New BP/W suggestions please. 18lb wing in tropical waters - any concerns?

[Centrals]

I am also a tropical warm water diver and mainly dive around SE Asia.
18lb is sufficient and there is absolutely no need to get a SS plate for the dive that the OP described. However, water can get pretty "cold", seasonal, in some places in SE Asia. I have seen divers using dry suit in Philippines.
A slightly bigger wing won't hurt. Aluminium plate is all required.

So it is no longer US$399.00 for International FREE shipping by DGX. Pity.

 

[lowwall]

I dropped around 3kg of weight going from a jacket to a steel backplate, so you'd likely still be a couple of kilos positive with any neoprene. And it's nice having the weight spread evenly over your back without messing about with attaching trim pockets to the plate.

But I can certainly understand wanting to avoid the travel weight for local flights.

Extra surface lift may be a positive in a traditional jacket with air cells in the front, but in a BP/W setup it tends to rotate you forward. You can counter this by leaning way back, but the net result is your head doesn't get that much farther out of the water as you inflate. I add just enough air to the wing to get comfortable and keep breathing off my reg (unless I'm talking to somebody) until I'm picked up. If you have to do a surface swim and don't want to use your gas, then swim on your back or take a snorkel.

 

[lexvil]

I found the 18 more than enough for warm water.

 

[inquis]

I'm struggling to see the benefit of a steel backplate in my situation.

The benefit is weight toward your head (typically improving trim) and closer to your spine. I use 10 lbs lead with an AL plate, AL80 tank, and 3mm suit. Six lbs of that is in trim pockets on the upper tank band. A heavy steel plate would eliminate those 6 lb lead bricks, and I would only have to find 4 lbs on the boat. (That's for a thick plate, perhaps 8 lbs. Most options are 5 lbs.) More importantly, I'd have less tendency to roll (weight closer to spine), or it would be easier to right myself if I've intentionally rolled (which I often do to look at the underside of ledges).

These aren't huge advantages, but they are nonetheless.

One potential disadvantage of steel is it increases baggage weight. However, if baggage weight is still under the limit, that's obviously not a disadvantage.

 

[inquis]

I may well be negative with a steel BP

I doubt it in your situation. You should also remember that you weight yourself to be neutral at the safety stop. By the time you reach the surface, your 3mm wetsuit buoyancy will have increased by 2-3 lbs into positive territory. DSMB or buddy assistance helps further.

Without question, you do have less weight to drop at the surface if the wing completely failed. If your tanks were full (e.g., elbow failed upon entry), you would be slightly negative on the surface. However, in that case, the boat should be close as well. Finally, you could ditch the entire rig if all other options were exhausted (DSMB and buddy assistance).

EDIT: I just realized you also dive shorts/rash guard. The aluminum plate is a better choice for you.

 

[halocline]

I'm struggling to see the benefit of a steel backplate in my situation. I may well be negative with a steel BP,

I'm wondering why someone would need 4k (10lbs) of lead with an AL80 and no wetsuit. Did I get that
right? If that is true, a steel plate would provide about 5 lbs of ballast, and I suspect that your current BC is a few pounds positive, lets say 4 just for discussion, which means you would net gain 9 lbs of ballast switching to a steel plate. That should be just about perfect, if I have understood your weight requirements accurately. Most divers, unless they are unusually buoyant, would not need 10lbs to dive with a AL80. The tank itself is 4lbs positive when empty, but the regulator provides a few of pounds of ballast and our bodies are mostly neutral. It's sinking the wetsuit that we generally need to carry weight for.

For me , I very much like the freedom plate that is made by a scubaboard member Eric Sledesky (I'm sure that's spelled wrong, but maybe he can chime in) and the oxycheq 18lb wing for tropical diving. When I use a wetsuit, I use some weights on the cambands.

But either an AL or steel plate will do the job. And it's true you won't notice much difference between the 18lb and a well designed 30 lb wing. In your case either is fine.

 

[Centrals]

I have seen one Russian diver in Philippines using 12kg+ and the length of the weight belt was LONG. He was using a thin wet suit and 11L Al tank.
You have to see what he ate just for snack!!

 

[happy-diver]

“And what today will sir be ordering.”

“I'll have an 18 pound steak thanks.”

“And to complement your order sir.”

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhum???”

“Perhaps sir would like half a tank of air, and half a glass of beer, to complement that.”

You 18 pound zealots should pull your heads in when you know nothing past your own
inexperience, and don't give rubbish advice to a guy that has no idea what a wing does

For me , I very much like the freedom plate that is made by a scubaboard member Eric Sledesky (I'm sure that's spelled wrong, but maybe he can chime in)

Are you fairdinkum

 

[RobPNW]

For some of the examples given, even with a SS BP, there would still be about 4 lbs of ditchable weight, which seems like plenty at the surface in warm water. And I would prefer not to ditch more than 4 lbs at depth if given the option.

 

[halocline]

“And what today will sir be ordering.”

“I'll have an 18 pound steak thanks.”

“And to complement your order sir.”

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhum???”

“Perhaps sir would like half a tank of air, and half a glass of beer, to complement that.”

You 18 pound zealots should pull your heads in when you know nothing past your own
inexperience, and don't give rubbish advice to a guy that has no idea what a wing does




Are you fairdinkum

What kind of word-salad BS is this?