setups would recommend starting with a simple webbing harness. If you find it unmanageable, you can always spend the money for a "comfort" type harness later. But it's been my experience that most people who spend the money for the complex harnesses, eventually go to simple webbing, anyway, so the extra money was wasted.
Within your budget constraints, I would recommend a DSS setup, especially if you are diving cold water. This is for three reasons: One, Tobin George (owner of DSS) will walk you through the process of selecting equipment that will match your needs. Two, you have the option of the weight plates, which are an elegant solution to ballast requirements in cold water. And three, should you ever have issues with the DSS gear, their customer service is incredible.
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