Seaquest Balance vs. BP/Wing

I dive a Seaquest Balance which is a back inflate unit. Is there any advantage going to a BP/Wing? I have no plans to go to doubles in the near future.

Yes.

N

Well, you won't be able to dive doubles with the Balance.

If you are going to dive doubles, and need a BP/W for that, there is an advantage to switching and diving a single tank for a while, until you are used to the equipment. On the other hand, you'll need a single tank wing and a doubles wing. Your other option is to buy a BP and doubles wing and do the full transition all at once. The only problem with that is that diving a harness and doubles when the harness is not properly adjusted is very unpleasant and stressful. A loose harness allows the doubles to wander all over the places, and I spent a couple of dives just trying to position myself underneath my tanks, which makes executing the dive as planned a little complicated.

Very good question and at a very right time too. I was also wondering whether to buy a back inflate BC for single tank use or buy a BP Wing. Here is what I am confused about:

The only advantage to a BP wing over a back inflate BC is that you have to wear less weight! The BP on your back compensates for that right? My question is what advantage would a soft back harness have over a Back inflate jacket? A softback harness wont have a BP so you would have to wear the same weight with it?

I have a Balance. I'm considering going to a drysuit this year, to extend my diving season locally. A large Balance can hold 30lbs, (20 releaseable, 10 non). I wear 28 lbs in full 7mm suit, hood, booties and 5mm gloves. I may need to go to a BP/W to help offset some of the weight (32 lbs?), unless I want to add a weight belt.

I've been checking out the Hammerhead plate (5.6 lbs) and STA (5.3 lbs). That takes a lot of weight off the belt.

Regardless of having a SS BP in it or not, you will use less weight with a BP/W.

No (or less) padding, plastic and similar crap that floats and requires additional lead. Try to sink both things, removing the SS BP before from the equation and see the real difference, then include SS BP and admire.

schu1842:

I dive a Seaquest Balance which is a back inflate unit. Is there any advantage going to a BP/Wing? I have no plans to go to doubles in the near future.

Click to expand...

I made this exact transition 2 1/2 years ago, and it was one of my best decisions regarding dive gear.

1. Stability: I dive hp steel tanks, either a single 130 or a single 100 most of the time. The SeaQuest Balance BC was a fine BC, and fit me perfectly. But the tank moved around quite a bit. I didn't realize this until I bought a stainless steel back plate and felt the tank practically become part of my body. Going through surf, giant striding off boats, maneuvering in all directions underwater.. the tank just doesn't move when mounted in a well-fitted BP/W. It's part of my body.
2. Trim: I strive to maintain a horizontal postion in the water when diving. I found it easier to stay horizontal in the BP/W than it had been in the SeaQuest Balance. YMMV, but it was dramatic for me.
3. Drysuit: I made the switch to a dry suit about 6 months before I got the BP/W. The Seaquest Balance fit me very well, but the inherant looseness of a BC allowed the air bubble to move about freely in the back and torso of my drysuit. When I started diving the BP/W, it became immediately easier to control the air bubble in the suit. I have a stock-sized drysuit that fits me pretty well, but it's a little spacious in the shoulders. It's easy now with the plate compressing the suit against my back.
4. Freedom of movement: The BP/W is so open and unencumbered in the front, that it felt weird the first few dives... like I'd forgotten something!!! Now, I love the open feeling. I missed the Seaquest pockets, but I have pockets in my drysuit. There are slide-on pockets you can add to the front waist webbing if that suits your diving needs.

Choices: I like my DSS BP/W for many reasons, one of which is that it doesn't require a single tank adapter (STA). Many BP/Ws are meant for doubles, and need an STA when using a single tank. Lack of STA means my tank is an inch closer to my spine and easier to control in the water. It also means I often hit my head on my first stage when I switched to the BP/W. Some things are a trade off. I like stability, and it was worth it to me to patiently learn how to position my tank, and move my head a little differently in the final analysis.

Seahound:

The only advantage to a BP wing over a back inflate BC is that you have to wear less weight!

Click to expand...

Not in my opinion, although I did require 3 to 4 lbs less lead. The best advantages are in my comments above.

CFDAlden:

I may need to go to a BP/W to help offset some of the weight (32 lbs?), unless I want to add a weight belt.
I've been checking out the Hammerhead plate (5.6 lbs) and STA (5.3 lbs). That takes a lot of weight off the belt.

Click to expand...

I have a 5.5 lbs Deep Sea Supply (DSS) stainless plate, and 5.3 lbs custom weight plates that bolt on to the back plate. DSS also makes 8 lbs custom weight plates, which my buddy uses and loves.

There is nothing I miss about no longer diving a fabric BC.
I love dozens of features about diving a well-engineered BP/W.

Good luck with your choices and dive safely.

~~~~~
Claudette

schu1842:

I dive a Seaquest Balance which is a back inflate unit. Is there any advantage going to a BP/Wing? I have no plans to go to doubles in the near future.

Click to expand...

I have just switched from a Seaquest Balance to SS bp/w single tank Halcyon Eclipse, and it is so much better in trimming, no more weight belt, easier to keep in a horizontal position, more compact, easier weight distribution for Dry Suit dive.

I have no plans to go to doubles in the future, but I am taking one of those intro tec class to improve my buoyancy control and the standard tec drill with long hose. The bp/w does make the manuverbility in the water so much easier and stable.

I second all the above comments given by the more experienced diver.

I was able to sell my Balance and put in a couple of hundred bucks to get the bp/w.

Maybe you can borrow a bp/w from a fellow diver and give it a try.

Happy diving