Drysuit + Jacket BC

[Colliam7]

When I see most drysuit divers though, they are typically diving a Backplate + wing BC setup.

As you can tell from the responses, the perceived prevalence of a particular type of gear is probably influenced by the site of observation. For example, if I dive in a place where all the divers are in doubles, the proportional representation of BP/W rigs increases, possibly to the point of exclusivity. But, String is quite correct - the majority of divers still use a 'traditional' BCD, not a BP/W, and this is true irrespective of whether they are diving wet or dry. And, there is a somewhat disproportionately greater representation of BP divers among those who regularly post on SB.

Is there anything particularly wrong with diving a drysuit with a jacket BC?

Not at all. Perhaps, the biggest challenge is managing the amount of weight you might need. I changed from a Ranger (admittedly, a back-inflate, not a jacket you asked about, but a 'non-BP/W' unit nonetheless) to a BP/W shortly after I bought a drysuit. The drysuit and undergarments are positively bouyant. The BCD is as well. I needed more weight than could be accomodated in the weight pockets on my BCD, with the suit and Ranger and AL80. I even tried a Weight and Trim harness, and finally just switched to a SS BP, but primarily becauise of personal preference. The Ranger was a perfectly acceptable BCD with my drysuit.

I figured it'd be better for me to skip getting a 7mm wetsuit and instead get a drysuit because it would give me more flexibility for cold water diving.

A very reasonable decision.

Also, spending $1500+ on a drysuit and then having to buy an expensive backplate + wing setup wouldn't be affoardable for me right now.

The expense of the BP/W can be much less than the drysuit, particularly if you pursue used equipment. However, there are other things to spend money on, if you are perfectly happy with you SP Classic - a canister light, for example.

 

[brockbr]

In which case id class as very unusual. Got to just about any holiday resort on the planet and you'll find every single person in a jacket style PC. Go to any training school and you'll see the same.
Take a trip to any inland dive site round here and you'll find almost no wing wearing people at all, especially single tank.

There are far more BP/W wing divers on the internet than at dive sites.

Most people here have never heard of or seen a wing and a lot of those have been diving decades. Its something that is far more common on internet forums than it is in real life.

Edit:- just looking through our dive shop stats for a resort i worked at 2 years ago where we kept record of kit if they brought their own. 1400 different people, 2 of them had wings.

Places ive worked since ive not seen a single wing user other than my own.

My point was simply that your post could be read as: "99% of all drysuit divers wear BC's"

Obviously there are more plain-old BC divers out there, and that point was hardly worth bringing up - I don't think anyone would argue that.

If you're saying that the vast majority of *drysuit* divers are in BC's, that does come as a genuine surprise to me.

My experience? Places like Lake Washington, Puget Sound, Catalina, the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic, quarries, and north Florida Caves.

And I stand by what I said - I've never seen a drysuit diver in a BC. Since I primarily dive with other rebreather or OC technical divers, that probably explains it.

 

[Jonny boy]

My point was simply that your post could be read as: "99% of all drysuit divers wear BC's"

Obviously there are more plain-old BC divers out there, and that point was hardly worth bringing up - I don't think anyone would argue that.

If you're saying that the vast majority of *drysuit* divers are in BC's, that does come as a genuine surprise to me.

My experience? Places like Lake Washington, Puget Sound, Catalina, the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic, quarries, and north Florida Caves.

And I stand by what I said - I've never seen a drysuit diver in a BC. Since I primarily dive with other rebreather or OC technical divers, that probably explains it.

The first line of the above is true, 99% of all divers DO wear a BC.
BC = Buoyency Compensator
Be that compensation in the form of Wings or Jacket, it is still 'Buoyency Compensation......'
Its only the 'oldschool' or minimalist folks that put in the effort to train enough to weight themselves correctly so that they need no form of buoyency compensation ( I believe that nemrod does this)

Sorry to be a nit-picking PITA...................

Edit - I'm gonna be really picky and say that 100% of dry suit divers wear a BC as the drysuit is a form of buoyency control.......he he he he

 

[brockbr]

The first line of the above is true, 99% of all divers DO wear a BC.
BC = Buoyency Compensator
Be that compensation in the form of Wings or Jacket, it is still 'Buoyency Compensation......'
Its only the 'oldschool' or minimalist folks that put in the effort to train enough to weight themselves correctly so that they need no form of buoyency compensation ( I believe that nemrod does this)

Sorry to be a nit-picking PITA...................

Edit - I'm gonna be really picky and say that 100% of dry suit divers wear a BC as the drysuit is a form of buoyency control.......he he he he

I think most people take BC to mean jacket style BC, whereas BP/W to mean backplate+wing.

Oh, and while you're nitpicking, try spelling "buoyancy" correctly.

 

[Jonny boy]

No need to get touchy, note the smiley faces and 'he he he' in the post.
It was meant as a little tongue in cheek humour........
And thanks for the typo, will make more of an effort next time

 

[D_B]

I have a back inflate BC and took my drysuit class and dives with it, while I feel that adding a crotch strap to mine would be a good idea (I thought that when diving my wetsuit too) it posed no problems for me, and could hold enough weight for 55f water drysuit dives

I will say that diving in a shell type drysuit in cold water without another form of lift besides the suit is asking for trouble ..., what if you totally flood your suit and have to swim up with 25lbs/30lbs of lead + tank + regs ?

 

[drdaddy]

I agree that people should dive with what they want. But how is a BP/W "pseudotec"? A BP/W is not "technical" or "recreational" specific gear...

I was just poking at you BP/W guys !!! You took the bait.

I'm just trying to bring balance to this forum.

My point was, don't go for the "cool" look, or I'm a real diver - "Pseudo Tec". Many new divers (particularly young guys and "second adolescence" old dudes) can be influenced into thinking they must buy expensive tacky/techie gadgets and equipment. That would be a shame (except for those of us who like to shop garage sales and craigslist ).

I once watched a couple in their beginning class, both decked out in newest expensive drysuits and the finest of regulator sets (w/bcds - I know, that's why you'll say she didn't make it ) with the wife ending up in tears because she just didn't like diving. She didn't finish the course. I bet my LDS let her return her gear, but some LDSs would not encourage this refund.

Another time I shook my head watching a beginning class (not my LDS) all decked out in expensive drysuits, BP/W* etc. One guy was so big, he could hardly waddle to the shore. He may be still diving today, but I thought that this was the worst peer pressure (used by the LDS to separate the fool from his money) example I have seen. It was sad - it made me sad.

*Oh, by the way, if I saw one of these BP/W at a garage sale, I'd buy it in a flash (I love the craigslist hp/3442 steels, sold by newbie ex-divers). But I'd probably end up selling it, as I have been diving with BP/W and drysuits, etc. I truly prefer my 7mm farmer john wetsuit and my jacket style SeaQuest/AquaLung Pro-QD BCD.

Just start conservatively, enjoy the diving, try out different equipment, and use what works for you.

drdaddy

 

[bamamedic]

...
Just start conservatively, enjoy the diving, try out different equipment, and use what works for you.

drdaddy

You have no idea how much I wish I listened to advice like this when I first started diving. I waited until the day after my OW cert class, and bought all my gear from a local dive shop. Goodness! They must have loved me that day, 'cause I purchased everything they said I needed (back inflate BC, AIR2, "brick" style gauge console)...and at darn near full retail, too! If I had just rented and tried out different equipment for a couple of months, I'd have saved myself about $1,000....because all it took was one peek into a cavern at dive #7 for me to become hooked (and I distinctly remember thinking to myself....this is gonna get expensive!). Of course, all the pricey "rec" gear I had just purchased was darn near useless for what I intended to do....sigh.

Definitely nothing wrong with renting for awhile, trying out different gear, and seeing what works for you! Especially if you're a brand new diver, and think your goals might drastically change within a few dives!

 

[NudeDiver]

And I stand by what I said - I've never seen a drysuit diver in a BC. Since I primarily dive with other rebreather or OC technical divers, that probably explains it.

I've never seen lions running loose in the local forest. I live in Alaska - that probably explains it.

However, I am not surprised when someone tells me that lions do run loose in other places.

 

[shoredivr]

I am strictly warm water these days.

But when I used my dry suit regularly (it hangs in a lonely corner of the basement now) I never bothered with any BC. Get a basic hard backback and just use that. There is probably one in your ScubaPro jacket. Or buy one used somewhere if cost is an issue. I always had that sort of set up with my doubles anyway. All you need is the inflation in the drysuit.

If the drysuit has any neoprene in it you are going to float like a cork anyway.

If you are using double steel tanks and a trilaminate drysuit that is spectacularly bad advice. If the drysuit floods you have no redundant buoyancy and swimming those double steels up is going to be impossible....(if you have a lift bag and reel, ok you have redundant buoyancy, but that's not how it's written) .