How many BPs do you use?

[SelkieDVM]

I recently acquired a drysuit and adjusted the Hog harness on my steel plate accordingly. Problem is, I really like the steel plate for warm water diving too. I have a Kydex plate for travel when weight is an issue, but I prefer the heavier plate. So I'm faced with these choices:
- Use the Kydex plate for all warm water diving
- Adjust the harness between wet and dry diving
- Don't adjust the harness and just live with some looseness when diving wet
- Get another steel plate and harness

How have you dealt with similar issues? Thank you!
Lilla

 

[Teamcasa]

I use a WTX Harness. It has a pocket for a steel backplate which I use when diving cold water. It can easily handle doubles with a wing change. For warm water, I just slide out the heavy plate and either go without (just the harness) or toss in a softweight or two for warm water diving.

For me, it is the best of both worlds and adjusts in seconds.

 

[rongoodman]

If you mark the harness over the triglides in back for both configurations, it shouldn't be a big deal to readjust it from time to time.

 

[Peter Guy]

My wife has kydex, aluminum and steel plates -- I have steel and kydex and want another one!

Diving doubles, singles in cold water and tropical make life just a bit harder. The answer is always MORE GEAR!

 

[Teamcasa]

The answer is always MORE GEAR!

o/t
As a gear junkie, I like the way you think!
back to topic

 

[TSandM]

I use a Kydex plate for warm water travel, and put weight pockets on the cambands to make up for the ballast I lost compared with my SS plate. I find readjusting harnesses to be a pain.

 

[Doc Intrepid]

"The answer is always MORE GEAR!"

Truer words were never spoken!

I have a 12-lb steel plate that I use for most of my cold water diving, but also have a 6 lb plate.

Adjust and re-adjust as you see fit, but as I am approaching geezerhood I would inevitably forget some time, and go to make a dive with the wrong plate/harness adjustment.

For me, the cost of webbing is some .16 cents per foot, and the plate is a one-time gig. (Ebay is your friend...) Just get another plate and set them up for your different situations. As your diving becomes more complex, your procedures to deal with it need to become more simple.....

JMHO...

Doc

 

[Teamcasa]

I find readjusting harnesses to be a pain.

Hence the WTX, easy peasy.

 

[rstofer]

I've got a DSS BP/W (SS) for wetsuit diving with a single hose regulator My main setup.

I also have an OxyCheq SS Travel plate with HOG wing for wetsuit diving with a double hose regulator The plate is a little light; I have to swim down the first several feet. Sure, i could add a couple of pounds...

I have an OxyCheq UltraLight BP for which I don't yet have a wing but I intend to use it for swimming pool diving. If I use an AL 50, LP 72 or, perhaps, an AL 80, I don't need flotation. If I decide to use an HP 100 (in the pool?), I will need to add a wing. Probably another HOG 32. At $200, they're pretty cheap.

So, yes, more equipment is a good thing.

Richard

 

[NorthWoodsDiver]

I used to have 3 plates and never really used more than one. I found my 9lb stainless plate with hogarthian harness worked equally well wet or dry and warm or cold without adjusting.

I leave the harness a bit sloppy for wetsuit diving so when I put on my drysuit its snug. you can easily make up for the change with tightening the waist buckle and making sure the crotch strap is the right length. everything feels the same underwater because the waist and crotch straps keep tension on the system.

Traveling with the 9lb plate requires me to put it on the carry on bag so that it doesn't get weighed. Then I dont need any weight in the warm water.

Even though I sold my other plates I still agree that the best answer is more gear but only if you can justify the cost, in my case its more of a PITA to change over the wing and sta to the lighter plates then it would be to adjust the straps anyway so if I wanted a true warm water kit I would opt for a different plate, wing, and sta ;-)

of course you could always sidemount for travel if weight was a concern, those systems are generally very light.