Question from a Noob

[bigtapakah]

I have been wondering why is it that DIR equipment requires a diver to have a metal backplate? Why is it that a simple BC wont work for it? I have a Dive Rite Trans Pac BC, it dosn't have all the bells and whistles that most other BC's have, I love how comfortable it is and i don't have all the junk on it that gets in the way.

 

[vioch]

I have a Dive Rite Trans Pac BC, it dosn't have all the bells and whistles that most other BC's have, I love how comfortable it is and i don't have all the junk on it that gets in the way.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/4564933-post22.html

 

[AndyNZ]

You will no doubt find many answers and opinions on this.

My personal view (having dived in a transpac many times) is that there are two main reasons:

1. See how much it takes to sink your transpac - the padding adds extra buoyancy, that means that you use more weight overall.

2. Stability - even using stabilising plates, the softpack style harnesses just wobble and move around a lot more than a plate. You don't really notice it until you've dived a plate for a while and then go back the other way.

Note, this isn't necessarily a "DIR answer".... but it's why I wouldn't go back to diving in a transpac.

 

[rjack321]

I sold my transpac on Ebay. A plate with continuous webbing is a different beast. Has weight & stability that the transpac just doesn't have and can never have. The transpac is fine in some applications (e.g. sidemount as a nomad) but its not DIR and its suboptimal for standard doubles diving (and singles IMHO); additionally, the clips aren't adjustable and there are alot of danglies too.

 

[ucfdiver]

I sold my transpac because it wasn't nearly as stable as a bp/w, had additional failure points, has unneeded drings that can slow access to needed items, etc.