Scuba package on the internet for a beginner?

[Damselfish]

It's important to look at WHY you want a certain type of gear. Example: You want a back inflation BCD. Why? Back inflation BCD's are not my recommendation for beginners. The buoyancy or lift is behind you, which has a tendency to push your face down into the water while at the surface when the jacket is fully inflated. In an emergency situation, when you inflate the BCD totally, face down is not a position you want to be in. To try and remain face up, it requires a bicycling move with your fins which is very fatiguing in a very short period of time. The reason we recommend the jacket style is because it will hold you vertically out of the water very easily making it much more comfortable at the end of a dive.

I'm not one of those people around here who has a thing against jackets, or always jumps in and says that a back inflate does not push you forward, in fact I fully agree that they do in some cases and staying upright can be a nuisance. But that's why back inflate BCs have trim weight pockets in the back. So I don't see why they're not good for a new diver if that's what they want, as long as they understand how it's different and that they need to make more effort to get their weight distributed properly than with a jacket.

 

[TheRedHead]

It's important to look at WHY you want a certain type of gear. Example: You want a back inflation BCD. Why? Back inflation BCD's are not my recommendation for beginners.

I learned how to dive in a back inflated BC and never had a problem. All the student BCs were back inflated Seaquests and a couple of Rangers. The reason why my LDS prefers back inflated is because it puts you in a better diving position.

 

[Rainer]

I always find myself pushed onto my back in backinflates (even full, I just lean back onto it). Not sure if all models are the same, though. Regardless, I have never been pushed face forward into the water!

 

[ShallowDiverDave]

My reason for wanting a back inflate, is multi-faceted. But simply put, most of the jackets I have tried on, I do not feel comfortable in (too restraining), and the back inflate BCDs I have tried on seem to give me more freedom of movement. So, that statement alone is fairly powerful. Basically it means, how comfortable the BCD is to me, supersedes the buoyancy issues and any other issues I can think of that might come along with a back inflate. I feel like the buoyancy issues with the back inflate can be resolved/improved, but the comfort issues I have with the jacket cannot. I'm confident that I can learn the buoyancy techniques of a back inflate with practice. I intend to practice in the pool and in other shallow environments before doing any other type of diving. While I am new to diving, I intend to utilize the "perfect practice makes perfect" idea. I wasn’t planning on just throwing on a back-inflate and dropping down a 100 ft wall. As I have not done in my posts, I should be more descriptive about my situation. The equipment a diver uses should be person specific, so that they can be most comfortable with their equipment underwater.

 

[Scuba Brad]

We are always happy to assist new divers. Packages are a personal thing. I'd be happy to assist.

Happy Diving