Northwest Dive Club

To set up the story it is necessary to understand that my wife is a skeptic at heart. She is a damn good wife and to sum it up, I out punted my coverage when I lucked into her! However, she is a skeptic, especially when it involves spending money on (blank), especially when we already have gear. I think this is not out of line and she has saved us some moolah with her yin to my yang. Nuff said.

I have been talking a lot about the DIR style of diving and how I think GUE has the "right idea" when it comes to gear choices, layout, procedures and the reasoning behind it all. On Friday, She asked for an example and I told her about the one piece webbing on a backplate and how it prevents the breakage of buckles, like we have on our ScubaPro Knighthawks. She nodded and that was that.

On Saturday, my son and I went to Keystone to dive the pilings and then fin down to the Jetty and exit. He had ear problems and couldn't get clear past about 18 feet. (Silly kids, he knew this was going to be my 99 and 100 dives and he didn't want to ruin it so he didn't mention his head was stuffy.) We called the dive and ascended just down from the piling. My wife and other kids were there and when I handed off my weights wouldn't you know the shoulder strap buckle on my BC let go and everything instantly went to my knees and then to the ground. The response I got from my wife was, "Ahhh now I see what you were talking about." I hate to have gear break but if it had to break it couldn't have happened at a more perfect location - not in the water and in front of my wife.

To end my bloviating, my son and I both have three 120 pound zip ties as a safety measure over each buckle! Oh and she added an envelope to the safe labeled "BCD's for my boys". See I told you I out punted my coverage!

Great story!

Dive gear has a nasty habit of breaking anywhere it can . . . I've found the simpler I can keep my stuff, the less trouble I have with it

If it were me, I'd be looking into used BP/W's on Scubaboard and Decostop. Then flipping the knighthawks onto Craigslist or scubaboard. You might even come out cash even on it depending on how used the knighthawks are.

Nwbrewer wrote:If it were me, I'd be looking into used BP/W's on Scubaboard and Decostop. Then flipping the knighthawks onto Craigslist or scubaboard. You might even come out cash even on it depending on how used the knighthawks are.

In theory this is a great idea....BUT, I am in the DiveCon program with my LDS and need to support the shop. The cool thing is when I took my tanks in to be filled, I asked about the ScubaPro Pure Tek system and he is going to give me a killer deal! Hopefully, he will let me sell my Knighthawks on consignment in the shop since they are in awesome shape, excluding the buckles that broke.

Thanks for the idea though!

Paladin4Christ wrote:

Nwbrewer wrote:If it were me, I'd be looking into used BP/W's on Scubaboard and Decostop. Then flipping the knighthawks onto Craigslist or scubaboard. You might even come out cash even on it depending on how used the knighthawks are.

In theory this is a great idea....BUT, I am in the DiveCon program with my LDS and need to support the shop. The cool thing is when I took my tanks in to be filled, I asked about the ScubaPro Pure Tek system and he is going to give me a killer deal! Hopefully, he will let me sell my Knighthawks on consignment in the shop since they are in awesome shape, excluding the buckles that broke.

Thanks for the idea though!

What is a DiveCon program?

Jeremy wrote:What is a DiveCon program?

It's a half step between Dive Master and Instructor for Scuba Schools International. It stands for Dive Control Specialist.

Norris wrote:

Paladin4Christ wrote:

Nwbrewer wrote:If it were me, I'd be looking into used BP/W's on Scubaboard and Decostop. Then flipping the knighthawks onto Craigslist or scubaboard. You might even come out cash even on it depending on how used the knighthawks are.

In theory this is a great idea....BUT, I am in the DiveCon program with my LDS and need to support the shop. The cool thing is when I took my tanks in to be filled, I asked about the ScubaPro Pure Tek system and he is going to give me a killer deal! Hopefully, he will let me sell my Knighthawks on consignment in the shop since they are in awesome shape, excluding the buckles that broke.

Thanks for the idea though!

Hehe Good one. Notice I didn't say the ScubaPro Form Tek System...

All though...just think about all the swag you could hang on the 11 D-Rings.

The scubapro pure tek system is actually not a bad system if you can get a good deal on it.

Its pretty much a standard bp/wing system with a couple oddities,like the big ass dump valve pull tab doohickey.. But mostly a solid system. Especially the single tank config.

If you can get that at an awesome deal equivalent to used stuff on this or other boards, I say go for it..

kdupreez wrote:Its pretty much a standard bp/wing system with a couple oddities,like the big ass dump valve pull tab doohickey.. But mostly a solid system. Especially the single tank config.

I guess one can always cut away "big ass dump valve pull tab doohickey"

kdupreez wrote:The scubapro pure tek system is actually not a bad system if you can get a good deal on it.

Its pretty much a standard bp/wing system with a couple oddities,like the big ass dump valve pull tab doohickey.. But mostly a solid system. Especially the single tank config.

If you can get that at an awesome deal equivalent to used stuff on this or other boards, I say go for it..

HA! Big ass dump valve pull tab doohickey - good one! I'm going to steal that! I guarantee you will hear this again.

I didn't even think twice about the "BADVPTD" and thought it was a standard wing thing, incase one got upended.

Seriously, thanks for the support...especially since you know my motivations are in the right spot.

Paladin4Christ wrote: HA! Big ass dump valve pull tab doohickey - good one! I'm going to steal that! I guarantee you will hear this again.

I didn't even think twice about the "BADVPTD" and thought it was a standard wing thing, incase one got upended.

Seriously, thanks for the support...especially since you know my motivations are in the right spot.

Koos was referring specifically to big plastic monstrosity on the end of the dump valve string. DIR divers usually dump via that valve 90% percent of the time. They just don't have a plastic thingie at the end of the string.

Something like that

Exactly what Serge said!

Almost all wings have 'em dump valve pull tab doohickies for pulling the dump valve, but SP used one of the "big ass" variety that comes on all of their standard BCD's.

Its not a big deal and in fact, they wont get CE ratings in Europe without them, scubapro's is just a little excessive and you can if course just cut it in 2 seconds.

Here's a pic comparing the knotted, standard and big ass varieties:



I've caught these standard ones even in argon rigs and waist straps and they are a pita to get free once they are trapped. not a huge issue, but will make for an irritating experience because as you inflate the bcd, the trapped string tensions and pulls the dump valve and automatically deflates for you..

the only other small gripe I personally have was like I've told you, with the inflator hose and inflator itself is also their standard bcd inflator (the hose is too long and the inflator a little small).

Again, these are not a big deal at all as you start using it, but these finer details will start to matter more in the long run when you start clipping stuff to the D-Rings and start using thick dry gloves, etc. Again, all of these are small issues and are all fixable with less than $20 parts from dive gear express.

If you can get these at a good deal AND you can support your LDS, go for it!! Scubapro makes quality equipment.

Ahh ok...now the light comes on. The BADVPTD is a pain in the butt. I have had the one on my left shoulder dump valve on my Knighthawk caught under the shoulder strap and it is a pain in the butt to get unstuck. I haven't ever had the bottom BADVPTD get caught on anything.

Seems like a simple fix, if need be.

Learn something new everyday...makes living good!

The question is: 40# donut set up for a single or just go for the 60# donut for doubles and run the single tank adapter, until I decide to go doubles, which I would like to go to at sometime in next year or so?

just dont cut it off your jacket style bcd's - the shoulder dump for example will be fairly useless without a BADVPTD

the butt dump on jacket bcd's are also on the outside.. on wings, they are on the inside and gest stuck a lot easier.

Paladin4Christ wrote: The question is: 40# donut set up for a single

This. And you still probably want STA. 60# doubles wing on a single is a rather bad idea

chokolad wrote:

Paladin4Christ wrote: The question is: 40# donut set up for a single

This. And you still probably want STA. 60# doubles wing on a single is a rather bad idea

+1 60# wing on single tanks is no fun at all. By the time you're ready for doubles, the extra cost of a dedicated doubles wing will be the least of your expensive issues.

Nwbrewer wrote:

chokolad wrote:

Paladin4Christ wrote: The question is: 40# donut set up for a single

This. And you still probably want STA. 60# doubles wing on a single is a rather bad idea

+1 60# wing on single tanks is no fun at all. By the time you're ready for doubles, the extra cost of a dedicated doubles wing will be the least of your expensive issues.

+2

I don't think it could be anymore clear...40# bladder!

Thank you for the advice. I almost made a serious mistake with that one. Whew!

Again, thanks for the knowledge share! Hopefully someday I will be in the position to pay it forward and maybe even back!

Yeah. Add another +1 to the 40# for singles, and ~60# for doubles

Mortuus wrote:Yeah. Add another +1 to the 40# for singles, and ~60# for doubles

Honestly, unless you're planning some BIG doubles (119-130's) 60lbs is a on the high side. For 100's or 85's a 50lb wing is about right. (I've used double 119's with my 55 with no trouble.)

I agree - wing size, depending on tank size for doubles.

7.25" and smaller tanks you can use a ~40lb wing and larger tanks go for 40+lb

my HP100's (7.25") with Nitrox, I use a 40lb Evolve and HP130's (8") with Trimix I use my 60lb Evolve

40# will work for me. I use LP 108's and 95's, so the I'm gtg with 40#.

I'm just grateful I didn't put out the $$$ on a 60# thinking I was killing two birds with one bladder.
I guess bigger isn't always better!

Nwbrewer wrote:

Mortuus wrote:Yeah. Add another +1 to the 40# for singles, and ~60# for doubles

Honestly, unless you're planning some BIG doubles (119-130's) 60lbs is a on the high side. For 100's or 85's a 50lb wing is about right. (I've used double 119's with my 55 with no trouble.)

Also agree. My "~60#" was supposed to stretch down to 50 or 55, but I guess that wasn't entirely clear. I use large Faber LP108s, and even with those, I feel like I could easily get away with a smaller wing if i am not carrying a bottle as well. So yes. You are absolutely right.

Ordered my 40# single tank wing, single tank adapter, and continuous weave harness system yesterday!!! I ended up getting a Highland SS backplate, too.

Thank you all for stopping me from making a massive mistake with the 60# double wing!

If anyone has some words of wisdom in helping me set it up, adjust it, etc...I'm all ears. I did read that you should not cut the webbing until you have dove multiple times. This way you don't cut it too short.

Again, thanks to all that helped me!