Buddy Trident

[Woz]

To use SS banded twins with a Trident (assuming it is the same as Commando plate) you need to drill a hole in the middle of each recess in the backplate then punch through the material in the wing, heat sealing it up again.

You'll need longer than standard studding to go through the plastic backplate as a normal stainless plate has a recess down the middle. Also the top stainless band needs to be moved down (away from the cylinder shoulder) to Buddy centres which, IIRC, are 7.5" not the standard backplate 11".

Then bolt the thing up. Standard wingnuts are no good as the recess is not deep enough to stop the "wings" from digging into your back. So you need some smooth nuts, either the CD ones (which are fiddly to get off when leaving your twins for a fill) or some smooth lobed stainless WozKnobs. Or you can also get some knobs from elsewhere- I think Ritherdon do some. See- unbiased opinions all round.

What you may find is that the profile of the plastic backplate makes the cylinder sit a bit funny, especially 7's.

[Proteusdiver]

Reading this old thread and considering buying a Trident, I wonder why one would HAVE to screw the plastic backplate of the Trident to the screws of the metal twinning bands?
I feel it is as easy to just use the twinning cambands provided in addition to the metal ones, WITHOUT the plastic wedges.
Anytime one needs to dive with a single, just unthread the twinning cambands and thread a single cam band.
Is the above feasible? Is it considered safe?

AGES ago, I used to dive independent 12's twinned with metal bands and a Buddy Commando with a specially made extra long cam band which was threaded around both cylinders... No problems encountered during MANY dives, at the time...

Has something changed in the way the Buddy backplates and cambands are made?

Note that I leave matters of buoyancy and trim aside... The question is about securing the cylinders and the whole setup being safe in handling it in and out of the water...

Stelios

[philgrif]

Hiya!

Used to use a Trident with the backplate drilled for mounting twins without any problems at all. Found it to be very comfortable. I checked with AP before going this route and I was advised that the plastic backplate would take twin 12's no problem.

Only hassle I had was with having to unbolt the twins for fills or put the whole jacket in with the cylinders attached but I then got the SDS stainless steel bracket for easy on off attaching of the cylinders to the Trident.

Cheers
Phil

[philgrif]

and you can get a comfort pad to fit on the jacket against your back :o)

[mad major]

Anyone dived the Buddy Trident with a single 15lr and Pony. Thinking of moving from my BCD to a wing, But will have to make do with my 15lt for the present. But will move to twins later.
Major

[sammy]

Hi Neil,
Yes you can fit a metal (stainless/ali) backplate to your Buddy wing,Ive used one exactly this way for the last three years.It does involve removing all the buddy inner harness and clips so you end up with only the wing part left. The two holes for your twins 'bolts' can then be forrmed using a hole punch or similiar and the whole lot is then sandwiched between your cylinders and backplate as normal.
Hope this helps