OP
NJMike
Contributor
Okay, I'm starting to get the picture here...what I need now is to look at the backplate/SS setups....I'll google it, I'm sure there must be info out there.
Pros and cons - steel tank vs aluminum?
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http://www.halcyon.net
http://www.diverite.com/
(also) http://www.diveriteexpress.com/
http://www.deepseasupply.com
and there are many others... do a search on scubaboard and you will find TONS of info.
I personally own both Halcyon and Dive Rite back plates...
http://www.diverite.com/
(also) http://www.diveriteexpress.com/
http://www.deepseasupply.com
and there are many others... do a search on scubaboard and you will find TONS of info.
I personally own both Halcyon and Dive Rite back plates...
So here we are on the great tank debate again. I dive Aluminum 100's which makes me a side show freak.
My reasons:
#1) I am lazy and a procrastinator. I do not take care of my gear as I should and rinse my tanks whenever I get a chance. I have seen the boots removed from steel tanks along with large flakes of tank failing rust.
#2) I got one of the tanks for $100.00 with a O2 clean and new Hydro, Which made me match the this one with the other one.
#3) I do not dive much wieght in the summer time as it is and like the idea of having ditchable wieght at depth.
#4) Noone will ever steal my AL 100 tank, people sell them all the time and many people down right hate them.
I have alot of wierd likes though. French press over automatic drip. Boot cream over wax. Clear Silicone mask over tactical black. 1911's over GLocks. And lastly Redheads and Brunettes over Blondes.
My reasons:
#1) I am lazy and a procrastinator. I do not take care of my gear as I should and rinse my tanks whenever I get a chance. I have seen the boots removed from steel tanks along with large flakes of tank failing rust.
#2) I got one of the tanks for $100.00 with a O2 clean and new Hydro, Which made me match the this one with the other one.
#3) I do not dive much wieght in the summer time as it is and like the idea of having ditchable wieght at depth.
#4) Noone will ever steal my AL 100 tank, people sell them all the time and many people down right hate them.
I have alot of wierd likes though. French press over automatic drip. Boot cream over wax. Clear Silicone mask over tactical black. 1911's over GLocks. And lastly Redheads and Brunettes over Blondes.
Even though I dive steel I don't think you are a freak for it. That bit about having dumpable weight at depth though is a little on the weird side. Last thing I want to do is dump weight at depth. If I can't swim the rig up from any depth I'm overweighted.
Ahhhh.... If that's the case then that's different and may be ok... (indeed, it looks like I somehow read 20# lift into the thread all on my own!)countryboy:
But... there are plenty of jackets with 20# lift or less - I have one with 18, for example.
lemme do a little googling here...
click... click... type.. type... type... click... there we are
Here's what the specs on the OceanPro say:
XS
20 LBS.
SM
26 LBS.
MD
34 LBS.
ML
LG
41 LBS.
XL
48 LBS.
So... if we're talking an MD or larger then it's ok - if an XS or SM then I'd look at a different model for diving a 7mil.
Rick
HHhhaaarrrr!Orlando Eric:
Good point.
Now I don't necessarily "hate" AL 100s, and if someone gave me one then I'd put it to use... but I don't think I'd go very far to pick one up
and I sure wouldn't actually pay for one...
Rick
OP
NJMike
Contributor
Rick, with that whole thing about the 20# weight being cleared up...maybe my confusion can be cleared up?
I would probably take a medium, so how would that change your earlier comments?
Also, I took a look at some of the sites that were linked for wings/backplates. So, if you don't mind, I have a question abou them.
It looks like you get a backplate...single or double...and a wing, which goes between the plate and the tank. Then you add a harness to secure it to thyself.
Ok. One of the sites said that you could get a low pressuire inflator for the BC. So, does that mean that you still use the BC and all the other stuff goes over top of it?
If that's right, then you have one more set of harnesses to buckle up in front - the BC and the backplate harness?
I would probably take a medium, so how would that change your earlier comments?
Also, I took a look at some of the sites that were linked for wings/backplates. So, if you don't mind, I have a question abou them.
It looks like you get a backplate...single or double...and a wing, which goes between the plate and the tank. Then you add a harness to secure it to thyself.
Ok. One of the sites said that you could get a low pressuire inflator for the BC. So, does that mean that you still use the BC and all the other stuff goes over top of it?
If that's right, then you have one more set of harnesses to buckle up in front - the BC and the backplate harness?
The wing is the BC.
When I made this decision I received 20 free fills with each of the AL80's I purchased, which offset about 2/3 of the cost.
I'd _rather_ have steels but given my budget last year, and having to purchase all my gear, when it came to tanks I had to choose the most economical path.
On that topic, having your own tanks is still much better than having to rent them IMO, simply due to the flexibility of being able to decide on the fly to head out diving. Sometimes when my LDS is running large classes they are out of rental tanks.
My $0.02
I'd _rather_ have steels but given my budget last year, and having to purchase all my gear, when it came to tanks I had to choose the most economical path.
On that topic, having your own tanks is still much better than having to rent them IMO, simply due to the flexibility of being able to decide on the fly to head out diving. Sometimes when my LDS is running large classes they are out of rental tanks.
My $0.02
If you need a medium BC (from Rick's research that provides 36 lbs of lift) you should not use any more integrated weight than the BC can handle.. The BC should be able to float the rig (minus the diver) at the surface, in case you need to remove, etc..
Example: You use integrated weight pouches for 24 lbs. The tank (assume real heavy steel full of air) is negative 12 lbs. You will be at the capacity of the BCD if you fully inflate and remove at the surface.
If you need more than 24 lbs to be *PROPERLY* weighted (depends on suit thickness, drysuit undergaments, etc.) than the rest of the weight will need to be on a belt.. You can elect to put more / less weight on the belt or BC to make sure you trim out properly.. That will be by trial and error, but you cannot exceed the total weight (negative buoyancy, not actual weight) of the rig by itself for what it is capable of lifting.
Each combination of exposure suit, tanks (buoyancy characteristics) other gear (whether negative or positive) will fluctuate your buoyancy. As you dive more and get comfortable, you will start to see the amount of lead needed decrease. In the beginning you will may see a drastic reduction of lead within the first 10 - 20 dives..
With regards to the BP/W... the W is the wing, which serves as the buoyancy compensator, and they all (even jackets) usually come with the low pressure inflator hose, matched to the length of the inflator itself. What is nice about a BP/W is the modularity.. if you need a bigger wing (more lift) just buy that part and attach it to your backplate. If you go to doubles, buy a doubles wing and go.. The harness and backplate can remain pretty constant (I switch between 3 mm, 7mm, and 2 pc 7mm without adjusting).
Try an hook up with some local divers and see these for yourself. See what the people diving around you are using... learn from their experience.. keep askign questions..
-Dennis
Example: You use integrated weight pouches for 24 lbs. The tank (assume real heavy steel full of air) is negative 12 lbs. You will be at the capacity of the BCD if you fully inflate and remove at the surface.
If you need more than 24 lbs to be *PROPERLY* weighted (depends on suit thickness, drysuit undergaments, etc.) than the rest of the weight will need to be on a belt.. You can elect to put more / less weight on the belt or BC to make sure you trim out properly.. That will be by trial and error, but you cannot exceed the total weight (negative buoyancy, not actual weight) of the rig by itself for what it is capable of lifting.
Each combination of exposure suit, tanks (buoyancy characteristics) other gear (whether negative or positive) will fluctuate your buoyancy. As you dive more and get comfortable, you will start to see the amount of lead needed decrease. In the beginning you will may see a drastic reduction of lead within the first 10 - 20 dives..
With regards to the BP/W... the W is the wing, which serves as the buoyancy compensator, and they all (even jackets) usually come with the low pressure inflator hose, matched to the length of the inflator itself. What is nice about a BP/W is the modularity.. if you need a bigger wing (more lift) just buy that part and attach it to your backplate. If you go to doubles, buy a doubles wing and go.. The harness and backplate can remain pretty constant (I switch between 3 mm, 7mm, and 2 pc 7mm without adjusting).
Try an hook up with some local divers and see these for yourself. See what the people diving around you are using... learn from their experience.. keep askign questions..
-Dennis
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