questions on BP/W

[jcollin160]

I was thinking about getting a BP/W. I currently use a Zeagle Ranger and like weight integration. I am 6'2" 280lb. i dive strictly drysuit with as little as shorts or as much as heavy insulation when ice diving. I dive with mostly steel tanks, might use doubles in the future. I do rescue and recovery work also and may need extra inflation in case i need to bring something up with me in a hurry.

Is there any advantages to using a BP/W over my ranger.

I was thinking about OMS 94lb single bladder with a harness system.

I have no dealers, here in PA, even close that deal with BP/W or much of any gear, so i am stuck with internet orders.

I've been reading several posts and see several brands but not sure it is worth me spending the money.

I plan on hopefully goin back to tobemoray or maybe to NC and do some wreck diving. Warm water diving will not be happening anytime soon.

Any comments will be helpful...

 

[fisheater]

I switched from a Zeagle to a steel BP/W. You'll find that you'll need about ten pounds less lead, you'll be less encombered by a hog harness, you'll glide more easily underwater (saving on gas) and surface swims won't suck nearly so much.

At least, that's been my experience.

 

[walke121]

94# wing is HUGE. Way to big even for most doubles. I dont like the idea of using the same wing for doubles and singles. A good double wing makes a single look like a hotdog bun around the tank. For lifting stuff from the bottom use lift bags don't try to lift it yourself.

 

[jcollin160]

OK, i didnt want to say it here but if i go in for an ice rescue that just happened and have a quick find... i'm not taking the time to hook up a lift bag because there is still a survival chance. most of the water i do rescue in is not over 40 feet.

The chance for me using doubles is pretty slim. i have a manifold but no setup yet. I use steel tanks from 72 to 108 amd will most likely stay single tanks.

 

[walke121]

The chance for me using doubles is pretty slim. i have a manifold but no setup yet. I use steel tanks from 72 to 108 amd will most likely stay single tanks.

In that case that wing will be so unstable you will have a bunch of problems using it. The air bubble will shift so much your bouyancy will be all over the place...

 

[scubamountaingirl]

hello, from what you are saying, you would really benefit from going to a shop even its one day for a few hrs to establish a relationship and have them measure you and give you some choices.

there are two i recommend in PA
Lehigh Valley Dive Center

Indian Valley Scuba

good luck
ww

 

[jcollin160]

How about some suggestions on other size wings, brands. i had seen a post somewhere that the bungees on the OMS are no good? do they trap air?

Those shops are about 3 hours away, sounds like a roadtrip comin.

 

[zider]

I switched from a Zeagle to a steel BP/W. You'll find that you'll need about ten pounds less lead, you'll be less encombered by a hog harness, you'll glide more easily underwater (saving on gas) and surface swims won't suck nearly so much.

At least, that's been my experience.

I agree completely. I went from a Ranger LTD to a SS BP/W setup this year and I easily cut 10-15 depending on the unders I am wearing

 

[rstofer]

You need to do the math. You mentioned rescue but you didn't say if that was diver rescue. If it's swimmer rescue, you don't need additional lift. Diver rescue can be a different animal.

Suppose you dive with a wetsuit that loses 20# of buoyancy and you plan to consume 8# of air from an HP 100. Your total change in buoyancy is 28 pounds. A 30# lift wing is probably just about right. Remember, as you use the air, you require less lift.

If you try to rescue a similarly equipped buddy with a blown wing, at the start of the dive, you probably can't do it. You're going to need to leave some weight on the bottom and hope for the best during the ascent. The wetsuit will regain buoyancy pretty quickly as you ascend so you won't have to swim up so hard.

Drysuit diving makes things somewhat simpler. There is redundant buoyancy for both divers. You certainly don't need to oversize the wing for this kind of diving. But I don't know how much lift is required. I don't have a drysuit.

If you want the right answers to all of this, call Tobin at Deep Sea Supply. He sells a great BP/W and really understands how to size the wing. You will find a large number of divers on this forum that use his equipment and are true believers. Yup, me too!

As was pointed out above, you don't want to oversize the wing. It will make controlling the air bubble a nightmare. And, yes, the constrictor bands do help trap the air. There is certainly no need for such things on a single tank wing.

Richard

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

It depends on what your priorities are. The ranger is well built and if you want a big wing, lots of padding, pockets galore and a really nice integrated weight system, then it is hard to beat.

I switched over to a BP/Wing simply because I wanted less to haul around, above and below. Once you forgo the integrated weights, you can get a small, narrow wing (30lbs or so). Combined with the basic harness, you have a rather petite, yet very robust rig. It is a different mentality, not for everyone, but works for me.