kodo65
New Member
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2016 10:09 pm
First Name: Peter
Location: Norrkoping Sweden

Ultimate travel setup with Kraken

Sat Jul 08, 2017 2:25 pm

Hi!

I'll be traveling for four months next year in Cambodia, Indonesia and Japan and are thinking about bringing a Kraken with me. I've done trips like this before with my trusty Poseidon Jetstream regulators BUT I'm becoming more and more aware of the fact that there are limitations to OC diving in terms of UW-photography! I'm not interested in going "all in" and do CC - mostly because I want to keep things simple. From what I can see and what I've read, the Kraken seems to be a wonderful "compromise" for what I would like to do. So what do I want do be able to do?

1. travel with ONE "bcd" setup supporting both single tank dives with traditional OC-gear AND Argonaut Kraken depending on situation
2. be as LIGHTWEIGHT as possible
3. be able to support dry suit diving (I do a lot of cold water diving) and wet suit diving - I'm looking for 38lb of lift capacity to support sling-bottle

I know there are a lot of very experienced divers on this forum and I'd very much appreciate your thoughts about this!

Happy and SAFE diving to you all!

tbone1004
Master Diver
Posts: 105
Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2014 9:44 am
First Name: Tom

Re: Ultimate travel setup with Kraken

Sat Jul 08, 2017 2:49 pm

I dove this morning with my Kraken. Used the following
Deep Sea Supply steel backplate with Dive Rite Travel wing *DSS wings have center inlets that caused some issues for me*
Poseidon Jetstream as octo *my Kraken is tuned to 125psi to be compatible*, and I was diving in a drysuit since I'm testing a prototype zipper.

Performed brilliantly. Not terribly thrilled about not being able to perform primary donate which is something I'm still working around for recreational settings, but used a long hose bungeed to the side of the tanks with hose retainers usually used for deco bottles

kodo65
New Member
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2016 10:09 pm
First Name: Peter
Location: Norrkoping Sweden

Re: Ultimate travel setup with Kraken

Sat Jul 08, 2017 4:30 pm

Thanks for the reply!

I'm not looking for combining the Kraken with the Jetstream - I'll bring two different setups one for just diving (Poseidon Jetstream) and another for photography (Kraken) so look at this as a wing with two different breathing setups: ordinary OC or Kraken.

EDIT!!!

I'm looking at a lightweight setup - I can compensate in other ways. The focus is a setup able to work with the Kraken AND ordinary OC in temperate water.
I don't like to have discussions with travel agencies regarding weight. If I'm able to use the same BP/wing I'm dandy! In Sweden I dive SM so this is while traveling/photography.

tbone1004 wrote:I dove this morning with my Kraken. Used the following
Deep Sea Supply steel backplate with Dive Rite Travel wing *DSS wings have center inlets that caused some issues for me*
Poseidon Jetstream as octo *my Kraken is tuned to 125psi to be compatible*, and I was diving in a drysuit since I'm testing a prototype zipper.

Performed brilliantly. Not terribly thrilled about not being able to perform primary donate which is something I'm still working around for recreational settings, but used a long hose bungeed to the side of the tanks with hose retainers usually used for deco bottles

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rhwestfall
Master Diver
Posts: 631
Joined: Thu Jan 16, 2014 2:34 pm
First Name: Robert
Location: "La Grande Ile"

Re: Ultimate travel setup with Kraken

Sat Jul 08, 2017 5:01 pm

Bryan has it in the store...

Kraken
VDH plate
Whatever you want to assemble as a harness (don't forget a crotch strap)
The new Argonaut Dive 18# wing (note the offset elbow!!!!!)
Your flavor of cam bands
XS Scuba (or similar weight pouches)

You can dive that rig with your modern single hose stuff too....
Bob

No Longer Awaiting my Kraken.....

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Bryan
Plank Owner
Posts: 5279
Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2005 11:40 am
First Name: Bryan
Location: Wesley Chapel Florida
Contact: Website

Re: Ultimate travel setup with Kraken

Sat Jul 08, 2017 5:34 pm

No back plate works better than the VDH plate with a double hose regulator. Others may work ok but for proper regulator position there is no other plate on the market that will work as well. And it's very lightweight and travels well too.
Doing it right should include some common sense, not just blindly following specs and instructions. .Gary D, AWAP on SB

kodo65
New Member
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2016 10:09 pm
First Name: Peter
Location: Norrkoping Sweden

Re: Ultimate travel setup with Kraken

Sat Jul 08, 2017 6:05 pm

A sincere THANK YOU GUYS! I really appreciate a forum with people who really want's to share :)

Now, the problem is that I couldn't order a Kraken... "out of stock"... well what to do... :) It will be hopefully...

Safe diving...

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Bryan
Plank Owner
Posts: 5279
Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2005 11:40 am
First Name: Bryan
Location: Wesley Chapel Florida
Contact: Website

Re: Ultimate travel setup with Kraken

Sat Jul 08, 2017 6:42 pm

kodo65 wrote:A sincere THANK YOU GUYS! I really appreciate a forum with people who really want's to share :)

Now, the problem is that I couldn't order a Kraken... "out of stock"... well what to do... :) It will be hopefully...

Safe diving...
I sent you an E-mail about this. DIN is out of stock but I will try to have it back in 3 to 4 weeks. Kraken with yoke is available. now.
Doing it right should include some common sense, not just blindly following specs and instructions. .Gary D, AWAP on SB

kodo65
New Member
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2016 10:09 pm
First Name: Peter
Location: Norrkoping Sweden

Re: Ultimate travel setup with Kraken

Sat Jul 08, 2017 7:11 pm

Ok... no problems! I'll await the availability of the DIN Kraken...

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1969ivan1
Plank Owner
Posts: 1646
Joined: Sat Jun 25, 2005 12:15 pm
First Name: rob
Location: CINCINNATI, OHIO

Re: Ultimate travel setup with Kraken

Sat Jul 08, 2017 9:04 pm

The Kraken is my go to travel reg. I plan on taking mine to Truk Lagoon in Feb 2018 in fact.

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luis
VDH Moderator
Posts: 1747
Joined: Thu Jun 30, 2005 9:28 pm
First Name: Luis
Location: Maine

Re: Ultimate travel setup with Kraken

Sat Jul 08, 2017 10:05 pm

rhwestfall wrote:Bryan has it in the store...

Kraken
VDH plate
Whatever you want to assemble as a harness (don't forget a crotch strap)
The new Argonaut Dive 18# wing (note the offset elbow!!!!!)
Your flavor of cam bands
XS Scuba (or similar weight pouches)

You can dive that rig with your modern single hose stuff too....
This is also what I would recommend.

The VDH plate is compact and will also work with any regulator. It is designed specifically for a DH regulator, but works well with any regulator. It is the only plate that I use for traveling or for local diving here in cold water (Maine).
Luis

Buceador con escafandra autónoma clásica.

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rhwestfall
Master Diver
Posts: 631
Joined: Thu Jan 16, 2014 2:34 pm
First Name: Robert
Location: "La Grande Ile"

Re: Ultimate travel setup with Kraken

Sun Jul 09, 2017 8:08 am

sorry about missing the bigger lift requirements due to drysuit diving and I recommended the 15# wing...

I use a 32# HOG wing on my single tank rig with a DSS plate and weight plates. At 16#, it isn't even close to travel friendly....
Bob

No Longer Awaiting my Kraken.....

kodo65
New Member
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2016 10:09 pm
First Name: Peter
Location: Norrkoping Sweden

Re: Ultimate travel setup with Kraken

Sun Jul 09, 2017 8:20 am

rhwestfall wrote:sorry about missing the bigger lift requirements due to drysuit diving and I recommended the 15# wing...

I use a 32# HOG wing on my single tank rig with a DSS plate and weight plates. At 16#, it isn't even close to travel friendly....
No problem Bob :) Thanks for your suggestion though! I think I will have to opt for two wings as long as the VDH-backplate can accomodate this and switch between them: one for warm/tropical waters and one for cooooold Scandinavian dito :)

kodo65
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Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2016 10:09 pm
First Name: Peter
Location: Norrkoping Sweden

Re: Ultimate travel setup with Kraken

Sun Jul 09, 2017 8:22 am

1969ivan1 wrote:The Kraken is my go to travel reg. I plan on taking mine to Truk Lagoon in Feb 2018 in fact.
Sounds awesome! I'd like to go there sometime :)

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Bryan
Plank Owner
Posts: 5279
Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2005 11:40 am
First Name: Bryan
Location: Wesley Chapel Florida
Contact: Website

Re: Ultimate travel setup with Kraken

Sun Jul 09, 2017 10:37 am

Between myself and Randy at Piranha we will get you fixed up.
Doing it right should include some common sense, not just blindly following specs and instructions. .Gary D, AWAP on SB

kodo65
New Member
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2016 10:09 pm
First Name: Peter
Location: Norrkoping Sweden

Re: Ultimate travel setup with Kraken

Sun Jul 09, 2017 12:08 pm

Bryan wrote:Between myself and Randy at Piranha we will get you fixed up.
Awesome! I just sent you an email :)

Cheers

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