sndt1319:
I am a new diver who is looking to get my own equipment. I think I am sold on a ATX50 reg but the BCD I am not so sure about. I do not like the jacket style and want to dive a back BCD. The guy at the store recommended either a TRANSPAC or a SeaQuest Black Diamond. I have seen a lot of info on the TRANSPAC but not the Black Diamond. Any opinions out there? I need a weight integrated BCD as my weight belt hurts my waist too much. I wear a 7mm Farmer John when I dive and the water is about 52 degrees where I am. I want gear that will grow with me and will perform well to around 150ft(I realize I need more training to go this deep safely).
Well, a couple of things from me...
what kind of weight belt have you been using? hard weights can be very painfull esspecially for skinny types (like me) but soft weights are a totally different animal.
How much weight do you actually need?
It's not too hard to get 6-12lbs or more into a back plate and wings set up.
Where in Oregon are you at if I may ask... I may be able to recommend some other shops, or figure out what your shop carries to make some better suggestions.
How big are you, height, weight, and width (waist)
With that, now onto the recomendation... I would highly reccomend a backplate and wings.
I know they come highly recomended on the board, and there are a lot of people who still swear against them, but I know so many people who after trying them will not go back. They are infinately adjustable (something no other BC can do), they retain the proper sizing every time (again something no other bc can do), they are back inflate, they are super streamlined, very comfortable, and can do ANY type of diving you can think of...
You can make them weight integrated if you choose to, however I still reccomend a weight belt. For me 6' tall, and 170-175lbs there is no other BC I have seen or tried that would work for me, a medium or medium large, just won't cut it, they can't go small enough around the waist... where as with the backplate and wings I size it how I need it. I also can't use weight pockets on one, again due to my waist size (about 30-32")
From my understanding both the transpac and the black diamond are pretty good BC's the black diamond has a pricey tag IMO, $600 ish is a bit much for what you get. A BP/Wings will run in the $500 range at the high end and can be found for less. The black diamond in my opinion is just too bulky, and has too much extra crap.
Some key points to remember about BC's are, comfort on the surface is irrelivant, don't buy a BC because it feels good on the surface, comfort in the water is EVERYTHING. A comfortable BC on land can be a nightmare underwater, because the tank could sit too high, shift too much, etc...
Hope this helps, and feel free to drop me a line about more local stuffs.