How long before you started diving doubles?

[fdog]

About 5 years from my first dive, maybe 200 dives or so.

The doubles then only had a couple of straps attached to the bands. Oddly, my memory of the fit and feel was that they felt just like doubles do today with a backplate.

All the best, James

 

[rjack321]

8 years and ~240 dives. Some of that time was grad school when I dove once. Some of that time was livin' in the desert.

 

[grazie42]

After about 100 dives, when I started taking courses and doing dives that required them...

 

[Colliam7]

Added a drysuit at dive 30 (1 yr), moved to BP/W (from a Ranger) at dive 130 (2+ yr), started using double steel 120s at dive 195 (4+ yr), after using single steel 120s for over 3 yr.

BP/W (s steel BP, Rec Wing) was easy transition. Love the Ranger but the BP/W allowed me to drop a lot of weight, works very well with a single, and I probably won't ever go back to a BC. Drysuit was challenging because of bouyancy / trim learning, going to doubles equally challenging for same reason. But, once you find the right wing for your particular doubles setup (I ended up using a 55# Halcyon Explorer), and adjust the tank position, etc., you don't really notice them in the water. On land (moving them around), and on a dive boat (particularly getting back on the boat after a dive), I really notice them! But, the bottom time is worth it.

 

[texdiveguy]

I was a late bloomer....200 dives prior to switching over and completing a few tec level courses thru trimix this was after my DM certf.. I still though at times dive a single st-hp130.

 

[Meng_Tze]

I think my first doubles dive was in a pool at 78 dives or so. I 'turtled' which was funny for a little while, until I had enough and my buddy refused to turn me over.....

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I currently dive a BP/W with a single tank. I made the switch at dive # 6. I don't dive doubles, but then I only have 39 logged dives, so I'm still just an infant.

 

[GetNarc'd]

Wow, I'm really surprised after reading all of your posts to see the diversity of diving styles and preference. Some of you have gone doubles pretty quickly, while others were happy with one large steel for most of their diving needs.

All of the responses in reference to doubles seem to be that it IS a whole new world of buoyancy/trim issues. This just encourages me to fit myself with a BP/W that will work well with a single H.P120-130.

Now, seeing as how I know nothing besides a vest or back-inflate BC, how do I choose a backplate, and how do I choose a Wing??? Steel, I'm assuming is the material of choice. But are their different styles and sizes/weights? How will this affect me, and is there a preferred "newbie" backplate? How do wings differ, and do I care about a double bladder if my drysuit will be my redudant bouyancy?

Thanks for all the input and keep it comin!

 

[TSandM]

GetNarc'd, if you go through the archives of the Buoyancy Compensator forum, you'll find more threads on "Which BP/W?" than you can ever possibly read.

What material you buy depends on where you dive. If you dive cold water, you want weight; if you dive warm water, you don't need it. Different manufacturers make slightly different sized plates with slightly different weights, and some offer options like heavier plates or weights that bolt to the plate to increase your ballast. Some manufacturers offer a range of sizes to suit different sized people.

Wing vary in lift (look for posts by cool_hardware52 on this topic) and somewhat in shape (which changes where the maximum lift will sit). They come as horseshoe shapes and doughnuts, and there are rabid proponents of each. They come as single and double layer construction. I think there are very few (if any) people who would recommend a double-bladder wing for anybody diving singles.

I repeatedly recommend the Deep Sea Supply singles rig, because it's a good setup at a very competitive price, and because you'll get VERY good advice on what plate, weights, and wing you should buy to get the best rig for YOUR needs.

 

[dsteding]

Went dry with a BP/W on dive 7, did my first doubles dive at 41, now have more dives in doubles than in a singles rig . . .

Two sets, 100s and 119s.