Transpac w/travel wing-is it compact to travel with?...

[Conor]

I use a TPII with travel wing for travelling and love it, packs down quite small and you can always remove the padding. I have heard a lot of people do this and suffer no ill effects.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

Conor

 

[DolphinDiver]

Never tried a BP. I'm sure I'd love it after I got it dialed in. My biggest concern would be comfort with the thin wetsuit so if that wasn't a problem I'd see no reason not to do the BP. Since I'm not DIR I'd probably go with the Dive Rite adjustable BP harness. But, so far my TP is so much better than my old jacket system I can't see how it could get much better - for singles anyway.

Thinking a bit more on the techie factor I definately would give the BP the most style points for coolness. They just look so serious and solid - "pro" I guess. It's like the Tim Allen tool thing - arh arh arh arh . Like going into that Craftsman department.

At least my TP's got lots of D rings - arh arh arh!

 

[DennisS]

I have a TP II with the travel wing and an aluminum backplate with trek wings. I have integrated weights on the TP II and use it with an AL 80. I really like it. I bought the AL BP and trek wing for a 130 steel and doubles. I like it too. I dive tropical with a thin shorty and the BP is no problem.

If I had it to do over I would buy an aluminum backplate and an Oxycheq 45. It lightweight and packs flat.

 

[doole]

DolphinDiver once bubbled...
My biggest concern would be comfort with the thin wetsuit so if that wasn't a problem I'd see no reason not to do the BP.

IMO it isn't a problem. In a properly designed BP I believe you'd find you are considerably more comfortable than anything else, hands down. I know I am.

 

[Twomixdiver]

If you do warm water diving and use (equal or less than) 10lbs of weights, the Transpac with travel wings is perfect as is.

I once went on a trip to a remote location. The turbo-prop aircraft servicing the area only allowed a 10 kilo (22 lbs) baggage allowance. The plane was so small that they couldn't take excess baggage even if you were willing to pay the fees.

In these kind of diving conditions, soft-pack BC's have their place. I was thankful I had enough baggage allowance for personal clothing.

 

[DolphinDiver]

Ooh, even with my TP that weight limit wouldn't have worked for me.

My wife brings more weight in dresses than that .

 

[archman]

from what I've read the only downside to backplates (besides price and availability) is that of comfort. There's a sizable percentage of people that won't wear them in warm water 'cuz the backplates hurt them. These are usually people that DON'T wear exposure suits or skins, just a swimsuit. I don't personally know anyone that uses a backplate harness and doesn't wear at least a thin suit.

As I also don't wear an exposure suit in warm water and am thinking about getting a backplate system, I WOULD LOVE some feedback here. Otherwise I'm going for the TransPac II with the new Venture Wings.

 

[SeaJay]

1. RE: Weight... It's my bet that a wet AL backplate and harness weighs less than a wet TPII.

2. Exposure protection: I don't understand why anyone would want to dive without at least something on... In springs and other freshwater climes, the thermal protection is great. Unless you're diving in water near 100*, even a 3 mil isn't too much. Plus, it offers some protection against scrapes and bruises from encrustations, rock, rocking boat decks and the like... In saltwater, it prevents stings from jellyfish, which are common even in tropical climes.

3. Assuming that you insist on diving with no protection, imagine for a moment whether holding 40+ pounds of metal cylinder and first stage directly along your spine (with padding) is more comfortable than having a wide, flat plate distribute the weight across the entire surface of your back. Yes, there's some truth to the fact that some people like the padding over no padding... But even those that swear by it admit that underwater, when everything is weightless, the padding is annoying. And frankly, topside, I personally see it as ineffective at keeping that cylinder off of my vertebrae.

No, the wide, flat plate that distributes the weight over the muscle in my back is much more comfortable to me.

 

[tech3324]

I use a Koplin travel plate with Koplin lightweight STA. The wing is a Halcyon Pioneer 18#, which is only slightly more streamlined than the 27# wing. This is a great setup for warm water diving and packs very compactly. You can see the BP here:

http://www.selchie.com/travel.htm

 

[ronrosa]

"1. RE: Weight... It's my bet that a wet AL backplate and harness weighs less than a wet TPII."


With the TPII padding removed I'll take that bet.


"2. Exposure protection: I don't understand why anyone would want to dive without at least something on... "


I agree, I where at least a skin


"3. Assuming that you insist on diving with no protection, imagine for a moment whether holding 40+ pounds of metal cylinder and first stage directly along your spine (with padding) is more comfortable than having a wide, flat plate distribute the weight across the entire surface of your back. "


Once in the water that 40lb tank is no where near that heavy. Out of the water, the harness distributes the weight to your hips. If you're boat diving no big deal. Shore diving with a long haul, that's a different story.

For a warm water recreational travel BCD, the TPII w/ travel wing is a great choice. IMHO a BP/wing in this application offers few benefits over the TPII.