Is this common or was I just unlucky?

[chillyinCanada]

I had a jacket before I got a back inflate. Missed the jacket only for a couple of dives and wouldn't ever go back. I do miss the pockets though. I have a Ladyhawk which is the female equivalent of the Knighthawk. I haven't experienced more air on one side than the other. The bungies haven't caused me any trouble. Rarely have much air in it anyway.

 

[The Chairman]

Yeah, bungees get a needlessly bad rap. I dive a Zeagle Express Tech that has a few bungees. They have never been a problem. Ever.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I suppose we could get hung up on something.

 

[rhwestfall]

Its an improper general statement that "all bungies are bad". Its more that the design of some lead to issues. As said above, there are some poor designs.....

The Zeagle and the DUI Delta (the latter has been discontinued) utilize them, but are located in such a way to not expose you to the "death risk" always stated...

To the OP - any change in gear will need you to get familiar with its tendencies. I do not feel your experiences are representative of all back inflate products. That being said, dive what you feel achieves your objectives.

 

[chrpai]

One bad experience, one good experience and he's running back to what he knows. Oh well.


Jacket BCD and weight belt... don't miss those at all. A balanced rig with a minimally sized donut wing is all I need for single tank diving.

 

[Colliam7]

Is this common or was I just unlucky?

Neither. The primary problem, presumptively based on your description, was a combination of inexperience - overall, and with the equipment you were using - and lack of proper pre-dive preparation. Luck had nothing to do with it. While that may sound harsh, it is not intended to be at all - merely a statement of reality. You have had a very valuable learning opportunity, from which you returned safely. That is worth a lot!

The situation seems to involve 4 elements: 1) a relatively new / inexperienced diver, 2) using unfamiliar equipment, 3) which may not have been properly adjusted, and 4) failure to follow optimal procedures (pre-dive checks). And, just so you don't feel that I am picking on you, remember that most of us have been through similar 'growth opportunities' as well. We all have to start somewhere.

Based on your description, it is likely that 1) you were somewhat over-weighted and 2) your weight belt was either not properly secured / tightened, or was possibly somewhat worn and (particularly if you were using uncoated lead weights) allowed the weights to slide around on the belt. But, even if weights shift, the properly weighted diver will usually be able to compensate for the effects on trim. The experienced diver will also be able to make adjustments during the dive. One of the reasons that 'weight belt remove and replace underwater' is taught in most OW courses is to provide the diver with various skills to address these kinds of issues.

my buddy and I are in the water ready to descend. I noticed I was wobbling a bit but I figured it wasn't a big deal...big mistake.

Yes, a mistake. To paraphrase one wise SBer (with whom TSandM is somewhat familiar), 'Nothing gets better underwater'. So, while frustrating, this was a valuable lesson to learn - a proper pre-dive check will include checking your weight system - total amount and distribution - and help minimize such problems.

We also found an issue with the BC. We realized that about 75% of the air had gone to one side of the BC and 25% to the other. There were some "cords" of some sort holding the bladder in place, and apparently one side got tangled up and restricted air flow.

This is really not an issue with the BCD, as much as failure to check the equipment beforehand, and possibly the use of an excessive amount of air to compensate for an excessive amount of weight. Again, a proper pre-dive check should identify such problems. The 'tangled' cords were apparently obvious enough to be identified BETWEEN dives. Therefore, they should have been obvious enough to be identified BEFORE the dives.

Is this a common issue with back inflate BCs?

Not at all. Despite periodic negative comments regarding bungees, they are not inherently 'bad'. If improperly used, just as with any equipment, they can potentially be problematic. And, a number of divers have elected to avoid them altogether. I own and dive a number of wings - bungeed and not bungeed, horseshoe and donut, small and large. While I have definite preferences - for example, I like a small, unbungeed donut wing for single cylinder recreational diving - I don't have a real problem with any of them. I also don't have a problem with a jacket BCD (unless I am over-weighted and the weight is improperly distributed or secured).

What is the main complaint that people have with back inflation BCs? Is it just the "face plant" at the surface thing?

This is probably the complaint heard most often. But, it more an 'operator error' issue than any design issue. In the situation where 1) a back-inflate BCD is used by an over-weighted diver, and 2) the BCD is weight-integrated and 3) the weights are positioned toward the front of the diver (where too many weight-integrated systems improperly place them, anyway), the diver may feel that they are being pulled down slightly toward the front at the surface when they inflate the BCD to allow their head to be well above the water - the center of lift (behind the diver's head at the surface), and the center of gravity (in front of the diver at the surface), are inexorably moving toward vertical alignment. This has to do with simple physics principles as well as BCD design. To compensate for this feeling, the diver (understandably) adds even more air to the BCD, which then causes the bladder to rise even more behind the diver's head, exaccerbating the feeling of being pulled face-down.

As NetDoc says, dive with what you are comfortable. There are a lot of jacket BCD divers out there. But, as others have also said, don't necessarily limit yourself this early in your diving, by over-reaction to a problem that has more to do with your experience than it does with your equipment.

One bad experience, one good experience and he's running back to what he knows. Oh well. . . . A balanced rig with a minimally sized donut wing is all I need for single tank diving.

Well-stated.

 

[MrSam]

Thanks again everyone. Your posts are really helpful. I meant to say that I'll avoid horseshoe back inflates altogether, not all back inflation bcs.
This was actually the third time it had happened (the other two times I was testing my reg and computer in the pool).
Im still considering a knight hawk but was also offered a pro qd for a decent price. Is the pro qd a jacket or back? I dove with one once and I could have sworn it was a jacket. The seller is trying to convince me that it is a back inflate though..I may be wrong

---------- Post added April 11th, 2013 at 12:20 PM ----------

Oh and I really liked the pro qd and pilot. I never really looked into them until now

 

[Sol]

Is the pro qd a jacket or back?

What does the manufacturer say?

Oh and I really liked the pro qd and pilot.​

Well, if you really liked it, then what does it matter whether it's jacket or back-inflate? If it works for you, then dive with it and get used to it. The more familiar and comfortable you are with your gear, the less likely you are to run into trouble with it.

 

[Bratface]

I had a jacket before I got a back inflate. Missed the jacket only for a couple of dives and wouldn't ever go back. I do miss the pockets though. I have a Ladyhawk which is the female equivalent of the Knighthawk. I haven't experienced more air on one side than the other. The bungies haven't caused me any trouble. Rarely have much air in it anyway.

Same with me. After a year I switched over to my Lady Hawk. I've never had any troubles either. Just takes a little getting used to. Just dive what you are comfortable in and if you get a chance to try out a back inflated BC in a pool, give it another try when you are more experienced. You may like the comfort and convenience. You will be giving up the nice roomy pockets of a jacket though. Don't worry, you can add on pockets easily.

 

[spectrum]

Don't deprive yourself of a better trim and streamlining because of a bad experience. Donut back inflation will change the way you dive wrt trim and comfort. I would give back inflation a go again but with proper kit. U-shape wings is not a good idea.

Give me a break.

A well fit BC can provide perfectly good trim. The fact of the matter is that for many their BP&W is their first correctly fit BC and they have this colossal eureka moment. In reality they now have the skills to select and configure something that really works.

A wing by definition is up there creating drag, a jacket can be more form fitting. In any case for the velocities involved the effects of either when fit correctly are insignificant.

I have never had a U shapped wing but I agree, hence my donut.

Get what you like but the key is testing stuff to identify what you like.

Pete