Hello,
I am a very experienced diver (I stopped counting a long time ago when I hit 1,000 dives and have no idea how far beyond that I am) who has been away from the sport for too long due to kids, career, finances, and having moved 2000 miles away from anywhere I would consider diving. I am finally in a position to get back into the water. Unfortunately, I am not as slim as I used to be and my BCD isn't close to fitting :-( On the bright side, it is a great excuse for new gear!
My previous kit was a simple jacket style BCD without any bells and whistles, just a manual inflator, 2 small pockets in the front, and 4 D rings. I didn't wear a weight belt or any ditchable weight. I just wore 2 x 2lb weights on the tank cam band. The BCD was really just a thing to keep the tank in place. I can't remember the last time I put air in the BCD for any reason other than trying to haul back an anchor after forgetting to bring a salvage lift bag.
I think a backplate/wing setup would be a great fit for my diving style, but I am overwhelmed with the options I see online. I'm hoping you all can make some suggestions.
I am leaning toward a backplate setup for 4 main reasons.
1 - I like to keep my gear to a minimum and that seems to be the most minimalistic setup.
2 - I like the idea of having the option of leaving the wing on the boat when I know I'm not going to need it.
3 - due to the weight I have gained, I assume 4lbs isn't going to cut it any more. I am hoping that a SS backplate and weighted STA will help me avoid needing too much weight on a belt.
4 - It seems more like a one size fits all. If my body shape continues to morph over time, I won't end up where I am now with a jacket that is too small (or too big - fingers crossed the ozempic works)
Some other thoughts.
- I'm not overly concerned about the budget. I don't want to spend more just for the sake of spending, but in my initial research I haven't come across anything with a price I would view as a deal breaker.
- I only dive in warm water. I usually stay in the shallows, but I occasionally wander off into the depths.
- A well designed option for padding on the backplate and straps is a must. I usually just wear a speedo style swimsuit and I am concerned about chafing from the backplate and harness. I may not need it, I won't know that until I have already flown halfway around the world to a location that probably doesn't have Amazon Prime same day delivery. I would rather buy some parts I don't need than spend a week feeling uncomfortable.
- I want to try out a hogarthian harness, but I suspect I will end up preferring an H style harness with quick-release clips most of the time. I often dive from small boats where you have to toss the gear overboard and then quickly install it in the water before you float away, and then take it off before doing a pull-up over the gunnel to get back onboard.
- Comfort and convenience is much more important than reliability or minimizing failure points. I do not dive in situations where a broken BCD strap or buckle would be more than a minor inconvenience.
- I really like my pockets. I see plenty of options for adding pockets to backplate setups. I will want some. In addition to my safety gear, I like to pack a snack. Having a banana or orange to eat during the safety (or deco) stop encourages me to hang around a bit longer for an extra margin of safety.
- I know all the rules (lots of certs, for a while I worked as a divemaster) but don't like following them. I usually dive from shore or a private boat to avoid having to deal with a disapproving divemaster/captain, but for the times when I can't avoid diving from a public boat I would prefer kit that has a "you can leave me alone" appearance.
So....any suggestions for products that I should make sure I consider?
Thanks,
I am a very experienced diver (I stopped counting a long time ago when I hit 1,000 dives and have no idea how far beyond that I am) who has been away from the sport for too long due to kids, career, finances, and having moved 2000 miles away from anywhere I would consider diving. I am finally in a position to get back into the water. Unfortunately, I am not as slim as I used to be and my BCD isn't close to fitting :-( On the bright side, it is a great excuse for new gear!
My previous kit was a simple jacket style BCD without any bells and whistles, just a manual inflator, 2 small pockets in the front, and 4 D rings. I didn't wear a weight belt or any ditchable weight. I just wore 2 x 2lb weights on the tank cam band. The BCD was really just a thing to keep the tank in place. I can't remember the last time I put air in the BCD for any reason other than trying to haul back an anchor after forgetting to bring a salvage lift bag.
I think a backplate/wing setup would be a great fit for my diving style, but I am overwhelmed with the options I see online. I'm hoping you all can make some suggestions.
I am leaning toward a backplate setup for 4 main reasons.
1 - I like to keep my gear to a minimum and that seems to be the most minimalistic setup.
2 - I like the idea of having the option of leaving the wing on the boat when I know I'm not going to need it.
3 - due to the weight I have gained, I assume 4lbs isn't going to cut it any more. I am hoping that a SS backplate and weighted STA will help me avoid needing too much weight on a belt.
4 - It seems more like a one size fits all. If my body shape continues to morph over time, I won't end up where I am now with a jacket that is too small (or too big - fingers crossed the ozempic works)
Some other thoughts.
- I'm not overly concerned about the budget. I don't want to spend more just for the sake of spending, but in my initial research I haven't come across anything with a price I would view as a deal breaker.
- I only dive in warm water. I usually stay in the shallows, but I occasionally wander off into the depths.
- A well designed option for padding on the backplate and straps is a must. I usually just wear a speedo style swimsuit and I am concerned about chafing from the backplate and harness. I may not need it, I won't know that until I have already flown halfway around the world to a location that probably doesn't have Amazon Prime same day delivery. I would rather buy some parts I don't need than spend a week feeling uncomfortable.
- I want to try out a hogarthian harness, but I suspect I will end up preferring an H style harness with quick-release clips most of the time. I often dive from small boats where you have to toss the gear overboard and then quickly install it in the water before you float away, and then take it off before doing a pull-up over the gunnel to get back onboard.
- Comfort and convenience is much more important than reliability or minimizing failure points. I do not dive in situations where a broken BCD strap or buckle would be more than a minor inconvenience.
- I really like my pockets. I see plenty of options for adding pockets to backplate setups. I will want some. In addition to my safety gear, I like to pack a snack. Having a banana or orange to eat during the safety (or deco) stop encourages me to hang around a bit longer for an extra margin of safety.
- I know all the rules (lots of certs, for a while I worked as a divemaster) but don't like following them. I usually dive from shore or a private boat to avoid having to deal with a disapproving divemaster/captain, but for the times when I can't avoid diving from a public boat I would prefer kit that has a "you can leave me alone" appearance.
So....any suggestions for products that I should make sure I consider?
Thanks,
