I think I'm converted

[roakey]

ScubaVP once bubbled...
The reason I was looking at it was for the additional lumbar and lower back support.

That's air thinking, you dive in water.

An AL80 will swing from about -3 to +3 buoyancy. Do you need lumbar support for three pounds?

Even double 104s will be about -20 max, you probably don't need lumbar support for that, either.

The problem with the Zeagles, Transpacs and other more-or-less "mainstream" BCs is that they’re designed to look and wear well in the showroom. But the stuff for the showroom is either unneeded or actually detrimental in the water. BPs certainly *look* uncomfortable in the showroom and may in fact be a little uncomfortable in the showroom, but get them in the water and watch them shine!

Roak

 

[jeepster0000]

Whatever back plate you go with will be okay. They are pretty much indestructable and will last forever. I own 2 Fred T plates (the heavy SST and the Al) and I am more than happy. It is an excellent plate design. I have also use my freind's diverite and another's halcyon, both also worked great. My personal opinion would be the Fred T for price, design and quality, but I am sure you will be satisfied with whatever name brand you get.
ADAM

 

[Aviatrr]

I own a TPII and an aluminum(Dive Rite) backplate. The BP is the way to go, IMO, for diving doubles. It may not feel great on land(although, mine feels fine in water and out), but in the water you won't notice the difference. The TPII I have is used strictly for sidemount. I have tried it with backmounted doubles, and didn't like it. It may have been different with a single tank, but I've never tried it that way. Go with a BP/harness. If you go with the Halcyon or FredT backplates you will not need a single tank adapter. With the Dive Rite, you will(another $75 or so, I think).

Mike

 

[ScubaVP]

Thank you all so much for the great information! I think I have decided to go with the BP/wings option. I am very interested in the Halcyon BP with Pioneer wings for now. Is it possible to dive a single with a stage with the 36lb wing? Any experience with this setup?

 

[MikeFerrara]

ScubaVP once bubbled...
Thank you all so much for the great information! I think I have decided to go with the BP/wings option. I am very interested in the Halcyon BP with Pioneer wings for now. Is it possible to dive a single with a stage with the 36lb wing? Any experience with this setup?

You wouldn't have any problem slinging a deco bottle with a single tank (al or small aa) and a 36# wing. As a general statement, most dives you will do with a single tank may not require a second gas. However if you were to do your Advanced Nitrox in a single tank (with an H valve) you would still be required to have the deco bottle.

 

[wb416]

MikeFerrara once bubbled...
Since I am an IANTD Advanced Nitrox instructor I recommend the class. However, you might also think about a DIRF class. I have three DIRF scheduled for this summer the first being the end of June. PM me if you want to talk more about it.

Mike,
Where is the classroom portion being held? Diving?

tx, Bob

 

[MikeFerrara]

cwb once bubbled...


Mike,
Where is the classroom portion being held? Diving?

tx, Bob

Probably at Gilboa. I say probably because I would like to stay a little flexible since I don't know who the students will be or where they are comming from. We're also open to doing one or more of the classes at Haigh if we get divers from further west signing up.

 

[Doof]

I just got back from a trip to Florida during which I took the Into to Cave class. I went down there with a slightly modified Seaquest BC, and the day before the class I went and bought the Halcyon SS BP, and Pioneer 36# wing. You will definitely be satisfied with that choice. I couldn't believe how much more secure and clean that setup really is until I had it on my back and was diving with it.

I had a few people heavily recommending the Dive Rite stuff, mainly because of price, but when I presented my rationale for wanting the Halcyon (a wing that's designed for single tanks as opposed to a small doubles wing that could be used for singles - and a backplate that could handle single tanks without an adapter), nobody could argue that Halcyon was the way to go. By the end of the week, a few of those people were even commenting on how nice the Halcyon setup really was. I know I'll never go back to a jacket BC.

Although I am wondering about carribean diving, where I typically don't wear any exposure protection at all. That webbing looks it might be a bit uncomfortable on bear skin. My setup did come with the MC storage pack, which does have some padding on it, but I'm not sure about the straps. I've read about using seatbelt padding covers, but I'm not sure how that would work. Maybe I'll just go buy a dive skin finally and be done with it.

 

[DocRCH]

I can suggest to you that Abyssmal backplates come in different sizes, if that makes a difference. I don't know how large or small you are, but they give you a choice.

Robert:doctor:

 

[MHK]

ScubaVP once bubbled...
I think that i have finally come to the realization that you DIR folks do make a lot of sense when it comes to diving in general.

I would say at this point we are interested in taking things slow, and from what I have read, we are leaning towards IANTD. The four courses we are interested in from IANTD are EANx, Deep, Advanced EANx, and technical. We most likely will not be penetrating wrecks...just gawking at them and hanging out for deco. stops.

I'm not trying at all here to start a war, but it just seems to me that the above two statements seems startling inconsistent to me. FTR, I'm a GUE instructor so I want to disclose that up front. But I've heard this before so I'm trying to understand that thought behind it. You accpet that the DIR system makes a lot of sense, but yet when you go seek training you seek it from an agency that teaches other then DIR, and in some cases like the deep air class you are suggesting goes directly against the core DIR philosophy..

I'm not trying to steal you away as a student, but I really am interested in the thinking behind the decision, since as I've noted I see/hear it often so I'm wondering aloud how we can correct the disconnect.

Thanks