The Hog Singles BP/W (Model: BP/W) is a minimalist, backplate and wing buoyancy compensator rig built specifically for single-tank recreational and technical divers. It replaces the soft padding, plastic quick-release buckles, and bulky pockets of traditional jacket BCDs with a solid backplate, continuous nylon webbing, and a 360-degree donut wing. Designed for divers who want effortless horizontal trim, reduced water resistance, and equipment that holds up to rough use, this system fixes the common balance and buoyancy problems caused by standard jacket-style BCDs. If you want a clean, dependable rig that won't require replacement after a couple of seasons, the Hog Singles BP/W offers exceptional value and reliability.
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Why Switch to a Backplate and Wing System?
Most divers start their underwater journey using standard jacket BCDs rental shops hand out during training. While jacket BCDs work fine for basic certification dives, they bring several built-in design flaws into your diving once you start working on buoyancy, trim, and gas consumption.
A standard jacket BCD wraps an airbag around your entire torso. When you inflate it, the air pocket expands around your waist and sides. This creates three main problems:
- Chest Squeeze: As the air bladder inflates, it pushes inward against your ribs, making deep inhalations uncomfortable at depth or on the surface.
- Trapped Air and Trim Issues: Air shifts unpredictably inside giant, cavernous side pockets. If air gets trapped on one side, you end up tilting in the water, forcing you to kick constantly just to stay level.
- Excessive Drag and Floating Vertical: Jacket BCDs contain thick foam padding that traps air bubbles and adds inherent positive buoyancy. To submerge, you have to carry extra weight on your belt. Underwater, that weight sits around your waist while the air sits high on your torso, pushing your feet down and putting you in a diagonal "turtle" posture.
A backplate and wing (BP/W) setup like the Hog Singles BP/W solves these mechanics by separating your structural support from your buoyancy control.
The BP/W Core Advantage:
By placing a flat metal plate against your back and positioning a donut-shaped air wing strictly behind your cylinder, your chest stays entirely free of restriction. Air moves freely inside a balanced ring around your tank, allowing you to achieve flat horizontal trim without constant kick adjustments.
Detailed Breakdown of the Hog Singles BP/W Features
HOG (Highly Optimized Gear) built its reputation by supplying rugged, straightforward equipment directly to technical divers, cave explorers, and demanding recreational divers who refuse to pay premium brand markup for unnecessary cosmetic plastics. The Hog Singles BP/W kit includes all the core hardware needed to rig a single-tank setup.
1. Donut Wing Air Circulation & Capacity
The wing on the Hog Singles setup uses a continuous 360-degree donut bladder configuration rather than an old-style horseshoe design. In older horseshoe wings, air gets trapped on one side when you roll slightly to look under a ledge. To dump that air, you had to roll completely over to force the air back toward the inflator elbow.
With the Hog donut wing, air migrates smoothly around the top and bottom arch of the wing regardless of your position. If you drop a shoulder to peek inside a overhang, air flows evenly across the upper channel rather than locking you into a awkward angle.
The wing provides roughly 23 lbs to 32 lbs of lift (depending on the specific wing size chosen for single cylinders). This amount of displacement is tuned specifically for single tanks, providing enough lift to keep a heavy steel or aluminum cylinder afloat at the surface without adding broad wings that wrap around the tank and drag in the water.
2. Outer Shell Durability and Inner Bladder Protection
The outer shell of the Hog wing is built from high-density Cordura nylon (typically 1680 denier) coated to resist abrasion against rock, wreck edges, and pool tiles. Inside this outer protective shell rests a heavy-duty polyurethane inner bladder fitted with a leak-resistant zipper track that lets you access the internal bladder for maintenance or replacement if needed.
Because the outer shell takes all the scraping, puncturing thorns, and dock friction, the inner bladder remains completely isolated from external stress. This dual-layer construction is why BP/W systems easily outlast single-skin jacket BCDs.
3. Choice of Backplate Material: Stainless Steel vs. Aluminum
When selecting your Hog Singles BP/W model, you typically have two backplate material options depending on where and how you dive:
| Backplate Option | Weight | Primary Diving Environment | Key Benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stainless Steel | ~5.5 lbs to 6.0 lbs (2.5 - 2.7 kg) | Cold water, thick wetsuits, drysuit diving | Takes weight off your waist belt and puts it directly along your torso for clean balance. |
| Aluminum | ~1.5 lbs to 2.0 lbs (0.7 - 0.9 kg) | Warm water, tropical travel, 3mm wetsuits | Keeps total luggage weight low for airline baggage limits without sacrificing rig stability. |
For cold-water divers in 7mm wetsuits or drysuits, the heavy stainless plate acts as ballast right down your spine. This removes weight from your waist belt, relieving lower back stress while preventing the "hips heavy, head light" tilt caused by wearing heavy lead weight belts.
4. Continuous Web Harness System
The Hog harness uses a single continuous length of 2-inch stiff nylon webbing threaded through the slots of the metal backplate. Unlike commercial jacket BCDs with complex plastic slide buckles, quick-release chest clips, and shoulder adjustment straps, the DIR (Doing It Right) style continuous webbing has zero plastic points of failure.
The system includes stainless steel D-rings:
- Two Shoulder D-Rings: Pre-bent at a slight angle so you can clip backup lights, pressure gauges, or stage clips blind with one hand.
- One Left Hip D-Ring: Used for securing your primary submersible pressure gauge (SPG) or stage cylinders.
- Crotch Strap D-Rings: Front and rear D-rings on the crotch strap for scooters (DPVs) or trailing accessories.
Rigging, Assembly, and Sizing Adjustments
Because the Hog Singles BP/W doesn't use standard clothing sizes (Small, Medium, Large), you adjust the fit by pulling the continuous nylon webbing through the backplate slots to fit your torso dimensions.
Setting up your harness takes about 30 to 45 minutes when you first unbox it, but once configured, it never changes or slips out of place.
Here is a step-by-step overview of properly fitting and assembling the Hog BP/W setup:
Step 1: Threading the Webbing Through the Backplate
Start by finding the middle point of your 12-foot length of 2-inch webbing. Thread the webbing through the top center slots of the plate, leaving a loop along the spine channel. Then, route each shoulder strap down through the lower diagonal slots on the backplate.
Step 2: Adjusting Shoulder Loops and Installing D-Rings
Slide a stainless steel tri-glide stop onto each shoulder strap, followed by a bent D-ring. Put the backplate on your back like a backpack. The top of the plate should rest approximately two inches below your shoulder line (below the C7 vertebra). Adjust the loop sizes until you can comfortably slide your hand under the shoulder strap while wearing your suit, but tight enough that the plate doesn't shift when you tilt side to side.
Step 3: Setting Up the Crotch Strap
A crotch strap is essential on backplate systems. Without it, the backplate moves upward toward your head when you float vertically on the surface. Thread the 2-inch soft crotch strap through the bottom slot of the backplate. The front loop slides onto your waist belt before buckle closure. This locks the entire harness into a secure frame that moves as one unit with your torso.
For official manufacturer instructions, torque specs, and schematic diagrams, refer directly to the Official Hog BP/W Assembly Manual.
Real-World Underwater Performance
We evaluated the Hog Singles BP/W across multiple dive environments including shallow reef dives, deep drop-offs, and cold quarry sites. Here is how it behaves under real diving conditions:
Horizontal Trim and Buoyancy Distribution
The primary advantage you notice instantly underwater is how flat and balanced you sit in the water. Because the air volume stays contained within a compact doughnut shape behind your tank center of gravity, you don't fight to keep your feet up.
When you stop kicking, you hover horizontally in mid-water without rolling or tilting. This static balance makes photography, valve checks, and gas management much easier.
Venting Air and Dump Valve Operations
The Hog wing features two methods for dumping air during ascent:
- Corrugated Hose & K-Style Inflator: Holding the inflator elbow above your head dumps air easily from the top left corner of the wing when swimming in an upright position.
- Lower Left Pull Dump: Located on the lower left inside edge of the wing. When you're swimming in a horizontal position, pulling the dump knob vents air instantly without requiring you to roll upright or raise your arm. The dump cord knob is textured and easy to feel even when wearing thick cold-water gloves.
Surface Behavior: Addressing the "Face-Forward Push" Myth
A common misperception about backplate and wing rigs is that they push your face forward into the water when waiting at the surface. This only happens if a diver over-inflates the wing or sets their cylinder too high on the plate.
With correct assembly, when you inflate the wing at the surface, lean back slightly into the plate just as you would lean back in a recliner chair. The rig floats you high and dry above the waves without forcing your nose downward.
Diver Community Consensus & Field Discussions
The diving community frequently evaluates equipment long-term on platforms like Reddit and YouTube. Checking real dive community discussions offers honest perspective beyond marketing claims.
On the active Reddit Scuba HOG Setup Discussion Thread, experienced divers regularly point out the price-to-durability ratio of Hog gear. A recurring point brought up by community members is that HOG uses standard heavy-duty components compatible with standard tech parts from brands like Halcyon, Dive Rite, and OMS. This standard sizing means you can replace a single D-ring or swap a wing years down the road without buying an entirely new BCD.
To see the setup assembled and evaluated in detailed video format, watch this thorough Hog Setup Video Review demonstrating harness weaving, tank band attachment, and wing mounting techniques:
Comparing Hog Singles BP/W vs. Competition
To help you understand where the Hog Singles BP/W sits in the current market, here is a breakdown comparing standard BCD types and competitor setups:
| Feature | Standard Jacket BCD | Hog Singles BP/W | Premium Tech BP/W (e.g., Halcyon) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trim Balance | Fair to Poor (feet drop) | Excellent (flat horizontal trim) | Excellent (flat horizontal trim) |
| Modularity | None (single unit) | Full (swap plates, wings, straps) | Full (swap plates, wings, straps) |
| Point of Failure | Multiple plastic buckles & zips | Minimal (single continuous strap) | Minimal (single continuous strap) |
| Durability | Moderate (3-5 years average) | High (10+ years expected) | High (10+ years expected) |
| Price Range | $450 - $750 | $350 - $500 (High Value) | $900 - $1,300 |
The Hog BP/W delivers virtually identical performance, structural strength, and modular capabilities as high-end tech diving brands at less than half the total cost. You are paying for strong materials rather than heavy marketing budgets.
Retailer Trust, Shipping, and Guarantee Info
When purchasing specialized technical diving equipment, buying through a trusted, authorized scuba dealer ensures you receive full warranty support, authentic components, and reliable customer service.
Dive Right In Scuba is one of the premier HOG dealers in North America, maintaining an outstanding reputation across verified buyer platforms. You can view independent customer ratings on the Dive Right In Scuba Trustpilot Review Page.
Here are key purchasing details to keep in mind when ordering your rig:
- Fast Shipping Options: Review delivery timeframes, free shipping thresholds, and international dispatch details via the official Dive Right In Scuba Shipping Policy.
- Equipment Guarantee & Warranty Protection: HOG gear comes backed by solid manufacturer warranty support against manufacturing flaws. Learn how gear coverage works under the Dive Right In Scuba Warranty Policy Page.
- Support & Custom Advice: Need assistance choosing between stainless steel or aluminum backplates for your specific trip plan? Reach active dive professionals directly through Dive Right In Scuba Customer Support.
- Secure Checkout: Flexible payment options, financing, and standard credit options are available directly within the Dive Right In Scuba Cart & Checkout Portal.
Maintenance and Long-Term Care Instructions
To keep your Hog Singles BP/W functioning flawlessly across hundreds of dives, follow these simple post-dive care guidelines:
- Freshwater Flush Inside and Out: Rinse the outside of the wing and backplate thoroughly after saltwater exposure. Fill the inner bladder one-third full with fresh water through the inflator mouthpiece, shake the wing to dissolve salt crystals inside, and drain through the lower pull dump.
- Inspect Webbing Edges: Periodically check where the harness webbing threads through metal backplate slots. While slots are deburred during manufacturing, checking for webbing friction wear guarantees long-term safety.
- Service the Inflator Mechanism: Annually unscrew the corrugated inflator hose coupling, inspect the internal O-ring, and lubricate the oral inflator button mechanism with food-grade silicone grease.
- Store Partially Inflated: After drying completely in the shade, add a small puff of air to the wing and hang it on a thick hanger out of direct sunlight. Storing wings flat or uninflated for extended periods can cause inner bladder walls to stick together.
Final Verdict: Is the Hog Singles BP/W Worth It?
If you're ready to ditch clumsy, over-padded jacket BCDs and want a setup that gives you precise trim, rugged durability, and clean simplicity underwater, the Hog Singles BP/W is one of the best investments in diving gear available today.
It provides the exact same high-strength continuous webbing system and heavy-duty 360-degree donut wing functionality as systems costing twice as much. Whether you're a newly certified diver wanting to build proper buoyancy habits early or an experienced diver streamlining your setup for travel, the Hog BP/W delivers reliable, no-nonsense underwater performance on every dive.
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