jacket bc question

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midwestdvr

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New diver here. Need recommendations on a bc that packs well. Since I'm from mid missouri, i'll have to fly to dive warm water (sorry, I'm a cold-water wimp). Not interested in tek diving (not yet, anyway), although I may try underwater photography once I get more comfortable with my buoyancy control. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Also, would you recommend weight integrated or not?
 
Check out the Scubapro Classic Sport. I believe it has the perfect design - no padding - no cummerbund - streamlined.

Some people like weight integrated, but I think a weight belt is much easier and a better option. Weight integrated is a PITA.
 
Walter once bubbled...
Some people like weight integrated, but I think a weight belt is much easier and a better option. Weight integrated is a PITA.
Midwestdvr said that he's really a tropical diver, so he shouldn't have a lot of weight. In that case I recommend integrated weights.

Since I don't have any hips to speak of, weightbelts always felt like they were ready to fall off.

Why do you find integrated weights a PITA, Walter?
 
You either have to deal with a BC with weights that make it difficult to switch tanks (shifting weight and heavier than necessary) or remove and replace the weights. Both are a PITA.

If you are someone who removes their BC in the water to climb the ladder, I'll be happy to pull your weight belt and then BC and tank on board. Don't expect me to do the same if you have weight integrated.

It's much easier to simply wear a belt. Additionally, many of the designs drop weights very easily. Weight integrated tries to solve a problem that never existed. Keep it simple.
 
If you are not set on a jacket type, then another one to look at is the Zeagle Scout. It's a back inlflate, 35 lb lift and packs pretty small. It's also rather inexpensive at around $230 on line but at the same time it is well made. It has a form of weight intergration, 2 dumpable pouches on the rear of the BC beside of the tank. The manufacturer claims it will take 30lbs but from my testing, anything over 10 starts to cause trim problems, less than 10 and it works fairly well. You can always wear a weight belt with it. I think you can order it with a different type of weight intergration but I don't think it's worth the cost. I perfer weight intergration but it's more of a personal preference than anything else.
 

Since I don't have any hips to speak of, weightbelts always felt like they were ready to fall off.


I have nearly the same issue,m and put 20lbs into the pockets on my transpac II, with 6 lbs on a belt...So far, no probs...

I'm hoping to drop another lb. or two as I become a better diver.

Your results may vary...
 
Walter once bubbled...
You either have to deal with a BC with weights that make it difficult to switch tanks (shifting weight and heavier than necessary) or remove and replace the weights. Both are a PITA.

If you are someone who removes their BC in the water to climb the ladder, I'll be happy to pull your weight belt and then BC and tank on board. Don't expect me to do the same if you have weight integrated.

It's much easier to simply wear a belt. Additionally, many of the designs drop weights very easily. Weight integrated tries to solve a problem that never existed. Keep it simple.
Simple velcro pockets are both easy to remove and insert, and I find them easier to hand up when getting back on a RIB.

Properly maintained and inserted, they are reliable as long as not overloaded. For tropical diving, with 2 layers of 3mm the max I need is 6# per pocket.

For colder water with more lead, the weight belt becomes more attractive, or splitting the weight between pockets and belt.

You forgot one other disadvantage of weight integrated, but again it is one that only really comes into play when wearing a lot of neoprene: If you remove the BC at depth, it is very negative, and you are very buoyant with lots of neoprene and no weight.
 
If you are willing to consier options other than a jacket BC, check out a Backplate and Wing setup.
 
Thanks for all the info so far. I forgot to mention that since I have to try this equipment on, will buy from dive shop.
The only 2 in town are SP and Genesis dealers. Next closest ones are a Seaquest (approx 30-40 minutes) and sherwood (+40 minutes) dealers. After those next closest will be over 2 hours of boring drive ( :( wish I'd lived in a bigger city). As for BP/Wing set-up, I've never seen one before. Not in the dive shops around here anyway.
 
You won't be disappointed in their products. I've been diving SP Jackets (now the Classic) for years and still love them.
 

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