Is it too early to think about diving with a twinset?

[happy-diver]

Perhaps these would completely change your perspective

No I don't think so

I didn't much like diving a single cylinder using a back plate made for doubles. Hated it, in fact. Especially using a STA (single tank adapter)! So, there's that.

There were those that told us with all that air in twins you may accidentally incur deco and not know what to do

And there were those that saw competence and didn't tell us

 

[Celt]

I’d carry what I need. If 7ltrs is enough that’s what I’d bring in a single. If I needed 12ltrs I’d carry it in a single, anything more I’d carry in a twin 7ltrs or twin 12ltrs you just need to understand how much gas you need and then decide how you’re going to carry it on land and in the water.
P.S. no way am i walking around with a twin set just for show.

 

[Angelo Farina]

Is it a good idea to get a back plate that can hold two tanks? I really like the idea of it and I have been wanting a new BC but I’d rather not buy one just to learn that I am going to need/want something better soon after. I have heard a lot of people talk about how nice they are to have for both recreational and tech diving so as someone who wants to head in the tech diving direction, would it be a good idea?

I plan to keep scuba as a big part of my life (and hopefully career). I know most of my gear currently is only good for recreational diving but I would like to start bridging that gap as soon as I can (to avoid unnecessary gear purchases).

I started diving on twin sets. At the time it was the standard tank here in the mediterranean, two 10-liters steel at 200 bars.
Now they make nice compact twin tanks with two 7-liters at 250 or even at 300 bars.
They are more compact, more streamilined than the standard 15-liters at 232 bars with double valve which is widely the most common tank you find here.
Only drawback is that the cost of hydro is doubled.
With such a compact twin tank you can use the same BCD and regs you use with a single tank.
You just must modify the attachment straps.

 

[Aura]

so as someone who wants to head in the tech diving direction, would it be a good idea?

I'd say so. I knew I wanted to get into tech diving, and I've been diving doubles ever since my 12th post-OW dive. It didn't make sense to me to spend money on a single tank setup only to sell it at a big loss within a year. That was a good decision for me. Not only is diving with the local community here much easier if you use doubles, it let me get used to the configuration etc. while doing "easy" recreational level dives, so there was no big gear change when moving into tech diving apart from adding a stage.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I just don't understand the hatred of the STA and probably never will. For a diver who does singles and doubles interchangeably, they work perfectly for singles diving. These days I'm a single-tank-only diver and I still prefer the STA. And to answer the inevitable question, yes, I've used a STA-less setup. My very first BP/W was one of the first STA-less designs ... DSS plate and LCD wing. Great rig. I moved to an STA when I started diving doubles regularly and have not gone back. I always hear they are wobbly, less streamlined, less this, less that. Not in my experience. Today, even though I don't dive doubles, I want the flexibility of swapping different size plates, different weight STAs, and different wings effortlessly. As always YMMV.

 

[RyanT]

I always hear they are wobbly, less streamlined, less this, less that. Not in my experience.

Same, they work great for me.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

I just don't understand the hatred of the STA and probably never will. For a diver who does singles and doubles interchangeably, they work perfectly for singles diving. These days I'm a single-tank-only diver and I still prefer the STA. And to answer the inevitable question, yes, I've used a STA-less setup. My very first BP/W was one of the first STA-less designs ... DSS plate and LCD wing. Great rig. I moved to an STA when I started diving doubles regularly and have not gone back. I always hear they are wobbly, less streamlined, less this, less that. Not in my experience. Today, even though I don't dive doubles, I want the flexibility of swapping different size plates, different weight STAs, and different wings effortlessly. As always YMMV.

I don't really remember feeling a difference either, but it's been a while.

 

[OTF]

Is it too early to think about diving with a twinset?

A gentleman doesn't dive with a twinset before 10am, it is considered unseemly.

 

[mc42]

I bought into the Halcyon system, stainless steel BP, 30lb singles wing, STA, and STA weight. Loved it and used the same setup for cold water drysuit (BC, Canada) and Caribbean diving. No need for extra weight in the latter.

I switched over to doubles using the same rig by adding a tail weight pouch and 40lb doubles wing around 40 total dives when I did GUE Fundamentals. I only dive steel HP100 doubles unless I’m teaching Open Water students. I also have dedicated singles and doubles rigs now to save having to switch back and forth.

For training, I’d suggest doing some sort of doubles intro to help you get it set up right and to learn to donate with the long hose if you don’t already dive with one on your single tank. You may as well learn a valve drill as well as now you have a redundant air source you can take advantage of.

It’s not different from single tank diving so the transition is easy. In fact, the main trick was to make sure I had my additional weight positioned low down (tail weight) to offset the inherent head-heavy trim.

I’m very glad I bought into the BP/W system from the start.