Travel BPW Setup

[Lorenzoid]

I can take a few pictures when I get home from work.

The backpack itself is just some random cheap backpack my wife had laying around. It's nothing special and not very large. Probably sized for a 15" laptop.

I do break down my bp/w for travel as it packs a lot easier with the wing and harness off. The plate slides nicely into the laptop pocket, etc.

Have you considered what I have seen a few people do, and rig the backpack and plate together such that the backplate harness becomes the backpack harness? I have always wanted to try that, but I think I'd need a sewing machine to do a good job of it.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

What is a good set up for a light weight BPW I can use for traveling? I've already got a Hollis Elite 2 Harness (no back plate or wing) but wanted to make it into a light weight travel set up for single tank tropical diving. Are the light weight back plates really much lighter than a typical aluminum?

How much additional weight do you need? If you do need additional weight, I'd suggest a SS BP instead. That's what I use in my 5 mil wetsuit and I trim out nicely.

 

[waterone]

Have you considered what I have seen a few people do, and rig the backpack and plate together such that the backplate harness becomes the backpack harness? I have always wanted to try that, but I think I'd need a sewing machine to do a good job of it.

This is the way.

You can do it without a sewing machine and it will look good. I did one with grommets and scissors. But I probably will make a full on custom pack soon.

 

[Lorenzoid]

This is the way.

You can do it without a sewing machine and it will look good. I did one with grommets and scissors. But I probably will make a full on custom pack soon.

Somebody really needs to commercialize this. I'd buy one in a heartbeat if it's well made. In the design I envision, the original backpack straps are removed or removable.

 

[lexvil]

Somebody really needs to commercialize this. I'd buy one in a heartbeat if it's well made. In the design I envision, the original backpack straps are removed or removable.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Oh God, that monstrosity still exists?

I was suckered into buying when it was branded under Aeris. I doubt the poor design issues were addressed when they sold under the Oceanic brand.

The only worse piece of dive gear I have purchased is a ScubaPro dry suit.

 

[Lorenzoid]

I think that's basically the idea, but that product seems to go against the principle of interchangeability of BP/W components that makes the BP/W attractive to many of us. I want to be able to choose my wing, choose my plate, and use my own harness. In other words, the backpack needs to be able to accept any BP and its harness.

 

[lexvil]

While I had a jet pack and found the idea interesting if not the execution, I went on to use a backplate with wing adding a 20L dry bag which held all of my dive gear and used the cam bands to hold the bag and strapped the fins to the bag.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

While I had a jet pack and found the idea interesting if not the execution, I went on to use a backplate with wing adding a 20L dry bag which held all of my dive gear and used the cam bands to hold the bag and strapped the fins to the bag.

you didn't find the bottom of the tank cylinder rising up as it emptied? With a single strap (at least on the Aeris version) and no stiff spine, it was really annoying. I couldn't figure out how to address this without really hacking it up. I just sold it instead.

 

[saxman242]

Have you considered what I have seen a few people do, and rig the backpack and plate together such that the backplate harness becomes the backpack harness? I have always wanted to try that, but I think I'd need a sewing machine to do a good job of it.

I did. That's actually how this started... I asked my wife if she had any cheap backpacks laying around that I could pop some grommets in. The intent was that I'd pull the wing off, attach the backpack to the plate and use the harness for the straps.

What I found was the plate slots nicely into the laptop sleeve in the backpack and takes up basically no room. The only space I was really saving was the space the harness webbing takes up, which ended up really being no big deal. I already have room to spare in the bag, so saving that small amount of space from the harness just wasn't necessary, and now have something that looks no different than any other bag, doesn't have d rings and metal buckles banging in to everything, etc.


If I needed the extra space in the bag, I'd consider it... it just didn't seem necessary after actually testing it out.