No one likes Jacket Inflates?
- Thread starter DeliciousBrownTaste
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Ed Hatfield
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The type and quantity of dives will determine your gear. Most divers will 'graduate' to doubles and PB/wings as they start to dabble in tech diving. I will allways take my BC south on vacation.
BlueFrog
Guest
I like the jacket for easy, everyday warmwater recreational diving if that's what you are doing. If you are going for more advanced diving, drysuit diving or Tec where you will be diving doubles, wings/BP is the way to go. I have both and use them according to the dive requirements. My advice is start with a jacket if you are a warm water recreational diver. You can always pick up a used set of BP/wings down the road if you decide to go that route.
covediver
Contributor
I learned to dive with an old stab jacket, found them uncomfortable so the LDS owner recommended something called the SeaQuest backmount, one of the original wings. Very simple, wings, plastic tank holder, a couple of yards of webbing. I used it until it gave up the ghost in the late 80s. By then, stab jackets were the rage and I couldn't find a backmount bc even new old stock. Zeagle came close but not quite. I purchased a stab jacket and have had two since then. It is with some glee that I now watch the same people who sported the first stab jackets now militantly advocate backplates as the only way to go. For many, it seems like the backmount is a ticket to being part of the in crowd of having that tech look for diving to 40 feet on a reef. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that as dive equipment should be the ultimate form of self expression. I just find it amusing that this controversy rages on. I think it goes into the basic insecurity that many divers have. We define "cool" by what the other guys are wearing.
shotthebreeze
Contributor
I took my OW with a jacket and did some actual diving with one as well. I like them and don't have anything against them. They are easier at the surface and just very easy to become accustomed to. There's nothing wrong with them.
I just wound up buying a Zeagle Ranger because of the different things you can do with it. If I wanted, I could change the size of the bladder for different lift. I'm a cold water diver who wears a lot of weight and catches a lot of shellfish and lobster, so you never know when it's going to come in handy. I can also change the cam bands out and dive doubles with the same BC. I liked it because it was so customizable. Not all back inflate BCs allow you to do that though, so be careful. Also, I found that once under the surface, you don't feel as restricted with the back inflate as you do with the jacket and it's easier to maintain buoyancy. Then again I was wearing a 7mm farmer john and was 2 pounds away from going to the next size up with the BC.
It's all a matter of personal preference and what type of diving you'll be doing. Normally, those who dive recreationally in warmer waters tend to have jacket style BCs. I would go to your LDS and see if you can't try both out in the pool. I hope this helps!
I just wound up buying a Zeagle Ranger because of the different things you can do with it. If I wanted, I could change the size of the bladder for different lift. I'm a cold water diver who wears a lot of weight and catches a lot of shellfish and lobster, so you never know when it's going to come in handy. I can also change the cam bands out and dive doubles with the same BC. I liked it because it was so customizable. Not all back inflate BCs allow you to do that though, so be careful. Also, I found that once under the surface, you don't feel as restricted with the back inflate as you do with the jacket and it's easier to maintain buoyancy. Then again I was wearing a 7mm farmer john and was 2 pounds away from going to the next size up with the BC.
It's all a matter of personal preference and what type of diving you'll be doing. Normally, those who dive recreationally in warmer waters tend to have jacket style BCs. I would go to your LDS and see if you can't try both out in the pool. I hope this helps!
RonFrank
Contributor
I've dove a standard jacket BC on exactly two pool dives! 
I started out with a used Ranger, seemed like a good idea at the time! I discovered that the bladder was larger than I needed for any single tank diving, so I traded down to a Stiletto. I later purchased a BP/W for dry diving where I need more weight.
I would suggest that newer Jacket style BC's work fine even if I don't use them. Some experience some jacket squeeze, but possibly because they are over inflating the BC, or maybe due to sizing issues.
I started out with a used Ranger, seemed like a good idea at the time!
I discovered that the bladder was larger than I needed for any single tank diving, so I traded down to a Stiletto. I later purchased a BP/W for dry diving where I need more weight. I would suggest that newer Jacket style BC's work fine even if I don't use them. Some experience some jacket squeeze, but possibly because they are over inflating the BC, or maybe due to sizing issues.
Huh?
a.) Why are you on your knees in the sand?
b.) Even if it made sense to be so located, why would a jacket BCD be easier?
vicdiver656
Guest
I know Runway. You tried to bring it up, and got squashed really fast!!!
vicdiver656
Guest
Well, I have only tried the jacket-style BC once, and I absolutely hated it. I have tried the back-inflate BC more than once, and I have hated it.
Just Kidding! I warn you that you are getting the advice of a new diver, and my advice will never be best.
I really do not prefer the jacket-style BC. I found that it was very uncomfortable on the surface, and that there was a lot of restricted movement underwater due to the jacket. I love my backplate wing rig, and it feels like heaven! One arguement I have heard from a lot of dive shops is that with back-inflate, if a diver ever becomes uncontious underwater, he will not be upright on the surface, and will have his face in the water. I really am not concerned with that, as you should be diving with a body at all times. Also, just recently jacket-style BCs have started to come with a removable bladder, so if you tear the bladder, you do not have to replace the whole BC, but only the damaged part. The back-inflate backplate wing system has always been like that, and is much more adjustable than the jacket-style BC. Also, when upgrading to doubles on a jacket-style BC, you must get a whole new BC that is larger. With the back-inflate backplate wing system, you can keep the plate, and only change the wing out, often saving you at least $100. Tests have also discovered that back-inflate backplate wing systems have much less drag than the jacket-inflate systems, giving those who use DPVs such as scooters a longer usage period. Also with a jacket-style BC, you can only put a certain amount of weight on the BC, as there are next to no places to put it short of having a weight belt. With a back-inflate backplate wing system, weight belts are only an option, as there are tons of places to put weight, enabling better trim in the water. (you can put weight on the tank bands of a back-inflate system, automatically adjusting your angle in the water. Something that is almost impossible with a Jacket-style BC.)
I prefer back-inflate, and will always prefer back-inflate!
Just my 2 euros...
Taylor
Just Kidding! I warn you that you are getting the advice of a new diver, and my advice will never be best.
I really do not prefer the jacket-style BC. I found that it was very uncomfortable on the surface, and that there was a lot of restricted movement underwater due to the jacket. I love my backplate wing rig, and it feels like heaven! One arguement I have heard from a lot of dive shops is that with back-inflate, if a diver ever becomes uncontious underwater, he will not be upright on the surface, and will have his face in the water. I really am not concerned with that, as you should be diving with a body at all times. Also, just recently jacket-style BCs have started to come with a removable bladder, so if you tear the bladder, you do not have to replace the whole BC, but only the damaged part. The back-inflate backplate wing system has always been like that, and is much more adjustable than the jacket-style BC. Also, when upgrading to doubles on a jacket-style BC, you must get a whole new BC that is larger. With the back-inflate backplate wing system, you can keep the plate, and only change the wing out, often saving you at least $100. Tests have also discovered that back-inflate backplate wing systems have much less drag than the jacket-inflate systems, giving those who use DPVs such as scooters a longer usage period. Also with a jacket-style BC, you can only put a certain amount of weight on the BC, as there are next to no places to put it short of having a weight belt. With a back-inflate backplate wing system, weight belts are only an option, as there are tons of places to put weight, enabling better trim in the water. (you can put weight on the tank bands of a back-inflate system, automatically adjusting your angle in the water. Something that is almost impossible with a Jacket-style BC.)
I prefer back-inflate, and will always prefer back-inflate!
Just my 2 euros...
Taylor
DiveMaven
Contributor
Personally, I think a lot of folks like the jacket style as evidenced by what I see on dive boats in Hawaii and the Caribbean. However, there appears to be a very vocal group on ScubaBoard that touts their BP/Ws, often making it an unfriendly place for those that choose anything else (in my experience). ***flame suit on***
I try to encourage folks to try on as many different types and styles as they can (in and out of the water) and to pick what is comfortable, what meets their needs, and what they can afford. One type of BC is not for everyone, including the BP/W. This I know because after trying one a BP/W is not for me.
If you like the jacket style, enjoy it in good health and go dive!
I try to encourage folks to try on as many different types and styles as they can (in and out of the water) and to pick what is comfortable, what meets their needs, and what they can afford. One type of BC is not for everyone, including the BP/W. This I know because after trying one a BP/W is not for me.
If you like the jacket style, enjoy it in good health and go dive!
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