robbcayman:
I am just starting out and my DM instructed me against the BP/Wing saying that when you surface it wil constantly throw me face first into the water and I'll be fighting it. Is this true? I noticed he didn't sell them so that got me thinking hmm....
Old, tired, disproven myth, that seems to have great staying power.
A properly weighted diver, using a well fitted BP&W,
and using a crotch strap
will not be forced face first.
If you are properly weighted how much air do you need in your BC to be comfortable at the surface? A very small amount, which will fill the top arc of the wing, i.e right behind your head. The crotch strap assures that
You and BP&W rise out of the water as you add gas.
It is quite common to see jacket BC users, overweighted, and without a crotch strap, filling their BC fully in a fruitless attempt to get comfortable at the surface. Without a crotch strap the BC climbs over their head, and they panic, and add more gas 'till the OPV pops.
Tobin