Tank backpack

[2airishuman]

I am purchasing a pile of old diving stuff from a local seller on craigslist because I want the fins.

Included in the stack of stuff is a tank backpack, that is, one of those flexible backplates with straps and a cam band, with no provision for a BC.

Should I throw that in the dumpster, or is there something I might possibly want it for?

 

[Neilwood]

Old school divers would possibly use it but diving this way does rely on near perfect weighting and very good breath control for depth management.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Might be a lot of fun to dive with just a backpack...In the right place and time..After you got your weighting nailed..

 

[uncfnp]

I am curious. Can you post a pic or a link?

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Flexible?

Are we talking plastic or fabric here?

The Oxycheck travel back plate was made from heavy nylon fabric and it's still made:

OxyCheq - OxyCheq Ultra Lite Travel Plate - Black

Most of the older cam packs were molded plastic and were fairly rigid.

 

[uncfnp]

Flexible?

Are we talking plastic or fabric here?

The Oxycheck travel back plate was made from heavy nylon fabric and it's still made:

OxyCheq - OxyCheq Ultra Lite Travel Plate - Black

Most of the older cam packs were molded plastic and were fairly rigid.

Exactly where I was headed. Apeks and DR also come to mind.

 

[2airishuman]

Looking at the photo again, it may be more rigid.

http://images.craigslist.org/00c0c_4ygSIil3Vpf_600x450.jpg

 

[herman]

That is a blowen plastic backpack, it is very ridged and is intended to be worn with a horse collar BC....or without if you prefer. They are OK for single hose diving but not really good for double hose diving. That said, if you ever learn how to dive one properly without a BC or wing, you will hate going back to a BC. Even small wings have huge amounts of drag that is very noticeable once you get use to diving without one. I dive with them most any time I am not having to deal with a dive op insisting on a BC.

 

[uncfnp]

On one of my WPB trips several years ago I saw an older woman on the dive boat using one of these with a horse collar and one of those tiny HP "bowling ball" tanks. I had the privilege of meeting her and getting to talk with her a bit. Very impressive woman and diver.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Ohh, I like that BFK!

I have a few of those plastic packs laying around. My favorite one is a Healthways that I found in the free bin at my LDS. That thing fits like a glove and it's my go-to pack for underwater maintenance work...no wing.

It would be worth pulling a mold off it and popping out a few out of carbon fiber plus creating a lightweight carbon STA to go on it so a small wing could be used for fun diving.

---------- Post added December 19th, 2015 at 06:33 PM ----------

That is a blowen plastic backpack, it is very ridged and is intended to be worn with a horse collar BC....or without if you prefer. They are OK for single hose diving but not really good for double hose diving. That said, if you ever learn how to dive one properly without a BC or wing, you will hate going back to a BC. Even small wings have huge amounts of drag that is very noticeable once you get use to diving without one. I dive with them most any time I am not having to deal with a dive op insisting on a BC.

You could Jerry rig a "dummy" wing on it with a phony inflator so it looks like a working BC. They wouldn't know the difference.