Switching to backplate and wing

[Diver_In_Pink]

Hello,

I have decided to make a switch from a BCD (Scubapro Ladyhawk) to a backplate and wing. I recently realized that my BCD is way too big for me (M and I'm only 5'3) and I suspect that may be why I have had buoyancy issues in the past. Although I loved my hybrid BCD, I figured that since I am currently a DMC and will be doing a lot more diving in the future, I should make the switch.

My main questions are about being able to use it in both cold and warm water. I live on Vancouver Island in British Columbia so I dive in a drysuit when I'm at home but I also spend a lot of time in Thailand (where I am now) where I only wear a rash guard. When I dive in a drysuit I usually use 35lbs (I know I'm overweighted but I'm currently trying to sort out my buoyancy issues in cold water) and I have a trilaminate BARE suit. I want to know if a wing with 30 or 32lbs of lift would be enough or if I need to go with 40lbs. I would rather have the smallest wing possible since I will regularly be using it in warm water. I am also leaning towards getting the steel backplate for the added weight and then getting a light travel backplate as well. Is steel a good choice or would aluminium be better? And is the travel backplate okay to dive with for say a month or longer at a time?

I've been looking at the Apeks WTX/WTX-D series but it is quite expensive. Does anyone have brand recommendations?

Also, right now I have an integrated weight system in my BCD, how do you guys deal with weighting in drysuits with a BP&W? I looked into adding the Apeks integrated weights to the backplate but they are very expensive and would still only hold 20lbs.

Thanks in advance!

 

[snowdog61]

Give Tobin a call at Deep Sea Supply

 

[Pkishino]

It's a bit finnicky and many will say you should use a separate wing for each use but let me describe what I use and what works very well for me:
Here in Sweden I part-dime as DM and here many dive doubles in dry suits..the gear I use and works very well for me is:
- trilam santi e-motion
- 300Bar double 7 (narrow band)
- agir 38lbs single wing or Apex WTX-30 (both older models)
- SS backplate

this works very well and the wtx-30 is quite common here for double7 divers with narrow bands, it won't work well with the wide band but I dove it using steel d12's on malta in a 5mm wetsuit and it worked brill.
both wings work very well here as well as in warm tropical.. I use the SS backplate even when I travel, that way I don't need any extra weight, perhaps 1-2kg on the tank band at most.

 

[49north]

I use a Halcyon Eclipse 40 with the weighted STA and stainless backplate. It comes with the integrated weight pockets plus I use pockets on the cam straps.

This system works great for warm water diving as well. I just remove the STA weight. I thought about getting a smaller wing for warm water, but the 40lb works just fine. I have no problems venting gas.

 

[shurite7]

Halcyon has a nice cinch system that will allow you to use the same BP/W in cold water and warm water. The cinch will allow you to adjust the harness simply by pulling.
In my experience the integrated weight system with a BP/W isn't the greatest. A weight belt will work fine if you are not using that much weight. If you have to use a great deal of weight then a weight harness system, such as DUI's, tends to be more comfortable. Several comments above suggest at STA, which I too recommend.

A forty pound wing may be fine for the cold water, but it is a bit much for the tropics. Although, I've seen people make it work. Some people, for what ever reason, do not want to purchase two different wings.

Halcyon isn't cheap, but if you considering Apex, then Halcyon should be in your ballpark.

 

[49north]

A forty pound wing may be fine for the cold water, but it is a bit much for the tropics. Although, I've seen people make it work. Some people, for what ever reason, do not want to purchase two different wings.

When I bought my Halcyon last year, I wanted to get a 20lb wing at the same time. My LDS recommended trying the 40lb first. As I mentioned, it seems to work fine and vents no problem. Other than trapping gas, what would be the downside to a larger wing in warm water?

That said, I would still like to try a smaller wing in warm water....

 

[Lorenzoid]

When I bought my Halcyon last year, I wanted to get a 20lb wing at the same time. My LDS recommended trying the 40lb first. As I mentioned, it seems to work fine and vents no problem. Other than trapping gas, what would be the downside to a larger wing in warm water?

That said, I would still like to try a smaller wing in warm water....

In addition to potentially being difficult to fully vent, an argument I have read for using the smallest wing you can get away with is that a larger wing "flapping in the breeze" creates drag unnecessarily . Some people don't care about a bit of excess drag. Some people have pointed out that the difference in wing size--and thus drag--isn't dramatic.

 

[NorCalDM]

If you go with Apeks the WTX-D30 is very compact my wife and son both use that wing for cold and warm water. I use an older WTX-30 that does not have the cover on it so it is a little larger but I don't have an issue with it all in warm water. I use the Apeks SST plate for cold water and switch to an Alum. plate for warm water I just switch the wing and STA using a drysuit you may need to do the same as the SST plate will add some weight and as said above the weight harness is nice as well for a dry suit. The SST plate may be too heavy for warm water with a full 3mm suit I use no added weight with an Alum plate and STA and with my SST plate I'm a lawn dart and end up having too much air in my wing which messes with my buoyancy. Some of this also depends on your body make.

 

[decompression]

I’m in Victoria so if you’d like to try a few let me know, I have lots. My wife is 5’3” and her pink Halcyon is perfect. I’m also selling an Apeks backplate and wing that could be a good fit for you. Feel free to pm me.

 

[Trailboss123]

Here is a review of my BP/W that a posted a bit ago- I was looking for the exact same things as you and this is what I decided on. It has been 3 months since this review and I now have about 60 dives with it. Both here in the Channel Islands of So Cal in my drysuit and my 7mm wetsuit and also in Bonaire with a 3mm and nothing but board shorts and a rash guard. I couldn't be happier and some of the "cons" from my initial review have completely become non-issues as a result of additional dives and familiarity. This is not the cheapest way to go, but it is very well constructed and should make up for cost in longevity and my contentment with it.
Review: XDeep Ghost BCD- BP/W