Tried a BP/Wings set up this weekend.

[WreckWriter]

WillAbbott once bubbled...
I'm curious about the velcro idea, it sounds like an inexpensive way to accomplish what gators (and what ankle weights do crappily) without the expense.

Several of the folks I dive with use "fin retainers" (see http://www.deepbluedive.com/products/product.asp?pid=1174 for picture). They wear them under their fins and claim they work very well for limiting gas in the boots. They're very cheap, I think Trident makes them for the U.S. market (the url I posted is in England, it was just the first good pic I found).

I use Halcyon gaitors and find that some gas sneaks past anyway.

WW

 

[kalvyn]

I also just dove a BP/wing for the first time this weekend. I'm diving dry and am 6'1" 220 Lbs. I was diving a loner rig, as my gear has not yet arrived. I had a DiveRite SS wing, an STA, and integrated weight pouches on the BP. I have a LP steel 95 tank. I wore 12# on my waist, and started with 6# in the pouches. The person doing my orientation added 4 more # during my dive, so I ended up with 22# over and above the BP.

My problem was floaty feet, but I did not have any gaitors, or velcro straps on my legs. I'm hoping that straps or gaitors will cure the floaty feet, as my guide said I didn't need more weight at all. I'm also concerned about my fins adding to the floaty feet, as they're bouyant (TUSA Xpert Zooms), so I'm going to use my wife's blade fins next dive, and see if that helps any.

I liked the fact that the BP harness did not get in the way of my inflator valve. That was my main beef with the rental BC, and that just finally torqued me off a couple weeks ago enough to buy a BP/wings. I was fighting with floaty feet too much to really have a valid opinion of the BP/wing performance. I'm holding my comments until I get my Pioneer and it's been properly fitted and I've dove it a few times. I'm still just too new to diving in general, but I definitely liked not feeling like I was in a straightjacket. I had no comfort issues at all... I was concerned about the harness digging into my shoulders, but I did not experience that.

Jimmie

 

[Uncle Pug]

WillAbbott once bubbled...
I'm curious about the velcro idea

I have some 2" wide x 20" long velcro wraps that a friend gave me for use on the boat (securing coiled lines, ect.) and I have never seen them in a store so I don't know where you could buy them.

I suppose someone clever could make[u/] them fairly easy.

I use them around the ankles of my Andy's with the attached boots. Still, I try to keep as much gas out of the suit as will go and on ascents will drop my legs every so often to get the gas to move up and out the exhaust valve.

 

[MechDiver]

WillAbbott once bubbled...


I'm curious about the velcro idea, it sounds like an inexpensive way to accomplish what gators (and what ankle weights do crappily) without the expense. If I can get an inexpensive way to drop the ankles I will

Will,

I use Trident velcro knife straps, about 1" wide, just above my ankle. My suit has fairly hard insulated boots that will come off. The straps work very well to take care of that. My suit also has builtin gaigers, but I don't see much benefit from them.

MD

 

[boomx5]

did you just go out and take a picture of those for this thread?

 

[Uncle Pug]

boomx5 once bubbled...
did you just go out and take a picture of those for this thread?

Kinda fuzzy though....

BTW... for the thread:
Gaitors and wraps will not only slow air movement to your feet... they will slow movement out as well... and that might not be good.

I use the wraps much like MD to keep my boots securely on... but I don't like to let extra gas build up in my feet at all.

The reason I suggested gaitors to Will is because I figured his suit might have a lot of extra material... which it evidently does not.

 

[Spectre]

Uncle Pug once bubbled...

I have some 2" wide x 20" long velcro wraps that a friend gave me for use on the boat (securing coiled lines, ect.) and I have never seen them in a store so I don't know where you could buy them.

I suppose someone clever could make[u/] them fairly easy.

UP, can you describe those a little better? They look to me like they have a ring on one end, and you loop through and double back, when you double back, the rough velcro hits the soft part to make the velcro lock?. So basically when you stretch it out, you've got one side that isn't anything, and then the other side is 1/2 one type of velcro, and hald another kind of velcro?

If that's the case... check out ski shops. Sounds a _lot_ like the velco cuff straps for ski boots. [it wouldn't be something on the shelf, it'd be a replacement part for ski boots that have the velcro cuffs].

 

[WreckWriter]

they're marketed as knife straps too.

WW

 

[WillAbbott]

Yeah UP my suit doesnt have a TON of extra material, the boots are attached, and are a little loose however. I do actually have a set of velcro knife straps, they are the shorter ones I think, but might be big enough to work. I may end up trying that. I did my first post cert dive without ankle weights at all, and didn't like it much, but if there is something there to limit the air it might make a difference. I think I also had more air in my suit that dive, than I now dive with in it.

I'll see if my velcro straps will fit and also look for thoose fin keepers, a friend suggested them as well earlier on, and I didn't really check into it much.

I deffinately don't like the ankle weights, but hadn't found anything that worked as well before (without shelling out $80 for gators)

 

[WillAbbott]

Checked on fin keepers, I think I'll try a pair, can't go wrong for $5.95 or whatever. I may try the velcro strap as well. If I can ditch the ankles and not have floaty feet, I'll be very happy, I usually only use like 1-1.5lbs ankles and my feet feel heavy and I hate it, but without I feel like my feet are floating away. Even with little air in the suit.