First BPW set-up, DGX, Deep6 or something else?

[Eric Sedletzky]

Heard that the whole BPW was of lower quality than the others.

Ok, well let’s take a look at that and do some myth busting.
The “whole” BPW, meaning every component?

The plate.
Stainless or aluminum?
Do you know what grade of stainless?
Do you know what type of aluminum?
Is it domestic or Chinese?
Does it matter? Is it going to corrode away with normal use and rinsing? Will it corrode away if it is strapped to a spot on a boat deck by a DM working 24/7-365 out in the ocean?
Do you think it will tear apart with normal use as in the metal ripping out or bending? How many hundreds of lbs does it need to suspend? 1/8” stainless of any grade is pretty damn strong. Same with aluminum if it’s 1/8” thick.
Sharp edges? This is really the only argument. I personally would round over my own plate since I’m equipped to do that, but I realize many people are not.

The webbing?
Do you know the type of webbing? Is there “good stuff” and “crappy stuff”?
Which one is it do you know?
Is there nylon webbing that will tear or rip with normal use? Again, how many hundreds of lbs are you lifting with the webbing? Chances are any grade of webbing will be able to pull a car out of a ditch. I think even some supposed “crappy stuff” is way overkill when it comes to strength.

How about the cam bands, how are they different from any other cam bands supplied by any of the other manufacturers? They all source their components from the same places you know.

And then finally the wing.
The DGX wing is a re-popped Oxycheq, which was the original designer if the narrow slim wing that is all in vogue at the moment. I have seen but never examined a 30 lb DGX wing and it looks identical the Oxycheq Mach V wing. Some say the DGX is a little thinner than the Oxy which IMO would actually be kind of nice since I think the Oxy is a little stiff and hard to pack. The Oxy also has a bladder that is too big inside the shell and has folds in it which is a little obnoxious. It works fine it’s just not as tidy as it could be. But my Oxy wing is almost 18 years old though and they may have cleaned that up. I just dive in open water so I don’t worry about my wing needing to be as tough as Kevlar. Also, Oxycheq wings are made in USA in LA and it’s entirely possible that DGX wings are made at the exact same plant.

I think for overall quality and value, DGX is about the best bang for the buck and will hold up just fine for many years. I think some of these theoretical arguments get blown way out of anything remotely factual.

Since there is no more VDH, DGX 30lb will be my next wing.

 

[dnh]

If you drive up to Aqui Watersports and schedule a time with @LandonL you will be able to see the xDeep and Deep6 in person. He will also be able to help you get the harness fit to you.

I'm definitely going to do that.

 

[dnh]

I feel like I'm always the only person mentioning this in these "Which BP/W?" threads, but don't overlook the HOG offerings. Once you do comparison shopping with what you actually get in various packages v. upgrades, or what you'd spend if you buy components separately, the pricing is competitive - particularly if you get the discount codes from divers-supply.com.

How's their quality compared with the others mentioned?

 

[LandonL]

d6 seem like bling and doodads.... show some fruity nonsense on their rigs, on their websites.

It is a standard BPW setup with continuous webbing. The only non-DIR thing on it is the weight pockets.

I guess we could take pictures of all possible configurations, like with and without pockets, but we kind of assumed most would recognize the difference.

I often try to update product descriptions based on customer feedback. We sometimes take it for granted and I get questions like "can the regs be used with Nitrox" and "do you have a console, I only see a SPG pictured." We try to make it as clear as possible.

 

[dnh]

@VikingDives since you have most of them, what do you think are the differences between the different systems?

@Eric Sedletzky I appreciate all the comments you made. Those are kinda why I'm confused. There's a lot written out there and it's hard to separate what the real differences are vs what's a personal preference.

 

[MidOH]

Fascinating. Do you have a picture?

I can try. Test run of a new Samsung tablet. Just as likely ya'll get pics of my girlfriend.

Here's a freshly built AL Dgx rig:

Back of bpw, with fins, spare mask, and snorkel. Room for more, but you get the idea.

 

[MidOH]

Front of dgx rig:

 

[MidOH]

Walking out of my hotel, or off a cruise ship, this is all I need. Bpw on my back, reg bag in my hand. Primary mask, defogger, and regs with much longer than normal hoses, are in the reg case.

It only took about 5 min to pack, just now.

 

[VikingDives]

@VikingDives since you have most of them, what do you think are the differences between the different systems?

@Eric Sedletzky I appreciate all the comments you made. Those are kinda why I'm confused. There's a lot written out there and it's hard to separate what the real differences are vs what's a personal preference.

Edge HOG has the most options, SubGravity has more back plate options and I like their back plates much better... I haven't put my hands on the other two, so I can't comment on those.

Personally, I prefer plates with beveled edges. You'll spend a little more for them, but they are kinder to your wetsuit/drysuit. Or, you could buy a pad or bevel the edges of a cheaper one yourself.

 

[MidOH]

Dgx bpw by itself, tied up so you can see everything.

I was tempted to build it with just one d ring, on the left waist, and use the included extra plastic buckle insyead of the ss buckle, which would have saved a ton of weight for travel. (could still use the rubber inner tube in a pinch for my light). But I chickened out.