Rig adaptation to disability

[NAM001]

You can use a neo wrist band on your missing arm between the suit and your wrist. that way you can wear a wrist computer and not fall of the stump end. I would think that someone could make a replacement end to provide grabbing function of sorts also. You could hook the strap of a buddy if you needed to assist getting them to the surface IMO missing a hand is not that big of thing compared to missing a foot or leg. I think he will have many years of happy diving with a few mods. A jacket may not be his best option though.

 

[saxman242]

perhaps you can correct me. if yhe is using a coughnit wing what would happen if teh bladder was removed and turned upside down. the bladder purge would be on the good side the inflator hose would be on the good side and all llwould be well perhaps teh hip vent may be on the outside instead of the underside of the bladder. If he uses a jacket Im not sure what can be done.

If you were to flip the bladder in a wing within the outer shell, you'd still need to make new penetrations in the shell. You could in theory mount the wing backwards, but this would cause issues with wings with built in tank adapters. You would then end up with the inflator coming out of the wing in the wrong spot, etc. Awful lot of effort when there are wings on the market with kidney dumps on each side that you could just buy and use as designed.

 

[lowwall]

Quoting myself from your original thread:

"For single tank diving, the standard BP/W setup is already close to what you need. The left hand is only used for bc inflate/deflate and checking the SPG. You've already worked out how to deal with the former, so just need to figure the best setup for the latter."

This assumes you use one of the wings with a right hand or dual dump.

The SPG can either come off your left side and be clipped to either chest D-ring or come off the right and be clipped to a right hip D-ring. I think the left chest would be preferable, but I'm not 100% certain.

As to the 2nds, I have all of 11 dives now with my secondary bungeed to a necklace, and I already greatly prefer it I'm routing my primary second under my arm and it works pretty well. I have to tinker with the hose lengths a bit though.

 

[axluba]

First thank you so much everybody for answering. I'm going to try to answer to each one of you!

and then expose an idea that was brought up buy my instructor yesterday.

If given a choice between an off the shelf wing that already meets your needs and having one custom adapted to your needs, I'd take the off the shelf one personally.

In that case the mares xr donut is the only option I know off! I'm not set on LP inflator on the left side though... it's what I know but I believe that I don't know much xD

For the computer, I've been looking into getting a Teric, and you might like it too. You can have all your data, including air and compass, on one screen, that you can point toward your face using only your left wrist, thus leaving your right hand free. It's expensive and there are probably cheaper options with all those features, but something to think about.

Teric would be awesome but greatly out of budget... I'm thinking of the ratio Idive sport easy (second hand maybe). a good function to price ratio I believe (see what I said here?)

@axluba

If you think you can operate wing inflator across your body with right hand, then just go with a stock wing. I’m going to suggest you look at getting a 16in/40cm corrugated hose for your inflator. I don’t have any disability, but I just found the 12in/30cm was too short for me. 16” is perfect.

I will definitely take that into account 16" corrugated hose will be the option I look at first!

I imagine he can actuate the inflator cross body, but probably not the cross body kidney dump.

exactly!! however it might not be the best option. it is just what I know from diving a jacket bcd.

I'm going a little off the wall here.

Go to your LDS and gear yup, see where you have problems and track them, then try to actuate your bc, I'm pretty sure you will need to get custom on right but try and see if it's comfortable.

I would definitely go wrist mount computer as holding a console to monitor ascent while venting during ascent will be very difficult one handed. If you go with a spg clip to either chest or right side ring.

Other computer options, I have not used either just know they exist, they are expensive.

https://scubapro.johnsonoutdoors.co...free-computer/galileo-hud-hands-free-computer

NERD 2 - Shearwater Research

yes wrist mount seems like a good option! HUD might be good/fun in the future but being fairly new I think that I will focus my money and my attention somewhere else!

regarding the LDS I try the different stuff they have as rent equipment but they do have a lot of "other stuff" for sale. Finding a LDS offering a fairly broad range of gear is not the easiest where I live in Germany but of course that would be much easier to try stuff on the fly!

The basic plan sounds good. On SPG, before eventually going wireless, you might try routing it on the right. I dive tiny independent doubles, the right tanks SPG is maybe a bit shorter, and I tuck the top half of the hose into the bungee loops on my DiveRite Rec BC, the bottom half of the hose is free. It puts it a bit back but around hip height. Bending the hose forward lets me read it easily. Reading it is not as pure and non-trim affecting a solution as the normal unclip, read, reclip. But it works well. It does not seem to interfere with my long hose.

mmmm that's interesting I didn't think about that! I will try that one too. It might even work on the left side (maybe it would be good to free up that poor right hand which will handle all the work )

perhaps you can correct me. if yhe is using a coughnit wing what would happen if teh bladder was removed and turned upside down. the bladder purge would be on the good side the inflator hose would be on the good side and all llwould be well perhaps teh hip vent may be on the outside instead of the underside of the bladder. If he uses a jacket Im not sure what can be done.

That is actually what I'm currently discussing with DaretoDive for their ring 14 wing. the LP inflator hose would come out on the backplate side of the wing but I'm not sure that it would be a problem! I wouldn't mind the dump valve on the outside of the wing. it is one of the configurations that I'm exploring a bit more closely

You can use a neo wrist band on your missing arm between the suit and your wrist. that way you can wear a wrist computer and not fall of the stump end. I would think that someone could make a replacement end to provide grabbing function of sorts also. You could hook the strap of a buddy if you needed to assist getting them to the surface IMO missing a hand is not that big of thing compared to missing a foot or leg. I think he will have many years of happy diving with a few mods. A jacket may not be his best option though.

the Neo strap if a great idea! regarding the replacement end I have some king of CFRP hook but except for warm water I think I'll prioritize exposure protection. which doesn't prevent me to look for something later down the road. I also can, if need be, grab the Buoyancy system of my buddy with my elbow if need be.. but you have to like the cosiness

If you were to flip the bladder in a wing within the outer shell, you'd still need to make new penetrations in the shell. You could in theory mount the wing backwards, but this would cause issues with wings with built in tank adapters. You would then end up with the inflator coming out of the wing in the wrong spot, etc. Awful lot of effort when there are wings on the market with kidney dumps on each side that you could just buy and use as designed.

that is a discussion I'm currently having with a European manufacturer. If I decide that the left LPinflator is good enough I would probably go the of the shelf way. But if I need to change stuff I will see if it is possible without ending up too poor to go diving xD

Quoting myself from your original thread:

"For single tank diving, the standard BP/W setup is already close to what you need. The left hand is only used for bc inflate/deflate and checking the SPG. You've already worked out how to deal with the former, so just need to figure the best setup for the latter."

This assumes you use one of the wings with a right hand or dual dump.

The SPG can either come off your left side and be clipped to either chest D-ring or come off the right and be clipped to a right hip D-ring. I think the left chest would be preferable, but I'm not 100% certain.

As to the 2nds, I have all of 11 dives now with my secondary bungeed to a necklace, and I already greatly prefer it I'm routing my primary second under my arm and it works pretty well. I have to tinker with the hose lengths a bit though.

Hi Lowall! I'm also leaning left chest but I have to try different stuff. My girlfriend just got a loop 15x from mares to go under the arm and short secondary on necklace and this really seems like a great option!


Everybody, don't hesitate if you have other suggestions! already a TON of good idea in this thread! thank you sooooo much

regarding the left side/right side LP Inflator I think that If I keep the "standard" routing (I mean, over the right shoulder primary, longer hose secondary/Octo) I think the LPI on the right would clutter everything. However, if I go the short necklace secondary and under the arm primary it might be a huge improvement to have my LP inflator and the right and not needing to go across my body to operate it!

I'm very excited to try those stuff. thank you for all those suggestion I really appreciate it!

edit: sorry if there are some ugly spelling or phrasing mistakes, I'm French

 

[NAM001]

If you were to flip the bladder in a wing within the outer shell, you'd still need to make new penetrations in the shell. You could in theory mount the wing backwards, but this would cause issues with wings with built in tank adapters. You would then end up with the inflator coming out of the wing in the wrong spot, etc. Awful lot of effort when there are wings on the market with kidney dumps on each side that you could just buy and use as designed.

mine has a domp on ly on one side. the fli0p was the possible answer for that. adn yes cutting the fabric to accomodate teh flipped bladder was in my vission. flipping the bladder only keeps the STA;s on place

 

[saxman242]

Maybe an xdeep Zen wing would be the right answer. Flip it around to put the kidney dump on your right side. Inflator comes out the center, so you could run it down either shoulder.

 

[axluba]

So I'm going to the Paris diving show in January! I hope to use this opportunity to try a lot of different gears/configurations!

 

[axluba]

An update (as a show of respect to people who took the time to read/answer), and a few further questions (to be sure I'm not going into a wall)

Things are moving forward slowly, after a bit more experience in the water, a discussion with a manufacturer and with my instructor I think that I will go for a wing that is practically symmetrical on both side of the “donut plane”. (I mean that the backplate side and the tank side a very similar)

This will allow me to "flip it" to have the lpInflator on the right side (backplate face) (turns out it would be very helpful when in a “delicate” situation), the butt dump on the right hand side (tank face), while not bearing the cost of a custom made.
(see picture)


I have a few question with this:
- as a rec diver only is cordura 1000 enough or should I consider their 2000 denier wing?
- I will have only one rig for the foreseeable future for my dives going from 36 to 76 degrees. should 14L (31lbs) be enough or should I go with 17L (38lbs)
- Any NO GO with this idea of flipping the wing?

thanks everybody and have a great day