Anyone switch back to jacket/back inflate bc after bp/w?

[Coztick]

I also started with a jacket followed by a back inflate but was never truly comfortable with the rigidity of bm.
Sold the ranger and went sm. - best move ever.

 

[diver0008]

I would never go back to a jacket BC, there are just way too many advantages of a BP/W.

Could you please elaborate.

 

[RyanT]

Hi Murky: a BP/W is much more streamlined than most jackets. The harness easily keeps everything in place, but generates very little "clutter" up front. This makes it easier to move your arms around and grab things or even see things you might need to be able to get at. For travel, the wings will deflate and become flat, so even with your backplate, the whole rig packs flat and takes up less space than most jackets. The BP also gives you some weighting options. If you're diving heavy steel tanks, an aluminum BP provides minimal extra weight. If you're diving floaty aluminum tanks, you can use a 6lb steel backplate. If you dive a single tank, the adapter will add another couple of pounds, so that'll give you about 8 lbs of built in weight. That weight is also held close to your center of mass and helps to improve your overall trim. With that said, there are some travel jacket BCs that are pretty streamlined, but they are also going to be more limited in how much lift they provide. As I eluded to previously, the whole system is modular. You can swap out BPs for different kinds of dives and use them with the same wing or vice versa. Finally, they are comfortable. The BP may not look very comfortable, but it really is. It also helps to keep everything in place, so you don't experience much shifting.

 

[tbone1004]

Could you please elaborate.

typically cheaper
better trim profile
packs flatter
dries faster
buoyancy advantage *depending on material they sink, and jackets typically float, so a 6-8lb savings on lead is typical with a SS plate*
more durable
modular
one size fits most *DSS has a myriad of backplate lengths, and some mfg's have a short plate, but the standard plate fits most people about 5'6"-6'2" and the harnesses will fit anyone

Could go on, but I think that's enough

 

[Neilwood]

I think the only thing to be said about BP&W is that the initial set up is quite important - get someone who has dived the system to help if at all possible. Once the set up is right, there is very little needs to be done to it afterwards - even when changing between wetsuit thickness's or between drysuit/wetsuit.

Another big plus for me is that there is very little material at the front - while wearing a jacket type I felt like my breathing was slightly hampered by it ( had to do it up pretty tight to stop it sliding up round my neck when inflated on the surface) whereas I don't have that with the harness.

As Tbone says, if something wears out with a BP&W (the harness most probably), you simply thread a new one whereas break a clip on some jackets or wear out the straps on those and you need a replacement as they aren't modular. Puncture on the bladder - with a wing, open it to repair or worst case replace the wing whereas with a jacket you probably have to dissassemble it to get to the bladder, repair it and reassemble (or buy a new jacket).

Decide to dive doubles? Use the same harness & BP with a different wing.

 

[redacted]

Could you please elaborate.

The biggest advantage is there is never a single thing I don't want on my BP/W.

 

[NYHippo]

I switched from a BP/W to a Transpack and the same wing. I couldn't get the hog harness on when it was adjusted to the way I wanted it to be while diving.

 

[toby43]

I went the full way round - started with BCD , then BP&W now in SM - travelled to vanuatu and Bali doing tech dives in the SM - best move ever

horse for courses - cave I dive SM, wreck off a boat, BM twins, recreational diving holiday with my wife - the Zeagle Stiletto. Works for me.

 

[tbone1004]

I switched from a BP/W to a Transpack and the same wing. I couldn't get the hog harness on when it was adjusted to the way I wanted it to be while diving.

why not just change the harness to the transplate? also of note is if you are outside the height range of most backplates that can be a problem. I swore up and down for years I couldn't dive a one piece harness, and it was true at the time. Both arms would go completely numb within a few meters of walking with an AL80. Harness was fit properly but the angles were all wrong. With a properly sized backplate from DSS that attitude has changed

 

[halocline]

Could you please elaborate.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is how the rigid plate couples the tank to your back. It spreads out the point of contact over a large area and provides great stability with just a simple webbing harness. The lack of clutter in front is really important to me as well.

The whole design of jacket BCs is more to have them feel like a vest in the shop, without a tank on, which is how most of them are sold. Sort of a "life vest with tank straps" approach. Too bad that has basically nothing to do with how they perform in the water, with a wetsuit and a tank on your back.