Considerations around switching to a BP/W

[rombre]

I finally decided that I will go for a BP/W and it will most likely be a DSS.
An LCD20 seems to be the best choice right now and should cover 3mm / 5mm / 7mm diving. If my numbers are ballpark right, a (normal, single-piece) 7mm should work without problems, right? Even if it is +18lbs, a assume the max. compression would be lower than that, so an LCD20 should be plenty. Is my thinking correct?

 

[cool_hardware52]

I finally decided that I will go for a BP/W and it will most likely be a DSS.
An LCD20 seems to be the best choice right now and should cover 3mm / 5mm / 7mm diving. If my numbers are ballpark right, a (normal, single-piece) 7mm should work without problems, right? Even if it is +18lbs, a assume the max. compression would be lower than that, so an LCD20 should be plenty. Is my thinking correct?

Many 7 mm suits are more than 20 lb positive, particularly on larger people.

A 20 is a good fit for 3-5 mm suits. 7mm, not so much. The reality is if your range of application is wide and you want the ideal wing for each end of the range you may need two.

These facts remain regardless of how you pose the question.........

Tobin

 

[rombre]

Thanks Tobin.

These facts remain regardless of how you pose the question.........

I was hoping that taking the drysuit out of the equation might do it - it's not that I'm ignoring you and just repeat my dream scenario

To my last question: Would the lift need to be as high as the buoyancy of the wetsuit (i.e. assuming the wetsuit compresses to be totally neutral)?

 

[randpchi]

Many 7 mm suits are more than 20 lb positive, particularly on larger people.

A 20 is a good fit for 3-5 mm suits. 7mm, not so much. The reality is if your range of application is wide and you want the ideal wing for each end of the range you may need two.

These facts remain regardless of how you pose the question.........

Tobin

So why was this info not posted when someone says they want "A" bp/w for warm and cold water and why is the cost of $500 quoted when it is more like $800. Do they need to go with a larger bladder for a 3_7 ML suit or do they need 2 bladders? Just asking

 

[cool_hardware52]

Thanks Tobin.


I was hoping that taking the drysuit out of the equation might do it - it's not that I'm ignoring you and just repeat my dream scenario

To my last question: Would the lift need to be as high as the buoyancy of the wetsuit (i.e. assuming the wetsuit compresses to be totally neutral)?

*Any* suit has the potential to loose *all* the buoyancy it starts with. You are 6'2 x 250 lbs IIRC. Good chance a good quality 7mm suit that fits you could be 22-25 lbs positive. If you are ideally weighted, not over weighted, and descend deep enough your suit could loose all 25 lbs. Your wing would be fully inflated and you would still be negative.

Tobin

 

[rombre]

*Any* suit has the potential to loose *all* the buoyancy it starts with. You are 6'2 x 250 lbs IIRC. Good chance a good quality 7mm suit that fits you could be 22-25 lbs positive. If you are ideally weighted, not over weighted, and descend deep enough your suit could loose all 25 lbs.

Thank you, that's very helpful.

Given 3mm + 5mm alone wouldn't even fully cover my travel diving - not talking about potential UK , I'll have to think about that again.

I fully understand the attraction to have a wing as small as possible and I do get that for most US divers that's all a relatively straightforward task: many people here dive a lot locally, often even with own tanks, so there are basically no variables.
As someone who is mainly diving while travelling to different places, there is just a huge variety of tanks / suits you come across. When I go to Malta, I will get a steel tank, in Indonesia it will be an aluminum one. When I go to Bali in summer, a 3mm shorty is all I need, in Galapagos it would have to be a 7mm. And of course, I will not know about the buoyancy of this 7mm suit until I am in the water in Galapagos ... All this just makes it pretty difficult - it's not just a matter of buying a suit, jumping in your local water to test it and then buy a fitting wing.

 

[randpchi]

Galapagos operators say a minimum of 5 ml and hood. Depends on your cold tolerance. UK diving is a different thing. Hope you find something that works for all you want to do.

 

[rombre]

Galapagos operators say a minimum of 5 ml and hood. Depends on your cold tolerance. UK diving is a different thing. Hope you find something that works for all you want to do.

Thanks. I got used to the idea that the wing I use for my travel diving, doesn't work for a drysuit (even if that's not what I was hoping for at the beginning). But it looks like I won't be able to use my rig with a 7mm, i.e. if I travel somewhere where a 7mm is needed (or want to dive in the UK in summer), I would need to get a rental jacket BC again (I couldn't even get a second wing, as I wouldn't know the buoyancy of the rental wetsuits / drysuits) which is not what I had in mind.

 

[Neilwood]

Thanks. I got used to the idea that the wing I use for my travel diving, doesn't work for a drysuit (even if that's not what I was hoping for at the beginning). But it looks like I won't be able to use my rig with a 7mm, i.e. if I travel somewhere where a 7mm is needed (or want to dive in the UK in summer), I would need to get a rental jacket BC again (I couldn't even get a second wing, as I wouldn't know the buoyancy of the rental wetsuits / drysuits) which is not what I had in mind.

Or you use a wing that is theoretically oversized for the 3-5mm as I do. I normally dive with 7mm wetsuit in the UK but switched to 3mm for a Red Sea trip.

I dive with a 40lb lift wing (overkill? probably but I am happy with it) but it is not that huge or unwieldy that it ceases to work. It is just larger than that which would be "ideal" for use with the 3mm (18lbs probably).

Look at it another way - do owners of jacket BCDs analyse the amount of lift their BCD has when going abroad or going the other way? Nope. They generally use the same jacket they use at home with its (generally) excessive lift capacity

 

[randpchi]

Ok, so is a dry suit in your future? How about buying a 7 ml? If so, would a wing be ok with both?

Besides Galapagos where would you travel to use a 7?

Using a lavacore or sharkskin under a 5 ml would probably work instead of a 7 with no added buoyancy and gives exp protection flexibility used by itself.

If you do have rent a bc for Galapagos so what, it's the Galapagos

Have fun