Northwest Dive Club

Picked ups new BP/wing the other day.

Nice looking setup! Enjoy!

Cool!

Details? Can't wait to see it.

Same thing that I had about 10 years ago. DR Transplate with 45# Rec wing.........

Looks like a nice kit. Should be able to get you pretty streamlined in the water. I like to use old bicycle inner tube as wide rubber bands for securing backup lights and what not.

I might also suggest that you switch the battery canister for your primary light to the right side. If you ever decide to use a long hose for your primary regulator, having the canister on the right side waist belt gives a convenient place to hook the hose. The left side of the plate may be reserved for attaching an Argon bottle. If you sling pony or deco bottles, those will also hang off the left side D-rings.

GearHead wrote:I might also suggest that you switch the battery canister for your primary light to the right side. If you ever decide to use a long hose for your primary regulator, having the canister on the right side waist belt gives a convenient place to hook the hose.

Not meaning to hi-jack this thread or start a contentious discussion, just a question. I get running the long hose under the can on the right side. Is that the only reason for locating the can light on the right side?

I mention that because then when I run my light on my left hand the cord runs across my body from the right side - perhaps not a big deal, but seems "cleaner" the other way.

Just curious.

Can light on the right to

1. Tuck your long hose behind
2. Balance your rig out, esp if you have a separate drysuit inflation system
3. Keep it from getting in the way of your SPG and deco/stage bottle

There's probably more...

Jeremy wrote:Can light on the right to

1. Tuck your long hose behind
2. Balance your rig out, esp if you have a separate drysuit inflation system
3. Keep it from getting in the way of your SPG and deco/stage bottle

There's probably more...

If you want your set up standardized between divers - cool.

If not... then...

#1 I get
#2 with the "if" a given makes sense, otherwise not a deal breaker
#3 stage bottle make sense, SPG not so much. If one is not running a stage bottle not a deal breaker

So no comment on the light cord running across the body? That seems to me to be the most problematic, although it certainly doesn't have to be.

Again, not trying to pick a fight, simply wanting to make sense of the choices given the individual configuration of equipment.

The cord running across the body seems to be a non issue. If you mounted the can on the left I would think you might want to shorten your cord up from the standard length.

Or get a sola or halcyon eos mini and avoid cords altogether

Jeremy wrote:The cord running across the body seems to be a non issue. If you mounted the can on the left I would think you might want to shorten your cord up from the standard length.

Or get a sola or halcyon eos mini and avoid cords altogether

That makes sense as far as cord length.

I've never seen the halcyon eos, and the solas I've seen don't have the punch or beam of a dusty light, let alone a Light Monkey or equivalent canister light, but that's just my personal preference.

The eos is pretty equivalent to the sola on brightness though it has a longer burn time.

I have a cheap Dusty light for my can. I actually had him shorten my hose because it was getting caught horribly during blind exits in Ginnie Springs.

I don't think there are many "deal breakers" with recreational diving. People dive in all sorts of crazy configurations...like the Banned Poster Who Shall Not Be Named who dives with his can light dangling off his tank and has a humongous taco wing. Few people care. You can point out how and why most tech divers do what they do but no point in arguing, as you said.

That thing looks dangerous, and you probably could have got it cheaper! Save yourself and get rid of it!

Jeremy wrote:I don't think there are many "deal breakers" with recreational diving. People dive in all sorts of crazy configurations...like the Banned Poster Who Shall Not Be Named who dives with his can light dangling off his tank and has a humongous taco wing. Few people care. You can point out how and why most tech divers do what they do but no point in arguing, as you said.

Agreed - which is why I wanted to emphasize that I wasn't trying to start a poop storm, just some simple questions wanting to understand the thinking behind particular gear configurations. Understanding the thinking, and the way it works out, is a great way to decide if it makes sense for me and my diving.

Thanks for engaging in the conversation.

I actually tried mounting the light canister on both sides. With the canister on the left, standard length cords tend to drape well below the body and create a possible snag hazard. This could be alleviated by wrapping the cord around my left arm, but that made it more difficult to switch the light to my right hand for checking my SPG, etc. Having the canister on the right makes for easy use of left or right hands for holding the light.

Another way of managing excess light cord is tucking it under your waist belt. I haven't found this to be practical because of the way I wear my weight and harness belts.

I also frequently carry a pony or deco bottle on the left. When this is in use, there's a regulator hose coming up the left side of the body, which is best kept away from the light cord.

I'm not sure how Dusty's cord length compares to the rest. Right now my Dusty light is mounted switch down roughly next to the tank on my left side and using a goodman handle on my left hand the cord is just about perfect - no danglies. Perhaps if it was on the belt it might be different but light cord length has not been an issue.

Tom Nic wrote:I'm not sure how Dusty's cord length compares to the rest. Right now my Dusty light is mounted switch down roughly next to the tank on my left side and using a goodman handle on my left hand the cord is just about perfect - no danglies. Perhaps if it was on the belt it might be different but light cord length has not been an issue.

Do you dive a BP/W Tom?

I seriously need to get down for a Thursday dive with you guys

Oh yeah.....btw Ron, congrats on your new set up!

GearHead wrote:Looks like a nice kit. Should be able to get you pretty streamlined in the water. I like to use old bicycle inner tube as wide rubber bands for securing backup lights and what not.

I might also suggest that you switch the battery canister for your primary light to the right side. If you ever decide to use a long hose for your primary regulator, having the canister on the right side waist belt gives a convenient place to hook the hose. The left side of the plate may be reserved for attaching an Argon bottle. If you sling pony or deco bottles, those will also hang off the left side D-rings.

I've been diving a long hose for about 12 years and was diving a bp and wing back then also.......
I set up my kit in a way that works for me. Not how GUE or DIR tells me I should rig my kit....

cardiver wrote:I've been diving a long hose for about 12 years and was diving a bp and wing back then also.......
I set up my kit in a way that works for me. Not how GUE or DIR tells me I should rig my kit....

My apologies Ron - I hi-jacked your thread with a gear config question, which will bring out a bunch of (no doubt very thoughtful )opinions (which I wanted) but took focus away from your new gear - my total bad. Didn't mean to make you crazy (er).

I started another thread on Singles configuration in case anyone is dieing to opine further.

Tom Nic wrote:

cardiver wrote:I've been diving a long hose for about 12 years and was diving a bp and wing back then also.......
I set up my kit in a way that works for me. Not how GUE or DIR tells me I should rig my kit....

My apologies Ron - I hi-jacked your thread with a gear config question, which will bring out a bunch of (no doubt very thoughtful )opinions (which I wanted) but took focus away from your new gear - my total bad. Didn't mean to make you crazy (er).

I started another thread on Singles configuration in case anyone is dieing to opine further.

Not your fault, Tom..........

Right on Ron, If it fits and you are comfortable with it then it's right for you! I did over 2000 dives and survived and my kit never complied with anyone's rules.

It would be nice to have some feedback about your experience with the DR wing. I have been eyeing one myself, but I'm looking at the Voyager not the Rec. Any reason why you chose this wing?