BP/W: I officially don't get it

[cool_hardware52]

When I go diving with a wing I want adequate buoyancy and redundancy. In coolish water too warm for a drysuit the redundancy is critical. Most of my deep dives have been with a DR Superwing, and on one occasion it saved my life. I was diving with some other divers who were on mix and going to 130mtr. As is usual for deep diving we went down fast. I was on air and stopping at about 60mtr. Except that when I started putting on the brakes at 40mtr I didn't stop. I had one bladder fully inflated and the other one half inflated before I finally stopped, just short of 80mtr. I then had to get rid of 2/3 of that air to stop myself going into orbit, but if I hadn't had that buoyancy available I wouldn't have stopped until it was too late. A bit later a girl did much the same thing but didn't have a Superwing. She died and I had to recover her body, from 115mtr. I have another one to recover shortly, another person who didn't think it all through.

Which part did they fail to think through?

The excessively rapid descent?

Air at 200 fsw or greater?

Being so negative that only a 94 lbs wing can stop the descent?

Just curious.

Tobin

 

[Bob]

Which part did they fail to think through?

The excessively rapid descent?

Air at 200 fsw or greater?

Being so negative that only a 94 lbs wing can stop the descent?

Just curious.

Tobin

It would be scary to know the thought process that went into planning this dive... almtree: Bob

 

[StreetDoctor]

It would be scary to know the thought process that went into planning this dive... almtree: Bob

And the influence he's having on new divers

 

[Julian55]

Oxychek $895, Halcyon $925, Taxes extra!! thats right, the cost here in Canada is a joke... If and when I get to a backplate it will be a DSS, much more resonable and good quality gear from what I can tell( my dive buddy has a DSS)

 

[vjanelle]

!?

Halcyon Eclipse MC System w/Aluminum Backplate | International Diving Centre

$865, and I'm in BC.

 

[elan]

!?

Halcyon Eclipse MC System w/Aluminum Backplate | International Diving Centre

$865, and I'm in BC.

This one is aluminum

 

[OceansBlue]

ScubaGearPlus Products Halcyon Eclipse MC System, Backplate BCD Systems

Not that it's a bargain, but $720.00 here in the Philadelphia, PA area. Plus taxes for PA residents.

 

[redacted]

10 years ago, you rarely ever saw a BP/W on a recreational dive boat, even the larger boats. And an ebay search would turn up a handful of wings if you were lucky. I just went through 121 wings currently offered on ebay. And a trip to the FGB last week had over 1/3 of the divers in BP/W. Either there is something there or somebody is running a big scam.

 

[peterbj7]

No, a lot of people are buying them. Does that prove their worth?

And once again, their is no such thing as "a BP/W". To have a backplate you're probably going to have a wing, but there are LOTS of divers out there using wings but not backplates.

 

[spectrum]

Recently took the plunge and bought a Halcyon BP/W set-up after reading all the "sturm and drang" on this board for years. My verdict: it's OK, but barely different (if at all) from a basic, pedestrian BC.

Give me good diving conditions and interesting marine life and, frankly, I couldn't care less about equipment (providing it's safe, of course).

So, I don't get it. Why don't people on this board care more about what they're seeing underwater instead of worrying about what they're wearing?

It's all about working for you. My Sherwood Avid does everything I want it to do and that's that. There are aspects of a BP&W that I do see as appealing and I may make the switch someday. For the moment my jacket meets my needs and by the way it has a very desirable feature, bought & paid for!

On the other hand my wife was not having a god time in her jacket and her build was such that no off the rack jacket would probably make her happy. She got into a BP&W and it was like an epiphany for the girl. I tried the thing and shrugged, go figure.

If I were moving to something more technical or things were not working right then a BP&W becomes a very adaptive way to go.

If you are diving with good control you should not feel compelled to follow the "crowd" I will add that the skew to diving the BP&W is largely a Scuba Board phenomenon. A very significant portion of the members are diving advanced configurations and they are espousing what works for them, like we all do.

As for liking to see stuff I'm sure we all do. It so happens that very few threads are created about learning to see stuff.

Pete