Need advice with BP/W selection

[cool_hardware52]

NO, I am not guessing about it. I own the adaptor and know from personal experience that it will be close enough to hit your head on it if you have a setup like mine.

I have the DSS LCD30 setup and a Sherwood Genesis Regulator that's setup for 300 BAR din. That setup comes with an adaptor that screws to the din threads on the reg and extends it more than the inch you believe. The tank is a Genesis Steel HP 120 with their valve, i.e Norris makes the tank for them. The valve is angled so that the Din connector goes slightly upwards.

Now, that said the Din hookup is very close to my head and I can rub the back of my head on it if I arch the neck backwards. I can't hit it hard enough to hurt myself. Now if I mount my AL80 and put the adaptor on the Din reg then yes I CAN hit it easily and it would hurt. As of today I just sold my last AL80 and it's not an issue for me at this point unless I have to rent a tank that's yoke based. I deliver the tank tomorrow and maybe I can take a pic of what I mean before it has to go if you doubt what I'm saying.

I think you're confusing the adaptor. The one I speak of goes on the reg, not the tank. It converts Din connector on the reg so that you can use that reg on a 3000 psi yoke valve. It looks like a yoke connector that screws on the Din threads turning it into an oversized Yoke reg. It's much more than an inch further out.

Sorry to confuse you SangP, that's how it is from personal experience and if anybody says you won't ever be able to hit your head using adaptors they're flat out wrong because different first stages have different attachment points and are sized differently in length. I'm not trying to confuse anybody, I am telling you the facts. Just to make sure, when I say reg I mean the first stage, not the second.

Cummings,

You are exactly correct. With certain firsts / valves / tanks / and especially with adapters you can hit the back of your head. Having the tank up far enough to reach the valve makes this more likely.

What I have done, in the past, when faced with this issue, i.e. borrowed tank, yoke valve etc. is to rotate the tank slightly so that the orfice does not directly face the back of my head, but is slightly off to the divers left. This swings the first stage over just a bit, and makes it a little easier to reach the valve.

BTW, if you are contemplating doubles, get used to hitting your head, the isolator is much closer to your head.


Tobin

 

[SangP]

Cummings,

I too have a din/yoke adaptor for my regs. I measured them at the store before I even considered getting one and it only adds another inch at most, never 2 inches on all the regs I've seen, Apeks, Aqualung and Scubapro. I'm refering to the 1st stage too. 2 inches is way more than anything I've ever seen. Cummings sorry, I could be wrong to assume that it would never be longer than 2 inches as I have never handled your setup before but on my personal regs (Scubapro & LX) they don't extend that far out and I'm sure the Apex isn't that far off too.

I have a rather long neck and I don't even need an adaptor to hit my head on the valve LOL!

I set up my rig with the first stage rotated about 90 degrees to the right and because the MK25 has a turreted low pressure ports and I can rout the primary reg to the bottom of the reg, it reduces the chance of me hitting my head on the valve.

Hitting your head isn't much of a concern and Tobin is correct, a doubles setup really bump o rama.

The more I dive the less I want to move my head around much and in fact I try not to move about too much anyway so this think with the adaptor isn't an issue really.

Cheers,

SangP

 

[homo maris]

Jc2:

I spend more than a year evaluating BP/W setups because there options are so confusing. At the end, it became clear that there were differentiating factors among the products but that there were not obvious.
First, I concluded that all BP/W are ok except the bungee wings which are controversial. Hogarthian harnesses are all the same so that does not help in the decision.
For me (very remote diving sites all in tropical or equatorial waters) weight mattered. It was either AL or Kydex. I would have selected SS if I dove anywhere else. I could not find issues with airline weight restrictions and SS plates. An SS plate would be my #1 recommendation for most divers with more than a 1mm suit.

The DSS STA-less design is better. First, I need to tell you that I don't know Tobin, other than the few email exchanges to buy my setup so I don't have any hidden reason to promote his products (i.e. I am not compensated for it).
DSS' STA-less setup reduces the spinal axis momentum of the tanks. For me this is important because when I fin I create a slight torsion along the axis of my spinal cord with each kick. That torsion creates an angular momentum with the tank. The closer the tank is to my back, the lesser the angular momentum and thus I expand less energy. The same principle (i.e. close to the back) is applied to backpacks designs.
The other advantage is that the wing is pressed tighter between the backplate and the tank and that makes the setup more hydrodynamic.
Finally, I like the choice of a Hogarthian harness or their very nice pro-fit harness, which I chose.

Finally, being able to talk directly to Tobin, the man in charge, made a difference.

I hope this helps you a bit.
JL

 

[SangP]

Being able to speak to the man in charge really helps matters out. That how I decided on the Oxycheq wings from Patrick. Tobin too has been really helpful.

I would like to go for a SS bp too but I usually travel via budget airlines and they really are strict on weight. That and the fact I really hate to have to lug heavy luggage.

You can't go wrong with any of these setups and differences between the brands are just more of personal preferences (like STA or no STA) than anything major like lack of quality.

Cheers,

SangP