Safely Donning and Doffing BP/W in the water

[DeepBound]

I've been practicing removing my BP/W (with doubles) in the water by flipping it over my head, but my dry glove rings tend to get caught on the shoulder straps, and I'm concerned that I could end up stuck in a very awkward position in the water struggling to get out the rest of the way. Is there a trick to this?

Also what's the right way to get your doubles on while floating on the surface with them? Do you swim in from under, or lean back into them?

Thanks in advance

 

[Kangy]

Pull it off like a backpack. Left arm first then swing it around your right side in front of you. A tip if you have wrist mounted gauges turn them so they are on the bottom of your wrist, it makes sliding out of the straps a lot easier.

To put them back on I've always just leaned back into them.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Pull it off like a backpack. Left arm first then swing it around your right side in front of you. A tip if you have wrist mounted gauges turn them so they are on the bottom of your wrist, it makes sliding out of the straps a lot easier.

To put them back on I've always just leaned back into them.

If you're in a drysuit you want to do right arm first ... otherwise the vent valve gets hung up on the shoulder strap.

I "chicken-wing" (elbow first through the shoulder strap) with the right arm, then just spin the whole rig around and let the left arm slide out as it's spinning.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[David P]

If you're in a drysuit you want to do right arm first ... otherwise the vent valve gets hung up on the shoulder strap.

I "chicken-wing" (elbow first through the shoulder strap) with the right arm, then just spin the whole rig around and let the left arm slide out as it's spinning.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

ummm wouldn't you want your left arm first? Thats the arm with the exhaust valve...

I'll admit I haven't tried it in doubles, but with a single tank setup in a wetsuit, I found the easiest way to ditch it is straight up over my head(slides off like there is nothing to it) Doff and Don with doubles in a drysuit would have to be a pain, just trying to manhandle that much weight, then dealing with the can light, drysuit inflator hose... eww!

 

[SparticleBrane]

Step 1: Sit on gear. Yes, that's right, I'm not kidding. Inflate the wing so your gear is floating and sit on top of it. It might sink a bit in the water so you're not entirely out but that's fine, as long as it can support you.

Step 2: Find the straps to the harness. Put hands/wrists through the straps.

Step 3: Slide off of gear as if the backplate were a slide at the playground. Angle the tanks down slightly so the backplate is at a small angle and just slide right down into the water. While you're sliding, make sure your arms go through the shoulder straps.

Step 4: Connect crotch/waist straps and you're done.



I wish I had pictures/video of this but I don't. It's kinda hard to describe online without a visual aid.

 

[Cacia]

Rockjock has the smoothest routine I've seen, probably because he kayak dives.

I copied him. First the belt gets passed up, then I put my bungeed, reg in my mouth and unwrap my long hose,-holding it gathered up in my right hand. Then I unbuckle my crotch starp and fall out of the inflated wing by dipping out, having my necklace reg in my mouth till the very last pass up to the boat.....or you could then clip it off.

I have taken another person's tip by reversing my metal belt buckle on the wt belt so as not to inadvertently unbuckle the wrong one and become entangled. (they feel identical, I don't look down because the boat is usually bouncing near my head) I cannot wear the wt belt on top, due to back plate. I'm not R hand release, but it works for me. In swells sometimes I like the person on the boat to lightly steady my 1st stage while I do the doffing routine.

Of course, never do I take my fins off until I have kicked my way up onto the boat, the way you get out of the deep end at the pool, twisting and sitting.