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arcFlash · 01-05-2010, 09:16 AM,

Rats! I can probably pick up an BP cheap over on decostop, they post them every day I think.

$820 are they nuts!

tullibee · 01-05-2010, 09:27 AM,

if you spot a smoking deal on BP/wing in your travels, let me know! I can't justify $820, but would still like to join you "cool" guys so you don't have to feel sorry for me in my regular BC if I actually get out for some ice dives this winter! Wink

I forget where I was watching a while back that would occasionally have a factory blem sale on BP/Wings or odd color run-outs - unfortunately, the times I saw them, I didn't have the cash reserve on hand!

mcdiver · 01-06-2010, 10:41 PM,

Tullibee, watch the board for sale items. I am seriously thinking that this will be my last year of instructing and I might sell all my student gear.

I put all my students in Dive Rite backplates with Zeagle Regs. I have 8 sets of gear I use just for my students. The backplates and regs are washed and rinsed after every pool session and hung up to dry shortly thereafter, there are no signs of fading or discoloration. I take care of my gear.

The PADI fees along with the Liability Insurance are costing me around $750/year, this is crazy. Since I may only teach 8-12 students per year, it just isn't worth it.

mcdiver · 01-06-2010, 10:59 PM,

I was diving out of Morehead City this summer and talked to a lady diver from Charleston who had purchased a "roller system" for quick adjustment for her backplate. She said the person she bought it from has applied for a patent.

The design looked something like what a person would just slap together and hope it works.

As a Mechanical Designer, I know darn well that I could design something that looked professional and worked a whole lot easier than what she had.

So stay tuned, I got some free time, I got the software. If the laws of physics allow it, I can do it.

Rob929 · 01-10-2010, 03:55 PM,

Got the harness in the mail the other day. Assembly was pretty straight forward and the quick adjust is smooth and easy. It does not slip with twin 108's on my back. Only downside is there is no attachment for a D-Ring on the right waist belt. I figured this might be a problem considering it's not DIR. I'm currently looking or a homemade remedy to this problem.

arcFlash · 01-21-2010, 10:34 AM,

I got a welded D ring that bolts to the plate for my reels from SD&T before they closed. I know it's metal to metal but it's very nice and also lifts the gear up higher so you don't dangle. The canister still fits on the right belt and the reels just up from it.

Kirk · 01-21-2010, 10:06 PM,

I too used to use one of those welded D-rings to a bolt on the backplate from the former Scuba Dive and Travel in south Minneapolis. I ended up getting rid of it, however, for I had difficulty getting to my safety reel back there behind the light canister and pressed up against my right backmount tank. For the past few years Iâve been using an integrated buckle with D ring. Itâs called a Robson buckle. It works just fine to both hold a light canister and a safety reel near the right hip. I see the guy who makes them is out of the Robson buckles, but according to the web site has something similar. Here is the link: - Kirk

arcFlash · 01-22-2010, 09:45 AM,

Cool, so do I use it in place of my canister buckle?

Maybe that's not clear to everyone. I use a plastic weight belt buckle to hold the canister on the right belt so it stays put. This Robenson replaces that?

Do your primary reels dangle having dropped them several inches?

dkdiver · 01-30-2010, 12:03 PM,

Is anyone familiar with the bp made by Critical Aspects Corp.? It looks to have a similar roller system with additional d-rings added to the bp itself.

arcFlash · 03-01-2010, 09:58 AM,

Ok, I own the H Cinch. Dove it yesterday.

For comparison my last rig was a DR plate, 6# STA, OxyChek donut about #35, Small can HID, primary Reel, 50# lift bag, crotch strap, Scout, 40cf pony, with a 12 inch hose on the air cell so it only came to my shoulder. I liked everything but the fighting in and out of the harness. The cinch was going to fix that but at a high price as I needed the H plate. It fixed that but has created it's own design challenges for me.

The new rig is a 40# cell that is mostly similar but with a web handle in back to help pull it off a tank. With the SS plate and 6# STA it's very helpful so that's a +. The waist D-rings are the normal floppy style. I had welded 90 so I could clip them blind first try but the floppy can not be found with heavy gloves and they are sewn into the cinch adapter so they can not be changed so big -. The canister belt segment is double thick so the can doesn't flop around and does a good job. I didn't notice any changes from the last harness but you can't easily push it back (after you turn it on). The spot I want it is right at the double part. Its a tiny minus

The holes in the plate are not compatible with my DR plate so mounting my lift bag horizontal across the bottom of the plate does not work. The plastic cinch adapter is in the way and the corners of the plate are bent back, I assume to keep them from digging into my hips (never did with my DR). That creates another minus for me. My right hip D-ring is welded to a 3/8 nut that bolts to the lower right corner of the plate. This can not be mounted now. Big minus for me. I know metal on metal is bad but I do it for this one adaption to hold my reels up and out. So I need to find a new solution for my reels and my bag that I didn't have with my old rig. Many of the parts like the buckle for the HID canister are sewn in and can not be replaced. Big minus for me again.

The adjustment is very nice but it does bind up a tiny bit against my rubber drysuit. It would have been better for me if they only adjust the left arm and provide stoppers on the should straps like the manual recommends. I didn't need to adjust both straps and getting both shoulders even was more trouble than I expected. I also over tighten the shoulders on the first dive (my fault). If the right side didn't adjust I could mount my D-ring and lift bag and all would be good.

So my one frustrating but small problem was just replaced by many other issues that now need solutions. When I figure out an elegant and simple solution I'll post something about it. As it is, I'm now locked into some propitiatory parts that do not work for me and can not be replaced easily.

If you already have the plate I'd add the cinch option. If you want a whole new rig, compare what you get to what you lose. For me, it's a wash if I find solutions, If I don't I would rather be in my old rig. Over time I'll likely find more likes but today, I have to fix stuff that wasn't broken yesterday.