Which backplate and wing???

[Wibble]

Second hand for the backplate. Start with a stainless one.

Second hand for the wing. There's a difference between a wing for a single cylinder and a twinset/doubles.

Get a doughnut wing. Much better than a horseshoe. Make sure it's not too big. 30-ish pounds is all you need.

Single tank adapter... yes, second hand too.

 

[Robwho??]

Thanks for all the replies and advice. I've decided to keep it simple with room for changes in the future. Going to go with a standard SS backplate, a continuous nylon strap harness and 30-35lb single bladder for now. I'm looking at OMS, DGX, Dive rite, and Xdeep.

Any recommendations on which of those brands is better, higher quality, etc???

 

[drrich2]

3 Years ago a number of people here helped me mull over what system to get. I didn't want a metal STA (single tank adaptor), only dive single-tank (and after watching the shop guy do all that work threading my harness, if I wanted a set up for doubles, I'd buy another back plate and webbing), wanted a BP that didn't have that bare metal look, and aimed to use one maker for most of it. Perhaps some of the advice I was given then can help you now. I had lots of questions (e.g.: whether one could color-coat a SS backplate, whether an 'armored' wing would be a worthy upgrade).

 

[Lorenzoid]

@drrich2 , what did you end up getting, and is that what you dive now? If it's in the thread you linked to, excuse my laziness.

 

[loosenit2]

Aluminum vs Steel?
-> Wet or dry? In a drysuit you will want a steel backplate. Possibly even an extra heavy one.

For the time being I'll be diving single tank, but want a system I can upgrade to doubles with later on.
-> You do need a narrow wing for a single tank and a wide & bigger wing for doubles.

I would argue that this is not necessarily true, it depends on your buoyancy, rig set up, types of tanks etc. I have AL and steel backplates and had used the general advice you said for a long time. As I did an essentials class and we did weighting check with nearly empty tanks (doubles, drysuit, deco tank, canister light etc)I still had a good amount of air in my wings to stay neutral, so I switched to the AL backplate with that setup to get a more balanced rig.

 

[drrich2]

what did you end up getting

Hollis brand 2XL black AL backplate, Hollis Elite 2 Harness, Hollis S38 LX Wing with Slots (a nice bold red and black mix; I'm normally not big on fashion, but I like it; it's got ridges to stabilize the tank without needing a metal STA), 2 Hollis integrated weight pockets (Hollis QLR 20# weight system), 2 Hollis 5# trim pockets and cam bands, and a crotch strap. I also got a Dive Rite thigh pocket to attach and strap around my thigh, which was more hassle than I had in mind, but I'm thinking of attaching it to a D ring instead of my waist strap...hope that'll make things easy to deal with. I like the pocket for SMB/spool and a knife, maybe a spare mask.

It was not cheap, and I imagine some other systems (e.g.: HOG, Deep6) could save a good size chunk of money. Halcyon may be the expensive 'prestige' brand, but Hollis ain't cheap. I'm not pushing my choices as the best, but I like my rig pretty well. Was surprised to find out how much of a difference the crotch strap makes.

 

[scrane]

Thanks for all the replies and advice. I've decided to keep it simple with room for changes in the future. Going to go with a standard SS backplate, a continuous nylon strap harness and 30-35lb single bladder for now. I'm looking at OMS, DGX, Dive rite, and Xdeep.

Any recommendations on which of those brands is better, higher quality, etc???

Good for you. Start with the basics and upgrade as your needs evolve. Except for the harness, quality used BP/W components are in demand on the used market. Standard backplates and harnesses are pretty generic, so, IMO cheaper is better. Wings take a little thought.

Piranha has lots of options for components so you can get an idea of what things cost.

Wings, Harnesses & Backplates Piranha Dive Shop |

www.piranhadivemfg.com

 

[lowwall]

Piranha doesn't have a great option for a 30lb wing that can be used without an STA right now. The Manta Predator is an orphaned product and a lot of us are wary of wings with external bungees like the HOG 32 they currently have in stock.

What you could do is pair one of their harness packages, either the basic Hogarthian or basic HOG, with the DGX Gears wing which is recently back in stock.

Or just get the full package from DGX: DGX Custom - DGX Gears Singles Harness / Backplate / Wing Package . The only drawback to this over Piranha harness options is your only color option is black

Don't fall into the trap of "deluxe" or more expensive means better when it comes to harnesses. The more basic the harness, the less it intrudes and the less that can go wrong when you are diving. Comfort is identical in the water. It might even be better, I had a deluxe harness with fancy hardware to support an (unnecessary) chest strap that dug into my chest.

 

[Subcooled]

I would argue that this is not necessarily true, it depends on your buoyancy, rig set up, types of tanks etc. I have AL and steel backplates and had used the general advice you said for a long time. As I did an essentials class and we did weighting check with nearly empty tanks (doubles, drysuit, deco tank, canister light etc)I still had a good amount of air in my wings to stay neutral, so I switched to the AL backplate with that setup to get a more balanced rig.

Thanks for sharing that!

Rules of thumb are always imprecise but a good starting point!

 

[formernuke]

I use a stainless plate that use even for travel. No issues as I were at least a 3mm no matter what.

I'm a fan of halycon pricey but I've had good experiences with them and consider it worth the the cost.

Others might disagree.