Looking to replace my Zeagle Escape with a travel bp&w. Suggestions?

[stuartv]

when I've packed my plates before I will usually do a first layer of clothes, then the plate, then more clothes to account for the slight bend. My concern with the VDH plate or really any plate on the bottom of a checked bag would be that it could get bent fairly easily.

I carry my BP in my carry-on. I don't care about the weight and I wouldn't be worried about it getting bent. My #1 concern is being able to fit as much dive gear as possible into my carry-on, so I have that much less to worry about getting lost or delayed. Normally, the only dive gear I put in a checked bag is my fins. They are too long to fit in a carry-on. If they get lost or delayed, I'll rent some or buy some cheap ones at my destination. I don't put any clothes in my carry-on. If there is room for clothes, that is room I could use for other dive gear. I have been carrying my regs in a separate "personal item" carry-on bag. But, with the VDH plate, I'm hoping I'll be able to fit my single tank reg set in the same carry-on suitcase as my BP/W, wetsuit, etc..

The VDH plate is the best thing I have seen for taking up as little room as possible in a carry-on bag.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Normally, the only dive gear I put in a checked bag is my fins. . . .

Then what the heck do you take on your dive trips? To a tropical destination, ALL my dive gear goes in the checked bag except mask and computer. Almost all my clothes--which is not very much because it's the tropics--go in my carry-on.

 

[stuartv]

Then what the heck do you take on your dive trips? To a tropical destination, ALL my dive gear goes in the checked bag except mask and computer. Almost all my clothes--which is not very much because it's the tropics--go in my carry-on.

Almost all dive gear in rollaboard and personal item (i.e. backpack) carry-ons. Fins, cutting devices, and any dive gear that wouldn't fit in the carry-ons goes in a checked bag. Clothes, toiletries, etc. also goes in the checked bag. I can buy clothes, toiletries, etc. at my destination. I can rent or buy fins. I'd much rather arrive at my destination without clothes, toiletries, or fins, than without BP/W, mask, computers, regs, or wetsuit.

If I were ever to fly somewhere for the sole purpose of diving, my checked bag would probably be pretty small and light. But, every time I've flown to Hawaii or Mexico, there has been other stuff on the agenda (family or s/o) that meant I needed more clothes, etc., than I would if it was purely a dive trip.

 

[Centrals]

DGX Custom - DGX Singles Harness / Backplate / Wing Package
Weight pocket is extra. But what is wrong with weight belt?

 

[flybigjet]

I guess I'm looking more for something like this....Infinity 20 BC System - Dive Right in Scuba

But geez-- I thought bp&w were supposed to be inexpensive?

(and I think I'd like to use the wing from Deep6 anyway).

R.

 

[stuartv]

I guess I'm looking more for something like this....Infinity 20 BC System - Dive Right in Scuba

But geez-- I thought bp&w were supposed to be inexpensive?

(and I think I'd like to use the wing from Deep6 anyway).

R.

Nothing with a Blue H on it is going to be inexpensive!

 

[flybigjet]

Nothing with a Blue H on it is going to be inexpensive!

Like. **LIKE** this. That one was just for example purposes.

Sheesh. They *really* like their stuff, don't they?

If I dove every day, sure. But I'm lucky to get two good dive trips in a year. There *is* a budget-- and I've got a few other expensive hobbies (and a wife!)

So. Backplate. Maybe steel? With padding. Straps (padded- I'm past the halfway point to a century), pockets on the belt, trim pockets on the tank straps. I'm leaning towards the Deep6 wing as I'm going to pony up for a new set of regs and fins from them anyway.

I realize that I can build up my own, but I'd honestly prefer something already sorted. I live in Colorado, so the next dive is going to be when I fly somewhere-- I don't really have the option of trying, sorting and tweaking.

Thanks to all for the comments-- is educational. Please keep them coming....

R.

 

[stuartv]

Like. **LIKE** this. That one was just for example purposes.

Sheesh. They *really* like their stuff, don't they?

Ha ha! Yep!

I'm past the halfway point, too. I use a regular stainless steel BP and Hogarthian harness. No padding anywhere and never even remotely had a thought of wishing I had it.

If you are willing to rig your own, but you didn't like the VDH plate I linked before, you could consider this:

Blue Reef Stainless Steel Back Plate

I have a DSS SS plate and one of these BR plates. I haven't used my DSS plate in almost a year. I use my BR plate almost all the time now. But, that is mostly because my BR is dedicated (i.e. sized and adjusted) for use with doubles and drysuit and my DSS plate is setup for single tank use. But, the next time I anticipate doing any single tank diving, I'm going to order the VDH plate and, assuming it works out as expected, I will sell the DSS plate. Is the DSS plate "nicer"? Yes. Is it worth the extra money? Not to me. It's just a steel plate with some bends and holes. But then, I'm not the type to pay for Cadillac gear when a nice Chevrolet will work just as well for me.

Even if you get a pre-assembled, all-in-one rig, you're still going to have to spend some time tweaking it to fit right.

If you PM @Jim Lapenta, he sells good BP/W rigs and I believe he will pre-assemble it for you and rig it to your size so it should be a fairly close fit right out of the box. But, even if you anted up to order the Blue H rig, unless you got it from someone like Jim, you'd probably still end up assembling it all yourself. I don't know. Maybe not. But, you would definitely have to size it and tweak for yourself. And that's the PITA part, to me, anyway.

 

[flybigjet]

If you PM @Jim Lapenta, he sells good BP/W rigs and I believe he will pre-assemble it for you and rig it to your size so it should be a fairly close fit right out of the box.

Thanks for the steer-- that's exactly the type of advice I need. I'll drop him a line when I'm not stoned out of my mind on heavy-duty cold medicine-- we got back from Truk on Sunday (and Truk to Guam to Honolulu to Denver in one day is a LOT of fun when you're sick as a dog); literally half of the people on the boat with us were plague-ridden at the end of the trip-- and my wife and I are now both sicker than we've been in 10 years. I don't know what we caught, but it's downright *evil*. Any serious email conversation I get into right now would probably end up involving fairy dust and unicorns-- I honestly have no recollection of most of today.

Ugh. Hacking gunk out of my lungs? Not so much fun. Listening to my wife do the same upstairs? Even less fun.

R.

 

[Kevrumbo]

Thanks for the steer-- that's exactly the type of advice I need. I'll drop him a line when I'm not stoned out of my mind on heavy-duty cold medicine-- we got back from Truk on Sunday (and Truk to Guam to Honolulu to Denver in one day is a LOT of fun when you're sick as a dog); literally half of the people on the boat with us were plague-ridden at the end of the trip-- and my wife and I are now both sicker than we've been in 10 years. I don't know what we caught, but it's downright *evil*. Any serious email conversation I get into right now would probably end up involving fairy dust and unicorns-- I honestly have no recollection of most of today.

Ugh. Hacking gunk out of my lungs? Not so much fun. Listening to my wife do the same upstairs? Even less fun.

R.

Welcome home and hope you & the Mrs get well soon!
Can't wait to read the trip report!

Take a look at the Halcyon Traveler BCD either as a premium purchase or as a model for optional or similar features that you may want added to a lesser expensive base BP/Wing set-up:

Halcyon Traveler BC - Halcyon Dive Systems