If you are wind shopping, make sure the elbow/inflator hose is on the left shoulder, not centered. My hog wing is centered and it takes inflator hose length and is directly in front of the first stage when all hooked up.
Why are some placed in the middle? I see what you mean that it'd reduce effective hose length.
I absolutely love the Transpac and Transplate "delux" type harnesses with the quick disconnect shoulder straps....
Seems to be a point of controversy in threads; whether one 'just needs' basic webbing, or quick release & such 'enhancements' are nice conveniences. I like conveniences. Does this make getting in & out of your kit on the boat easier/faster?
I have both a Transpac as well as a Transplate. The Transpac is my go-to rig.
Since you have both, why do you prefer the Transpac? Looking & reading online, it seems like a BP setup with the same sort of padding that people deride jacket BCDs for having on the grounds it adds buoyancy and requires more lead to keep down. Am I misunderstanding the issue? I get it's more comfortable for long walks (hikes?) to/from the dive site, but I don't do anything more extensive than shore diving Bonaire (never mind 1,000 Steps; won't base gear decision on one site!).
The beauty of BPW kits is the ability to build it and customize it to your exact needs. Then switch it around if things change. The down side is that very custominization makes the choices almost infinite and overwhelming.
If I lived near, oh, say, Leisure Pro, I'd probably have a good feeling because I could personally eye ball and handle options from multiple lines of gear. Looking at online photos & descriptions and trying to imagine it isn't the same. Yesterday I wandered into my LDS; didn't see any BP/W setups. An old instructor of mine in the next state doesn't have a LDS but does some gear sales; he or a group he's with, not sure, handle some Dive Rite gear, but I know him...I'd feel awkward showing up to look things over, then walking off saying 'Nah.' If I hit him up to see stuff, I'd want to be pretty sure it's what I wanted to buy. I'm checking into another option or so, but no word back.
Would you mind diving with little to no additional weights to ditch?
Ideally I prefer to have some ditchable weight, but I do little cold water quarry diving (none this year; perhaps averaging 2 a year?), so it wouldn't drive the decision. I'm willing to dive without ditchable on occasion. If I dove cold a lot, I'd rethink. I usually require enough weight I suspect I'll still have a little in the weight pouches, though time may tell.
Wings. There are a lot of good wings out there. My favorites are Oxycheq and the new VDH Argonut wing. The Oxycheq is built like a tank and the VDH isn’t far behind and packs easier. They are both donut wings. And they both have sta’s built in to stabalize the tank without a metal sta.
You remind me of another question, based on this blurb from a Dive Gear Express page on
Single Tank Mounting with Back Plates.
"We are often asked if the tank mount would be more stable and secure using the STA, as opposed to threading the cam straps directly through the backplate. We've tested several configurations and discovered that threading the straps through the backplate is at least as stable as when using an STA. Using an STA sets the tank farther away from the backplate and allows the tank to rock slightly by pivoting from side to side on the bolts. Using the straps threaded to through the backplate snugs the tank and wing up very tight against the backplate and does not allow the tank to rock.
Finally, although a common practice we do not recommend transporting your wing sandwiched between a backplate and single tank adapter, they should be disassembled to individual components with the soft goods packed separately from the hard metal components. The hard edges of the plate and STA if stored together with the wing and if subjected to ordinary impact could puncture the bladder inside the wing and cause a leak."
They don't seem to think a STA is needed if just using single-tank all the time, but the 2nd bit is what I'm talking about now...do most BP/W owners break the thing down when they travel?
With a jacket BCD, I historically opened a big suitcase, laid it in, packed other gear around it, zipped up, weighed with portable scale to make sure < 50 lbs., and called it good.
Do BP/W owners typically do the same thing, or is there more hassle involved?
Richard.
P.S.: Thanks to everyone for all your help. I've dug into some other threads struggling to develop an adequate understanding, but it's a lot to take in.
