"The issue" emptying your BC

[Frosty]

Hey folks something that is constantly being raised in the new diver forums is the fact you can't (or its difficult to) vent air from a "normal" BC whilst inverted or even not quite vertical.
So that begs the question
Why hasn't a BC manufacturer thought of an easilly accessed system that allows you to dump air whilst at less than the ideal angle?
I wondered about elastication of the "bag" so the air is forced out or even more simple the bottom dump valve having its string extended and held in place so the toggle sits on the right shoulder.

 

[elan]

Im not sure if i got your question right but mares icon that i used to have had 2 extra dump valves and you could dump it almost from any position

 

[Beowulf]

I was taught for negative entry to use manual inflator to suck air out. That was the only time I had any problem emptying bladder. When in water I use shoulder dump or normal deflate without any noticeable issue.

Sent from my SGH-T959V using Tapatalk

 

[Some X Dry]

ScubaPro with their Knigthawk has addressed those issues with its wing configuration, bungee wing, dump placements and number of dumps. However, the use of a bungee wing makes for more forceful oral inflation when necessary. There has not been a position I have found myself in that I could not dump air while using this BC.

Perhaps there are other manufactures that do the same. My only experience has been with the Knighthawk and BP/W. Thanks..Safe Diving!

 

[Cixelsyd]

They have. Aqualung's i3 system and similar systems from other manufacturers open up all the dump valves at the same time when you push the button, so they should, in theory, dump air no matter what angle you are at.

 

[Diver0001]

Hey folks something that is constantly being raised in the new diver forums is the fact you can't (or its difficult to) vent air from a "normal" BC whilst inverted or even not quite vertical.

You can't? Of course you can. When I take new students under the water I explain how to do it before they've ever left the classroom... in rare cases they need some additional reminders but most people can learn it within the first... say ... 10 minutes or so of their scuba training.

The people who admit to having trouble with handling a normal bcd probably didn't receive proper instruction and were left to "figure it out" by themselves..... the sad part is that some of the "solutions" they think of are worse than the "disease" they're trying to cure.....

So that begs the question
Why hasn't a BC manufacturer thought of an easilly accessed system that allows you to dump air whilst at less than the ideal angle?
I wondered about elastication of the "bag" so the air is forced out or even more simple the bottom dump valve having its string extended and held in place so the toggle sits on the right shoulder.

These things (bungee bladders) exist... but the problem with your manner of thinking is you're trying to think of a "gear" solution to a "training" problem. The real solution for a training problem is to improve the training, not the gear.

R..

 

[Frosty]

Im not sure if i got your question right but mares icon that i used to have had 2 extra dump valves and you could dump it almost from any position

Apsolutely agree -I'm diving a mares ex200 and its the same IF YOU KNOW HOW.
Thats the catch. A new/newish diver seems to often forget how so why not make it simple for em??
Just reading multiple threads and the same thing keeps coming up
I'm sorta refering mostly to the "poodle jacket" rec type bc's that newer divers wear

 

[Frosty]

These things (bungee bladders) exist... but the problem with your manner of thinking is you're trying to think of a "gear" solution to a "training" problem. The real solution for a training problem is to improve the training, not the gear. R..

Actually ya know I disagree -I think you have that backwards. Instructors train around a known and well established gear issue --and quite rightly.

 

[Frosty]

They have. Aqualung's i3 system and similar systems from other manufacturers open up all the dump valves at the same time when you push the button, so they should, in theory, dump air no matter what angle you are at.

Well dere ya go--shows what I know then.

 

[Diver0001]

Actually ya know I disagree -I think you have that backwards. Instructors train around a known and well established gear issue --and quite rightly.

Well.... there are always going to be two camps on these kinds of issues. One camp will say that if you are trained well enough it won't matter much if you're diving with the super-delux-does-everything-for-you gear or a pair of old milk jugs strapped to your butt with a string.... either way you'll be able to dive....

The other camp will continue to argue that training doesn't matter so much as long as the gear can compensate.

Both sides have a point. But personally, I'm on the side that says if you're trained to understand WHAT you are doing then HOW you do it doesn't matter as much. In my opinion, that's the broader, more flexible, and more logical approach.

YYMV, obviously.

R..