Econo-BC's
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raxafarian
Contributor
no.
I think Northeast scuba in Chelmsford sells bp's and wings if you want to see them in person. I would avoid getting a "tech" style bc.... either go cheap with a basic jacket (can't believe I said that) or go bp/wing. What have you been renting? Do you like those?
My philoshopy is simple: The more you dive, the more you will realize what you want from your gear. Without knowing that, you will make purchases that you will probably regret and end up replacing gear down the road. Therefore, the best solution is rent as many different setups as you can to help yourself make an informed decision. In actuality, this is next to impossible. Next best thing, in my opinion, is to at least dive with many different people to see what they are using. Ask them what they like about their gear. Ask what they don't like. Ask if they would purchase something again. In the meantime, it is probably most economical to purchase a simple jacket bc... gets you in the water without incurring rental fees... you can probably find one on Ebay for 100 bucks or so. That would probably pay for itself after a dozen dives vs. renting, allowing you to try and determine in what direction you want to go.
I have done the jacket to bp/wing conversion. I was saved from stopping along the way to purchase a zeagle because my wife got one, and I'm not impressed. Many have gone this route. Others have tried bp/wings and have not liked them for whatever reasons.
You don't know, at this point, what you want from your gear... until you do, it is probably best to not make big purchases. Hell.... if you can wear a size large bc, I'll sell you my old jacket bc cheap...
Many people will tell you what to buy. You might be happy with those purchases, or not. The only way to try and insure happiness with you gear selection, is to have a pretty good idea of what you want from your gear, and that only comes with time and experience.
By the way... welcome to the board. Somebody is always posting local dive plans here (or in the New England forum, anyways) and all are welcome.
large_diver
Contributor
Read some on-line reviews and see what the local shops are pushing. Try to talk to some local divers about what they're using.
You can start here for on-line reviews.
http://www2.scubadiving.com/gear/bcs.shtml
If price is an issue, I'll sell you my lightly used Sea-Quest Pro QD. It's a very good jacket BC with weight integration. I used it for about 2 full seasons (about 40 dives) and had it serviced by my LDS prior to both seasons. I have always washed it carefully and have given it special TLC. It was "Tester's Choice" in Rodale's Scubadiving magazine earlier this year. If you are interested, send me a private message here on scubaboard. Shipping will be $0 since we both live here in greater Boston...;-)
http://www.scubadiving.com/gear/12weightbcs/review.shtml#seaquest
The reason I don't use it any longer is that I too switched to a backplate/wings.
Take a look at this link -- there are pictures of this type of BC being worn and free-standing.
http://fifthd.com/cgi-bin/merchant2...een=CTGY&Store_Code=5AG&Category_Code=02-bcs1
BP/wings configurations consist of a backplate (a piece of metal made of aluminum or steel), a simple harness (including a crotch strap for added stability), and a BC bladder that is sandwiched between the tank and the backplate.
Pros = more streamlined, the front of your body is "free & clear" vs. the feeling of being surrounded that some jacket BCs give you. In the link above, you can see the guy tht has his hand up to his mask -- it looks like he isn't wearing a BC......a picture in this case is worth a 1000 words regarding the advantages of BP/wings.
Cons = not as widely available as standard BCs......and sometimes hard to find local folks to help you out with fit and usage (although it looks like Raxafarian already has you covered there). Weight integration, while not impossible, is harder. No BC pockets. All of these things are issues that can be easily solved, but may require you to change your overall gear config around (e.g., mount a pocket on your wetsuit).
Hope this helps.
-Chris
You can start here for on-line reviews.
http://www2.scubadiving.com/gear/bcs.shtml
If price is an issue, I'll sell you my lightly used Sea-Quest Pro QD. It's a very good jacket BC with weight integration. I used it for about 2 full seasons (about 40 dives) and had it serviced by my LDS prior to both seasons. I have always washed it carefully and have given it special TLC. It was "Tester's Choice" in Rodale's Scubadiving magazine earlier this year. If you are interested, send me a private message here on scubaboard. Shipping will be $0 since we both live here in greater Boston...;-)
http://www.scubadiving.com/gear/12weightbcs/review.shtml#seaquest
The reason I don't use it any longer is that I too switched to a backplate/wings.
Take a look at this link -- there are pictures of this type of BC being worn and free-standing.
http://fifthd.com/cgi-bin/merchant2...een=CTGY&Store_Code=5AG&Category_Code=02-bcs1
BP/wings configurations consist of a backplate (a piece of metal made of aluminum or steel), a simple harness (including a crotch strap for added stability), and a BC bladder that is sandwiched between the tank and the backplate.
Pros = more streamlined, the front of your body is "free & clear" vs. the feeling of being surrounded that some jacket BCs give you. In the link above, you can see the guy tht has his hand up to his mask -- it looks like he isn't wearing a BC......a picture in this case is worth a 1000 words regarding the advantages of BP/wings.
Cons = not as widely available as standard BCs......and sometimes hard to find local folks to help you out with fit and usage (although it looks like Raxafarian already has you covered there). Weight integration, while not impossible, is harder. No BC pockets. All of these things are issues that can be easily solved, but may require you to change your overall gear config around (e.g., mount a pocket on your wetsuit).
Hope this helps.
-Chris
So what's the deal with weight integrated? When I was getting certified, my instructor always complained about/warned against them (makes me think he was soured by a bad experience).
He insists that after however-many dives, the velcro holding the weights into the jacket tends to wear out, and the weight can fall out.
I know that, during my cert. dive, I found an 8lb weight-pack (or whatever the terminology is for the weights that go into the WI BC's).
Are these just very isolated cases, or is velcro a problem?
He insists that after however-many dives, the velcro holding the weights into the jacket tends to wear out, and the weight can fall out.
I know that, during my cert. dive, I found an 8lb weight-pack (or whatever the terminology is for the weights that go into the WI BC's).
Are these just very isolated cases, or is velcro a problem?
large_diver
Contributor
I think it depends on...
- How well you take care of the velcro
- How careful you are about securing the velcro when putting the pockets in
- How secure the weights are in the pocket (i.e., do you have 1 five pounder in the pocket just sliding around?)
With TLC and care about how you handle/secure the pockets, I don't think velcro pcokets are an issue. I guess you have to look at the various weight pocket choices out there...there is a balance between security and ease of use.
As for what you instructor thinks.....with most divers, if they haven't used it, they don't like it. Instructors spend most of their time diving with newbies. Newbies are the most likely divers to have gear problems due to lack of care/attention, etc.
My $0.02.
- How well you take care of the velcro
- How careful you are about securing the velcro when putting the pockets in
- How secure the weights are in the pocket (i.e., do you have 1 five pounder in the pocket just sliding around?)
With TLC and care about how you handle/secure the pockets, I don't think velcro pcokets are an issue. I guess you have to look at the various weight pocket choices out there...there is a balance between security and ease of use.
As for what you instructor thinks.....with most divers, if they haven't used it, they don't like it. Instructors spend most of their time diving with newbies. Newbies are the most likely divers to have gear problems due to lack of care/attention, etc.
My $0.02.
landlocked
Contributor
My dive buddy loves her integrated weights. I hate them with the exception of the trim pockets. My buddy loves the convience. To me, diving cold water, they make the BC awful dang heavy. Putting the weights in just before or just after you get in the water didn't work for me. My dive buddy is smaller and uses less weight.
Not all intergrated systems work the same way. Some are better than others. I would recommend, as those above, that you try before you buy. But most of all, just dive safe and have fun.
Not all intergrated systems work the same way. Some are better than others. I would recommend, as those above, that you try before you buy. But most of all, just dive safe and have fun.
leadweight
Contributor
Zeagle Scout for $210? Where? Is that from a dealer? Remember Zeagle has a great warranty, but does not allow mail order sales by their dealers.
By the way, I second the idea of buying a cheap jacket used. Probably less than $100. Ask around a dive club, many divers have some old BC they don't use anymore.
As for the BP/wing thing, it would take a lot of mix/match, Ebay and DIY to get into one for $400. The plate and harness are under $100, but the wing can get pricey plus a few other odds and ends (single tank adaptor and cam-bands) are required to complete the job. The bargain priced wings (under $200) are really for doubles, which causes a loss of the streamlining advantage that draws divers to backplates in the first place, and they are hard to use because of tank wrap.
This place is a hotbed of backplate diehards. Don't let them talk you into one unless you know this is what you really want. My opinion is that it is is not worth buying a BP solely for single tank recreational diving. There are major comfort issues with the BP, which IMO, is why I don't see that many on dive boats, at least in the warm water areas where I dive. What the BP does really well is hold a set of manifolded (air connected) dual tanks on the diver's back.
By the way, I second the idea of buying a cheap jacket used. Probably less than $100. Ask around a dive club, many divers have some old BC they don't use anymore.
As for the BP/wing thing, it would take a lot of mix/match, Ebay and DIY to get into one for $400. The plate and harness are under $100, but the wing can get pricey plus a few other odds and ends (single tank adaptor and cam-bands) are required to complete the job. The bargain priced wings (under $200) are really for doubles, which causes a loss of the streamlining advantage that draws divers to backplates in the first place, and they are hard to use because of tank wrap.
This place is a hotbed of backplate diehards. Don't let them talk you into one unless you know this is what you really want. My opinion is that it is is not worth buying a BP solely for single tank recreational diving. There are major comfort issues with the BP, which IMO, is why I don't see that many on dive boats, at least in the warm water areas where I dive. What the BP does really well is hold a set of manifolded (air connected) dual tanks on the diver's back.
I disagree that there are major comfort issues with a BP. In fact with the BP I find it easier to trek the long distance necessary for a shore dive because the weight is distributed more like a backpack than a jacket. I found that my jacket style BC's straps wouldn't stay tight under prolonged walking and required constant tightening.
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