Equipment Trends: The BCD

[decompression]

Don't say strokes.....[emoji6]


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[Centrals]

1. I'd like to suggest that the manufacturers could EXPAND their markets from the existing 5% or so penetration into dive shops, to a market penetration 4 to 8 times larger, if they did a good job in making these new dive shops experts in their line of bp/wings( with the mfg provided training for Shop Staff). While there is an increased cost per bp/wing produced for the mfg, their distribution and sales volume goes up so much as to make this a non-issue.

2. Each manufacturer should know how to configure it's gear optimally. If they are bad at this, then they deserve a bad rap from all agencies. If they are good at it, this should be the starting point for the shops, and the training agencies....Each training agency "could" take this mfg created config & trim class, and build on it from there--essentially to "make it their own".

3. This is an interesting observation! For it to change, a majority of Dive shops will need to learn how to be proficient with the bp/wings, and to be selling them....and once this market penetration level is achieved, I'm thinking the shops will begin treating the Jacket styles as the idiosyncratic choice, mostly because with bp/wings, a shop no longer has to stock XS, Small, Medium, Large, Xl, and XXL, etc...Ultimately the shops get a better return from their inventory from the bp/wing model....They also get the special bouyancy and trim and optimal configuration classes they can sell....even though they should be expected to offer rough config and trim on initial sale....and this is a great way to show divers what they DON'T KNOW, and what they should sign up to learn !

1. I will leave that to the manufacturers to answer.
2. How many BP/W manufacturers in this world? And if each one of them made a respective course on its BP/W, the punter would have a hard time to go through all of them. And if you leave the selection to the agency then......
3. The shop would still have to stock plates made of different materials as well as various design, harness(simple or De-luxe), pocket, pouch, weight, wings(various lifting capacity) etc etc. Actually jacket bc is a lot more straight forward to sell. I wonder what most customers would think if they have been told that they have to do a course in order to optimize the benefit of the BP/W?

 

[miked]

Actually jacket bc is a lot more straight forward to sell

...And more likely to need to be replaced, years down the road, than a BP/W ( other than harness, accessories, etc.).
I wonder: to what extent does "future replacement sales potential" impact an LDS in stocking/not stocking BP/W?

 

[Centrals]

...And more likely to need to be replaced, years down the road, than a BP/W ( other than harness, accessories, etc.).
I wonder: to what extent does "future replacement sales potential" impact an LDS in stocking/not stocking BP/W?

1. Given the cost of certain brands especially the wing, a simple jacket bc is cheap to replace.
2. You would be surprised how ingenious we human are if you are poor! Next time when you dive in any far flung third world, take a look at the equipment that some of the dm/instructor used.

 

[Dave616]

Not only was a BPW not even an option at my LDS, it was not even discussed at all during the OW course. They are now a Dive Rite dealer, but do not keep any of it in stock and do not rent or have any BPW's for demo.

 

[rhwestfall]

Since GUE is like a picture of a concept like this--and neither PADI or NAUI or any other major agency I know of has anything even close to equivalent on the strategies for configuring bp/wings for optimal trim...

actually, NAUI has one (non-card) that is a required pre-cursor to their Tech certifications...

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

2. You would be surprised how ingenious we human are if you are poor! Next time when you dive in any far flung third world, take a look at the equipment that some of the dm/instructor used.

Just look in the SB classified sections or Craigs List - lots of BCDs for sale at very reasonable prices - I dont go for fashion I go for function and fit.

For most of my diving OW shore dives and some boat diving - I have not thought about upgrades to a BP/W - so far it has not made sense for me. This year's budget went for LP85 Steel tanks and GoPro equipment... Most of us have a budget - some on SB seem to have [-]unlimited[/-] fairly high budgets - which is pretty cool in my book... But if I can spend half the money or less on used gear - that is where it is going...

 

[mbs]

Really interesting discussion! Especially the part about taking some effort to get the fit right. At the risk of going off in a bit of a tangent I'm interested in how significant this getting the fit right thing is. Since bpw's are not that prevalent in lds I assume a lot of folks buy them online. Is that a bad idea since you are on your own getting the fit right? Just how bad can it be getting the fit down? Would it be worse than a so-so fitting bc? I am at end of life of my Dacor Falcon bc which is a very basic back inflate - plastic plate, no pockets. I plan on replacing it with a bpw this spring as I'm used to a basic rig already and really like the idea of being able to customize it to my needs. But this discussion has me wondering if I would be making a mistake not buying from a lds.

 

[mikeycanuk]

Not only was a BPW not even an option at my LDS, it was not even discussed at all during the OW course.

Wouldn't that be the norm? If not for SB a BPW would just be another internet... short for what again? I like my GO BCD and will replace it with another whenever I need to, and that won't be for a while. Unless of course my luggage goes AWOL, but nothing ever goes wrong with a BPW right? No worries in the missing luggage dept then.

 

[rhwestfall]

Again, SB is not the likely place that represents the "true market" (okay, RJP will now show me this is a false statement).... Spending the time to learn, assemble, and adjust (& re-adjust) something so it is "at its best" is generally not the mainstream. We don't get tailored clothes at WalMart, we want all the cheat guides to games, things like stroke improvement golf clubs sell way over true blades, the microwave is a source for a "meal", etc., etc., etc. Additionally, as we hear time and time again, the "traditional" dive shop is not changing its model, they know better......

The folks here are more likely to "tinker".... and be vocal about it.