New Backplate/Wing

[goodeatsfan]

still trying to figure out my BP/W harness... it fits snug when dry, but the moment it gets in the water, it gets loose... sigh... but otherwise, I love em, and they are much more comfy than my jackets and even my old zeagles.

 

[TSandM]

goodeatsfan, a simplistic but actually pretty useful rule of thumb for harness adjustment is to get it as tight as you can and still get it off I found out, when I switched over to doubles, that I had been using my harness WAY too loose, because the double tanks could flop all over the place. I think I took almost two inches out of the shoulder straps before I got it right. It made the rig slightly more difficult to get off, but MUCH more stable.

 

[goodeatsfan]

Thanks! I will try that... I suppose the harness being new also hasn't expanded as much as it can yet..

 

[Mr. Sunday]

I have never had any issues with being pushed forward at the surface. When I started with BP/W setup it was a concern but after my first dive I never worried about it again. I think the people that state this are either set up incorrectly or are using jackets and just speculating...

 

[xwhitesmokex]

From reading other posts/websites, many of the reasons some people have issues with being pushed forward at the surface have to do with wing size. get one suited for the diving you are doing. Adding a 2# clip to the tank might help to stablize !

but really, you need to see how it works for you in the water before worrying!!

ideally the tightness of the harness should be 2 to 3 fingers from the shoulder... Oh and practice, practice on how to get out of the thing... and teach your buddy as well!!

Enjoy the rig!!

 

[cool_hardware52]

From reading other posts/websites, many of the reasons some people have issues with being pushed forward at the surface have to do with wing size.

Wing size is not really the issue, correct weighting and the correct use of a crotch strap is.

If you are correctly weighted you will need very little gas in your wing at the surface, and this gas will be behind your neck and shoulders, no way it can push you anywhere.

If you are overweighted, and need to fill your wing down to your hips you could have problems.

Smae for the srotch strap. With a correctly adjusted crotch strap a few puff os gas in your wing is all you need to lift your rig, and you out of the water.

With no crotch strap you can gas up your wing and hoist the rig over your head, not too comfy.

The key is to set up and use the gear properly.


Tobin

 

[mwhities]

I'll be testing my BP/W here soon. I hope it gets here before the weekend. gotta mow the grass than I'm off to do whatever. And I'll be heading to the pool with my NEW BP/W from DSS.

Thanks Tobin, can't wait to get it. (I maybe calling you for help with it. )

Michael

 

[dumpsterDiver]

.....If you are correctly weighted you will need very little gas in your wing at the surface, and this gas will be behind your neck and shoulders, no way it can push you anywhere.

If you are overweighted, and need to fill your wing down to your hips you could have problems.

Smae for the srotch strap. With a correctly adjusted crotch strap a few puff os gas in your wing is all you need to lift your rig, and you out of the water.

With no crotch strap you can gas up your wing and hoist the rig over your head, not too comfy....
Tobin

My experience is very similar to this. If you are stuck floating at the surface and trying to look for the boat when it is rough, you may want to have the maximum bouyancy possible so that it lifts you as high out of the water as possible so you can see. In conditions like this, I find the normal stablizer jacket holds me vertically up in the water in a much more comfortable position than my BP/W.

Learning back into a BP/Wing constantly when the waves are slapping you around is not comfortable or relaxing for me. However, I'm really not bothered by this, I fill the wing up as much as I want on the surface and when I'm done tryng to look around, I just put my snorkel in, relax and float face down (horizontally) in the same postion that the BP/W holds me underwater.

 

[SparticleBrane]

Sounds like a lot of you could benefit from learning how to scull in the water with your fins...no matter how much air is in the wing you never have to worry about it pushing you in the water and if done properly you can scull all day.