STAs and What size wing for BP?

[Omicron]

I'll weigh in on this one again

I'd recommend an STA of some sort - like I said earlier in the other thread, you could certainly just use the PVC pipe method - just cut a chunk of pvc pipe and bolt it to your plate. Then you thread your tank straps through your plate. The downside to this is if you ever do start switching in between doubles and singles (like I do a lot...) it's a huge pain because you always have to unthread and re-thread your straps. W/ an STA, the straps thread through it...so when you switch from singles w/ an sta, you just unbolt the sta and then bolt into your doubles and you are done. When you use a homebrew sta, you lose that. Some people don't mind - I did and got an STA

Also, some backplates (actually...I think a lot of them nowdays) don't require an STA. you can just thread your straps through the plate and attach it to your tank. I tried this when I first got my backplate and didn't really like it. Instead of having the bolts holding the whole assembly together (bolts through the doubles or sta...) you had to ziptie your wing onto your plate. Laaaammmee.... Either that, or hope the tension from the straps kept the wing and sandwiched in between the plate and the tank. I didn't trust it. Onn top of that, the tank was constantly shifting on me - the walk to the water, when swimming...I came up from a dive with my tank at a heck of an angle.

so that's my experience with it - I like the STA.

I use a Dive Rite rec wing. I dive double 104's with it. Most pony bottles add very little weight. When I dive w/ my deco tank, it's barely negative when full. After I've used it, it's slightly positive. So it actually lightens me up a little bit and doesn't drag me down.