Dry Back-Inflate BC?

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

superhelix

Registered
Messages
44
Reaction score
0
Location
Charlottesville, Virginia
# of dives
200 - 499
I have diligently studied the three key BC debates:

1. Vest, back-inflate, or BP/W
2. Integrated weights or not
3. DIR or NOT acting like you are a brainwashed cult member ;-)

And now that I am in the market for my first BC, I have limited this down to two vest choices based on your reviews...

- ScubaPro Classic
- Seaquest Pro QD+

...and two more back-inflate choices based also on your reviews:

- Seaquest Raider
- Zeagle Ranger

The fact that I will be divemastering over the next six months has leaned me a bit towards the vest jackets, as I assume the students would be wearing likewise. However, my gut is that the back-inflates will be more fun and more comfortable under water, and that is what I gather in general from these boards.

And I have decided to steer clear of the whole BP/W option for now, because frankly I still don't get it and because of the fact that I will be a divemaster and in recreational environs. Perhaps in a year or two I will see the light...but for now with my limited experience and plans to be intermingling with other newbies for a while I would like to leave this option on the boards.

And I REALLY am not trying to start another BP/W debate right now, so please, like in Austin Powers, all you DIR's...sshhh. sshhhh!! sshhhhh!!!!!

I am 6'3, 200 lbs., plan to be doing mostly rec. diving in tropical waters with a 3mm shorty for the inforseeable future, and also may try my hand at taking the IDC.

Please comment if you can on the following ASSUMPTIONS:

a) the back-inflate is superior in comfort and agility to vest BCs

b) it is ok to buy a BC without getting it wet as long as you do lots and lots of homework and preferably try it on in your LDS

c) it is important that a divemaster wear the gear his students do

Based entirely on your responses (and I will follow up with a post from Thailand) I will either buy one of the above vest or back-inflate BCs or wait to buy in Koh Tao, but either way promise to review in depth the final purchase.

PS - I have already purchased an Apeks ATX200 based on your resoundingly positive reviews of this reg.
 
superhelix once bubbled...
Please comment if you can on the following ASSUMPTIONS:

a) the back-inflate is superior in comfort and agility to vest BCs

b) it is ok to buy a BC without getting it wet as long as you do lots and lots of homework and preferably try it on in your LDS

c) it is important that a divemaster wear the gear his students do
a) a MayWest is more comfortable... but not so great in agility... however the answer to c) overides the jacket...go back inflation.

b) it is ok with me.... how about you o-ring? Fit~n~Fashion take precedent ... as long as the answer to c) is kept in view.

c) it is important for a divemaster to wear the most expensive and current gear that the LDS he works for sells.
 
a. I find the back inflate more comfortable.

b. You can, but it will feel different in the water.
I tried several in the pool before deciding.

c. Divemasters don't have students, Instructors do. :wink:
 
superhelix once bubbled...


And I REALLY am not trying to start another BP/W debate right now, so please, like in Austin Powers, all you DIR's...sshhh. sshhhh!! sshhhhh!!!!!

Please comment if you can on the following ASSUMPTIONS:

a) the back-inflate is superior in comfort and agility to vest BCs

b) it is ok to buy a BC without getting it wet as long as you do lots and lots of homework and preferably try it on in your LDS

c) it is important that a divemaster wear the gear his students do


Ack as a DIR maniac it is hard to be silent :goofy: :D

your assumptions:

a) i agree
b) i guess it's ok although i prefer to try new gear first
c) i guess it depends on the gear the students wear, i do help out with PADI classes a lot because it's fun doing but i do NOT wear the gear they do, i do wear my BP/wing/DIR rig, the instructor wants my help more than caring what gear i dive.

That would also mean a DM has to dive wet because the students do? i dont think so, i'd freeze to death!

I think other things are more important while being a 'rolemodel' rather than just the gear configuration you use as a DM.
 
sheck33 once bubbled...
I think other things are more important while being a 'rolemodel' rather than just the gear configuration you use as a DM.
That's just because you are a DIR fanatic!

rolemodel schmomodel...

Salesmodel is more like it! Don't think so... just casually ask around at most any LDS.... "What gear do you want your DMs to wear?" It won't be the stuff they don't sell.

Of course a DIR fanatic like you would wear a BP/wing to the party... :wink:

~~~~~~~~`
superH you really didn't think we could keep ourselves shushed did you :eek:ut:

seriously... find out what your future employer would like you to wear when divemastering for them.
 
... probably defer this to the shop... but, the instructor who I'm doing my DM with doesn't really care, except in the pool. Just for background I dive with a BP/wing and chose the long hose. So for pool session, I'll probably get a set of rental gear from the shop because I'm not the chlorine near my equipment.

For OW check-outs, the instructor will have the final say, but I would prefer the BP/wing and long hose. I think it would be nice to show OW students various methods of diving as well as equipment. May spark some interesting conversations.

Good luck with your DM.
Ken
 
I admire your style...asking that the DIR proponents don't start a debate...:) however I don't believe I've seen an equipment thread on any board/newgroup in the last 6 months without a DIR/non-DIR converstation:argue:

IMHO, get the gear you are most comfortable in. You are going to be playing "sheepdog" to a bunch of backpackers every day - chasing them around, making sure they stay with the instructor, and helping them down if they have equalisation problems (some of them are very cute so it is worth it :) )

Remember - you will almost certainly be overweighted - the instructor will ask you to carry a few extra weights just in case their students/muppets have trouble :wink:

So: Back inflated BCs are good - your chest is free and they often have a little more bouyancy.

But: You will also spend a lot of time of the surface mucking around with the students so you want to make sure whatever you buy is suitable (or weighted correctly with trim weights etc) so that you are comfortable waiting for people to get ready.


FYI - I did my DM in Koh Samui a few years back - probably too soon in my diving "career" (only had about 200 dives before I started), but it was the one of the most enjoyable course I've done. Learnt a lot about my diving and that of others - and you get a real buzz from helping people discover diving. Don't let the hard core divers put you off. Divers need to start somewhere and it is extremely fulfilling to be part of that.

I'm sure you've seen this advise elsewhere, but the instructor makes ALL the difference. Choose a good one (do a few "fun" dives with them to see how they are) and you will not regret the course.

Good luck


Grant
 
Superhelix;

By now you may have noticed that there is a backplate cabal lurking in this forum. If the question is "I am a 100# girl who dives only warm water with a 63cf tank" the answer is get a backplate.

That said, I have to admit that the choice of a BC is difficult. My personal preference is for back inflation. I uwed a jacket for several years, tried back inflate and immediately retired my jacket.

I will say this, I have used the Classic, and it is very comfortable vest.

If the choice is between the ranger and the raider, I would get the ranger. I see tons of rangers on dive boats. Zeagle has a really great warranty. However, I really do not think that the ranger is a great warm water BC. It is kind of bulky and has more lift than most people will ever need in warm or even temperate water. The excess lift problem is not that easy to get away from as most BC manufacturers think that bigger is better.

Believe me, if I see a weight belt on the bottom, it stays there. (If it hat a scubapro metal buckle I would dump the lead off and keep that much.)

Alternative choices with less lift would be the Seaquest Balance or a Transpac ll with travel wings. Also Dacor has a new BC with about 14kg of lift.

As for what students wear, this is more a matter of shop policy.
 

Back
Top Bottom