Sanity check please - Chinese BP/W setup

[Barmaglot]

I'm looking for something cheap to replace my Cressi Travelight which met an untimely end courtesy of an... ignorant person. Got a liveaboard trip to Myanmar coming in a month - I could just rent a jacket, but perhaps it's time to transition to a BP/W setup. However, money is somewhat tight, as I'm about to replace my camera rig as well, so I'd rather not go the XDEEP/Halcyon/whatever route. I also have an inexplicable urge to get it bright canary yellow.

For what it's worth, I dive purely in the tropics, 3mm full wetsuit, always carrying a camera (but the camera rig is very close to neutral), about 10 pounds of lead.

Looking at Aliexpress, I've come up with this:

Backplate - 53.52€ 22% OFF|Aluminium Legierung Technik Tauchen Backplate Flügel BCD Ultraleicht backplane Für Scuba Tauchen Harness System Hardware Backmount|Pool und Zubehör| - AliExpress
Wing - Page Not Found - Aliexpress.com
Harness - 54.84€ 32% OFF|HALTEN TAUCHEN Scuba Tauchen Backplate Harness Set BCD Ultraleicht Backplane Zubehör Gabelung Strap Gewicht Gürtel Dive Zubehör|Pool und Zubehör| - AliExpress
Single tank adapter - 56.76€ 30% OFF|Aluminium Legierung Tauchen Einzigen Tank Adapter Set Für BCD Backplate Halter STA Scuba Tauchen Tank Halterung Ultraleicht Getriebe Ausrüstung|Pool und Zubehör| - AliExpress
Regulator holder - 5.62€ 30% OFF|Halten Sie Tauch schlauch halter Regler Messgerät Oktopus Halter & Clip für Unterwasser Tauchen Taucher bcd Zubehör| | - AliExpress

Am I missing anything for a full working system here? The harness system appears to be complete, the STA comes with bolts and tank bands, the wing doesn't have webbing slots, but with the STA I shouldn't need those, correct?

Is there a good way to add pockets to this? I typically carry a spare mask, DSMB, torch, hat (for sun protection on the surface) and a wet lens or two in my pockets, using both BCD pockets and tech shorts. Moving to this setup would leave me with just the thigh pockets.

Also, I'm pretty partial to using right shoulder dump to vent air from the BCD, and this wing appears to only have it only on the back left. How difficult, if at all possible, would it be to retrofit it with an additional dump valve?

 

[lowwall]

@Oldbear nothing to counterfeit for generic products, we aren't talking fake watches/handbags here. and why bother with aliexpress when you just go downtown and buy those off the street in pretty much any major city?

and the prices are cheap because the quality control is sus, but cutting the multiple layers of middlemen/markup is the bigger reason.

Exactly. I wouldn't buy my regs off aliexpress, but you can do your own quality control on the stuff the OP is looking at. A backplate is just a bent piece of metal with holes and slots. You'll know as soon as you get if it's fit for purpose and you can even fix minor issues yourself with a file. You can even fix bend issues, at least for AL plates. Same deal with the components of a harness. The wing will take a little more effort to examine, but it's still doable.

Those of us in the US are lucky because companies like DGX, Mako Spearguns, and Piranha Dive Mfg can bulk order, handle the quality control and still sell it to us for prices similar to what we'd have to pay to aliexpress vendors.

 

[MidOH]

That STA looks exactly like Pirahna's.

Just sayin.

 

[Pressurehead]

I have in the past bought an aluminium backplate , some webbing and hardware from Ali Express , it was the wing that cost me the most.
I happened upon a good deal from a local supplier for a 23lb Hog wing for warm water.
Plates and webbing are reasonably cheap, avoid the cheap webbing, I bought a roll some years ago that was soft cheap stuff.
Makes great crotch straps, like this blue one.

 

[Scott G. Bonser]

Exactly. What do you call a counterfeit of a knock-off? A counterfeit knockoff?

The BCD/wing setup that Jerrie is making for me has a backplate and single cylinder channel comes from these sources and they are great for what I need. It fits with a 30# lift rated wing sold by DRIS ( Dive Right In SCUBA) along with other customized accessories so Jerrie knows how to evaluate these parts and can guide you on the best product for the best value. So far his combinations are right on target.

 

[Barmaglot]

Welp, I pulled the trigger on the yellow setup, plus a pair of these pockets to put on the waist strap. China is having their spring festival right now, so it will probably take some time to get it shipped out, but after that it generally takes about a week for things to get from there to here (Thailand). Fingers crossed that it will get here in time for me to take it for a check dive before the liveaboard.

 

[Oldbear]

@Oldbear nothing to counterfeit for generic products, we aren't talking fake watches/handbags here. and why bother with aliexpress when you just go downtown and buy those off the street in pretty much any major city?

and the prices are cheap because the quality control is sus, but cutting the multiple layers of middlemen/markup is the bigger reason.

You missed the main point…their goal is not to make a profit by selling counterfeit or cheap generic gear. Rather to make as many sells as possible to capture a larger share of the market for the purpose of collecting “Personal Data” for the Chinese Govt. The PRC is the largest collector, buyer or thief of financial and personal data in the world.

Read and decide for yourself if shopping on this or any other Chinese owned e-commerce company. https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/20_1222_data-security-business-advisory.pdf

 

[lowwall]

You missed the main point…their goal is not to make a profit by selling counterfeit or cheap generic gear. Rather to make as many sells as possible to capture a larger share of the market for the purpose of collecting “Personal Data” for the Chinese Govt. The PRC is the largest collector, buyer or thief of financial and personal data in the world.

Read and decide for yourself if shopping on this or any other Chinese owned e-commerce company. https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/20_1222_data-security-business-advisory.pdf

The document you linked to "Risks and Considerations for Businesses Using Data Services and Equipment from Firms Linked to the People’s Republic of China" is a warning for US businesses to be careful in their business dealings with the PRC. It has nothing to do with individuals buying consumer goods from Chinese suppliers.

"The PRC’s data collection actions result in numerous risks to U.S. businesses and customers, including: the theft of trade secrets, of intellectual property, and of other confidential business information; violations of U.S. export control laws; violations of U.S. privacy laws; breaches of contractual provisions and terms of service; security and privacy risks to customers and employees; risk of PRC surveillance and tracking of regime critics; and reputational harm to U.S. businesses."

What exactly do you think the PLA is going to do with its list of Americans who have bought cheap dive lights and DSMBs?

 

[Green Frog]

My recently acquired (used) BP/W is comprised of an aluminum Dive Rite plate, an OxyCheq wing, random black webbing DIR style harness and a plethora of random parts to complete the rig, including a mismatched pair of cam bands, one ScubaPro and the other ??? of different designs.

Over the Summer I’ve acquired a pair of full foot fins (for boat diving) in yum yum yellow and mask & snorkel trimmed the same. The harness of the BP/W is getting a little worn around the edges and I’m thinking of replacing it. I found some 2” YYY web belt for a weight belt this Fall. I wonder how it would be to re-harness my whole BP/W in yum yum yellow? If that old shark is looking for me, I don’t want to be hard to find!
The (Yellow Trimmed) Green Frog
PS OxyCheq makes a very nice Yellow wing... too much?
PPS I tried to post this earlier, but can’t find it. If it shows up twice please forgive

 

[Oldbear]

The document you linked to "Risks and Considerations for Businesses Using Data Services and Equipment from Firms Linked to the People’s Republic of China" is a warning for US businesses to be careful in their business dealings with the PRC. It has nothing to do with individuals buying consumer goods from Chinese suppliers.

"The PRC’s data collection actions result in numerous risks to U.S. businesses and customers, including: the theft of trade secrets, of intellectual property, and of other confidential business information; violations of U.S. export control laws; violations of U.S. privacy laws; breaches of contractual provisions and terms of service; security and privacy risks to customers and employees; risk of PRC surveillance and tracking of regime critics; and reputational harm to U.S. businesses."

What exactly do you think the PLA is going to do with its list of Americans who have bought cheap dive lights and DSMBs?

It’s not about the cheap dive gear…it is about your financial data you provided them to purchase that cheap

 

[lowwall]

It’s not about the cheap dive gear…it is about your financial data you provided them to purchase that cheap

Use a visa gift card purchased with cash if you are that concerned.

But according to the document you linked to, the PLA already has your Equifax credit report, so I'm not sure how much that will help.