How much difference does it make really???

How much of a difference do you REALLY think a BC makes?
Exactly what differences do you notice?
Concerning style. BP/W, back inflate, stabalizing, etc...

None Really. Just enough bouyancy to keep you neutral in the middle of dive, and enough bouyancy to keep you afloat at the surface.

However, various styles offer different degrees of comfort for people of differing body types.

The other thing is the actual bc's design and how streamline you are with it underwater. Obviously, the more streamline you become the more efficient you become. But this also comes hand in hand with trim.

Finally, although I wear a backinflate bc and haven't actually tried a BP/W, it seems to me that the bp/w allow much more streamlining simply because they are extremely customizable. Most regular bc's come made with specific features and allow very little room for adjustment. On the other hand, BP/W could very well just be a backplate with just the bare minimum of webbing to hold the pack in place and a wing specific for you needs. If diving single tanks in warm tropic waters, a small wing will more htan suffice.

Hope this helps!

Ohhhh....this is gonna get good.

Biggest difference in BC's (not B/P Wing) is jacket style or whats called a back float. I personally find the jacket style to confining. As you progress to a B/P Wing it becomes even LESS confining, hence more stable and comfortable.

I've seen divers in jacket-style BC's with steel tanks. Some of those BCs don't have enough lift, so they sink. Not a good idea. I have a Zeagle Ranger (back inflate), it's got enough lift (maybe too much), but I'm tempted to go to a BP/wing when I get some $. Jacket-style also squeezes you; not comfortable.

All BC's and wings come with differing amounts of lift. You can get a 16 lb wing for example, or larger. You can do the same with a BC. No difference, both types offer different amounts of lift. You can customize the amount you need based on your body and your diving locations.

To me it sounds like the guy with a steel tank that sank had something wrong, a steel tank should not be enough to cause that issue vs an al tank all other things being equal, i.e you use steel so you can use less lead, in the end it balances out in the water. So if he was sinking then he would have also sank with an AL tank because neutral is neutral and a one tank setup is not complex. I wasn't there, I don't know his weighting or config so it's just a guess on my part.

scubajoh44:

How much of a difference do you REALLY think a BC makes?
Exactly what differences do you notice?
Concerning style. BP/W, back inflate, stabalizing, etc...

Click to expand...

Hate to say it... but do a search (although this could turn into one of those monster threads).

There was a guy a while back, a Instructor or DM type, that did not SWITCH to BP/W, but rather purchased a BP/Wing and dove both that for a while and continued to use a Back inflate also. He posted his views after about doing 100 dives on the BP/w in addition to his experience using his favorite BackInflate BC. He was diving both doubles, and singles if memory serves.

The jist of the results was that there was not all that huge amount of difference, and he sited a couple advantages and disadvantages using both systems.

Let's face it, while BP/Wing users are vocal here, unless diving doubles, you just don't see many people out there diving them, and a very large number of people who certainly COULD be diving the BP/Wing setup (Scott Zeagle, Chad, Larry from ScubaToys, etc.) don't.

Opinions vary, and some run as strong as a seven knott current, but I think if you view this with an open mind one discovers that tools are tools, and one BCD style is not going to revolutionize one's diving. Fit, and comfort along with the proper lift are likely a bigger factor vs. Back Inflate vs. BP/w. The only guy I know who did purchase a BP/Wing (got too good a deal to pass up) stuck it on EBay after a couple dives because while he said it dived nice, it was harder to get into, and out of, and was not very comfortable on land.

I think if doubles are in your future, well there are other choices, but the BP/W should be a consideration. Otherwise, I'm not sure why one would switch unless they were unhappy with their current BCD.

I normally don't get into the BC vs BP/wing debate. But I was thinking. Why even have a BP or a BC. How about just a harness that holds the tank and maybe a horse collar? To me that would be about as stream line as you can get. What about switching wetsuit materials so to the material that down hill skier use which have less drag. Maybe someone can build a tank that is oval and fitt tighter against a persons back.

RonFrank:

....

Opinions vary, and some run as strong as a seven knott current, but I think if you view this with an open mind one discovers that tools are tools, and one BCD style is not going to revolutionize one's diving. Fit, and comfort along with the proper lift are likely a bigger factor vs. Back Inflate vs. BP/w. The only guy I know who did purchase a BP/Wing (got too good a deal to pass up) stuck it on EBay after a couple dives because while he said it dived nice, it was harder to get into, and out of, and was not very comfortable on land.

Click to expand...

Well said. Especially the part about an open mind.

An instructor I was working with was asked the standard "what type of equipment should I buy" question by one of his OW students. His answer was "buy what is most comfortable for you." Unfortunately, that does not seem to be the sales pitch at many a LDS.

I have a back inflate, which is my second BCD. I find it much more comfortable and flexible than my first jacket BCD. My wife dives with a women's back inflate. She tried many, many BCDs for fit until she found the one that is most comfortable and fits her well.

Some BCs have padding and cummerbunds. Some of those are vests, some of them are back inflate and some are BP/wings. Those with such extras add drag. Also, BCs with bladders inside a fabric covering create additional drag.

Other than that, it doesn't matter much.