Doubles with a Transpac?

[Phineas Gage]

Anyone here diving doubles using a DiveRite Transpac?
If so I'd love to hear your opinions. Works great? Better off with a backplate?

Thanks in advance.

And if I'm starting a well beaten flame war, I plead ignorance and beg forgiveness.
(at least I didn't ask if DIR was the way to go, or which CCR is better)

[Joshua Smith]

Ask away- no problems, here. (especially about the CCRs- we have a whole section for that!)
Doubles w/ a transpac isn't done too often around here- based on what I see other divers wearing, at any rate. The most common config is a straight Hogarthian rig- one continuous piece of webbing through the backplate. I'd be curious to hear from anyone who dives the trans-pack, and how they like it, though. I had the OMS version for a while- I was using it in my first singles rig, and I liked it OK, but my tech instructor rolled her eyes when I told her I had one, and asked her if it would be a good choice for doubles......her answer was that she would train me in it, "if I insisted", but that she recommended.........yep, the Hogarthian configuration. So, that's what I started diving, and I still am, basically- it just has a Megalodon attached to it, these days. I'm not a gear Nazi, but I have noticed divers in Transpacs/ IQ packs and the like getting some flack for them.

[Phineas Gage]

Thanks Nailer.

I have a Transpac and I like it. Only used it with a single though.

If I was to readily believe the DiveRite marketing pitch, it would be "the perfect rig for diving doubles as well". Which might very well be true for some folks, I have no idea, so I figure asking around would be worth the effort.

Learning that it's difficult to find someone who has used a Transpac with doubles would be an interesting bit of information in it's own right though.

Thanks for the response.

[Nwbrewer]

I think Dan at NWSD said something about diving doubles with a transpac at one point, you might stop in and ask him.

[CaptnJack]

I used a transpac for small doubles a little bit. hp80s and lp95s, 6(?) yrs ago. The trasnpac is ok but its very "floppy" with the weight of doubles attached. I think I may have still been using the weight pockets at the time too. Those are very floppy and I didn't like having life support weight attached to me with velcro. I wouldn't say it was a disaster or anything but it was definately less stable than a plate with simple webbing. I think that's why they sell the sternum stap with them too. The buckles and the mid-area rings on the straps tend to work like hinges. They allow the straps to kink in funny ways and generally let the shoulder straps migrate laterally off your shoulders. I didn't use it long enough to know the durability of the grommets and those wing shaped weight distribution plates you use for doubles. The whole thing tends to put more pressure on your spine IMO. Its got the padding bit but that is effectively smushed by the doubles. Vs. standard plates tend to put the weight more on your shoulders blades (lateral of your spine).

If you already have one I would try it with doubles. If you don't I wouldn't buy one specific for doubles. I ended up in a standard 6lb SS plate maybe 1 yr after I bought the transpac. The SS plates are nice to redistribute a bit of weight. Something that is harder with a transpac (I'm not sure you can use a V weight with them).

[Joshua Smith]

Yeah- as much as it pains me, I have to agree with Captnjack.... :hello2: If you already have one, and like it, go ahead and try it out with the doubles, people do it and come back alive all the time. But, I would recommend considering the Hogarthian rig, too- the webbing and D rings don't cost a whole lot. Are you doing tech training, like advanced Nitrox and Deco, or do you just want a whole lot of gas on your back? I'd suggest some guidance from someone used to doubles, if the case is the latter- they are different, and you should get comfortable with your new weighting, hose and valve configs, and so on, before you do too much......you'll have enough gas on you to rack up some serious deco, for example......

[CaptnJack]

Yeah- as much as it pains me, I have to agree with Captnjack.... :hello2:

OMG what is the world coming to!!

I suspect the transpac is optimized for FL where they are diving steel doubles in drysuits with thinner undies and no extra weight. The straps probably fit snugger to the shoulders, they don't need V-weights, and the weight pockets aren't used. Its a much cleaner rig that way. Up here they tend to get cluttered with even modest amounts of extra lead and there are lots of dangly straps etc They are also a bit of a pain to resell due to the multiple strap/back part sizes. I ebayed mine to someone in FL.

[Maverick]

My riend Dave dives a transpac and lves it wouldn't dive his doubles any other way. then I let him try my BP wing and hog harness and he liked it more. Although he did say he never would haave bought one if he didn't try mine. so I think my buddy nailer is right, try it and tell us what you think. I have a set of double you could strap to that pac and roll brotha.

[ArcticDiver]

I have a TransPac which I like very much. It is just the ticket for some kinds of diving. For me, doubles isn't one of them. For doubles a person needs something a lot more stiff and supportive than anything that is totally fabric.

[John Rawlings]

WARNING: Blatant attempt at selling gear follows:

Once you realize that a TransPac is NOT the way to go when carrying doubles, I have a great wing for sale that is designed for them: http://www.nwdiveclub.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3675

I also have an extra backplate and harness laying around if you (or anyone else!) are interested.

- John

[Phineas Gage]

What kind of backplate / harness is it John? (I'm guessing SS with a continuous piece of 2" nylon strung through it.)

The wing is tempting, but I don't know that I would be needing something with that much lift anytime soon.

But then again....hmmmm....at half price maybe it wouldn't hurt to have it around for "someday"....

-Tony

[Maverick]

I need a ss plate for cuppie John

[John Rawlings]

What kind of backplate / harness is it John? (I'm guessing SS with a continuous piece of 2" nylon strung through it.)

The wing is tempting, but I don't know that I would be needing something with that much lift anytime soon.

But then again....hmmmm....at half price maybe it wouldn't hurt to have it around for "someday"....

-Tony

It's a Dive-Rite SS backplate. The harness I made myself of 2-inch webbing. The backplate is in perfect condition, the harness is still good, but I designed it for me, so you'd probably want to get or make another one in your size, (I'm 6'4" with a 50 inch chest).

Like I said in the original post, I used it with all of my double sets, LP 95s on up, and it worked wwell with all of them.

- John

[John Rawlings]

I need a ss plate for cuppie John

Definitely a possibility, although like I mentioned to Tony above a new harness would be even MORE needed for Cuppie.

You just mentioned the BP....do you already have a harness?

- John

[CaptBligh]

I've used Transpacs, OMS, PB/Wings and Zeagle Tech pac and they all have there place. It's not what everyone else is comfortable in but what you're comfortable in. Will they all work...yes. Will you be comfortable in any of them...who knows until you try them. I've used a Transpac with Stabilizing plates for a week cave diving in Mexico and didn't have any issues with it. It just needs to be adjusted to fit properly so you don't get the flop and roll that many will complain about. My preference for l o n g dives is the Zeagle Tech pac as it has more padding and if you do feel crunched anytime during the dive you can adjust it. I don't believe Zeagle has them in their line anymore but they can be special ordered. If it's a question of having a transpac and using it for doubles...yes you can. Everyone has their own opinion of what's best just like everyone has their own body orifices but the main thing is to try it and if you're not comfortable with it try something else. See if you can find an experienced Instructor that will not dictate what you must have but let you try things that will work for what you want it to do and let you operate with the configuration that will work the best for you, not just simply make you work for the configuration you're wearing. If you dive with nothing but DIR folks then your choice is simple...if you want to dive with them, you wear the same equipment as them. I'm not into flaming anyone but I've done ice, full cave, advanced penetrations and deep exploration and I wear the gear that's going to work best for the dive and let me come back up with the greatest amount of security and comfort. I've gone DIR config when I have to but, from my experience, it's not my perferred choice for most dives. Good luck on your quest!
And....Good diving always!
Capt Bob

[dsteding]

If you dive with nothing but DIR folks then your choice is simple...if you want to dive with them, you wear the same equipment as them. I'm not into flaming anyone but I've done ice, full cave, advanced penetrations and deep exploration and I wear the gear that's going to work best for the dive and let me come back up with the greatest amount of security and comfort. I've gone DIR config when I have to but, from my experience, it's not my perferred choice for most dives. Good luck on your quest!
And....Good diving always!
Capt Bob

Just to clarify, a backplate isn't a "DIR" configuration. DIR borrowed it from the hogarthian setup.

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