How many use BP/W for single tank warm rec diving?

[Phocus]

Looking for first BC and thought about going BP/W even though I would be diving recreationally mostly warm water, single tank. Make more sense to go with a Back inflate BC (Knighthawk, Zeagle,...)?

[SailNaked]

I do, my first real BC was a BP/W love it would not have it any other way. most of the Back inflate BC's I looked at were not qualitatively different than a BP/W in their function however the flexibility of a BP/W exceeds all the BC's. A back inflate will float you face down unless you float on your back, if that is not acceptable to you then do not get one otherwise they are great for warm water single tank diving.

[Scubagolf]

Take a look at this recent poll and especially the comments. You may find it useful.
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/basic-scuba-discussions/315670-what-level-diver-what-type-bc.html

[Wookie]

Hung the BCD up years ago and never looked back. I've worn out 3 wings on single tank rec diving.

[parzdiver]

I dive a BP/W in warm water. I love the stability, simplicity and comfort.

I have recently purchased a Zeagle Express Tech, which is very similar in configuration to a BP/W and very inexpensive. The reason for the purchase is travel weight (<5 lbs) and compactness. It is very close to a BP/W, but it is not the same and not quite as comfortable or stable, IMHO.

Under weight constraints for travel I will use the Express Tech, but if I can get away with taking the BP/W, or if I lived in a warm water location, I'd dive the BP/W.

[petemoss]

I rented equipment to take to the Carribean and this included BC's of course. After much deliberation and great info provided by all the far more intelligent folks than me on this great site I went with the back plate and wing. Although at this time I do not use a hog rig, I am constructing my own plate and will try a hog harness with this. Everyone of course has to make their own descision and I certainly see mostly BC's where I have been. From my perspective I can not tell you how satisified I am with the BP/W. Far superior TO ME than a BC.
Good luck with your decision.

Pete

[cbrich]

I dive a bp/w and I can't imagine going back to a BCD. I feel more stable in the water and also on dry land.

[vondo]

I dive a BP/W with single tanks exclusively. Like cbrich, I like the feeling of stability in the water. My only complaint is that the 35-lb Golem wing I have is a bit heavy/bulky for warm water travel, so I'm thinking to add a 17-lb wing for traveling. The 35-lb wing is great for local diving though.

[StreetDoctor]

yes...

[Splitlip]

I dive a BP/W with single tanks exclusively. Like cbrich, I like the feeling of stability in the water. My only complaint is that the 35-lb Golem wing I have is a bit heavy/bulky for warm water travel, so I'm thinking to add a 17-lb wing for traveling. The 35-lb wing is great for local diving though.

Be sure to check out the Oxy Mach V 18#. Below compared to the 30#. Mounted and depending on your cylinder, it could be slightly leaas than 18.

I use it in the summer with steel 100 and aluminum plate. Perfect.
Steel plate and steel tanks the small wings are probably undersized.

[dumpsterDiver]

I do warm water almost exclusively. I read all the hype on this board about a BP& W and bought one about 3 yrs ago. It is OK, but there was no dramatic improvement in steramlining, fit, comfort etc. I also had to modify it to make it more functional for me.

When I am not diving with a stage bottle, I will generally grab my jacket BC because it is more comfortable, easier to get on and off and I like it better than the BPW..

A BPW will work fine in warm water, but many people prefer a jacket BC for recreational diving.

However, if I were considering buying a back inflate BC, then i think I would jsut get the BP/W. The back inflate BC brings the disadvantges of the BP/W (I personally do not like the surface floatation characteristcs) yet they do not offer the unencumbered harness design of a BPW .. The rear inflate BC's still have the cummberbund, integrated weight pockets and plastic clips, velcro and things that aren't really useful for me.

[OldNSalty]

What dumpsterDiver said. I use only a BP/W now (and I only dive in warm water) but I think some of the advantages are lost if you are only doing rec diving in warm water. That is not to say that a BP/W wouldn't have any advantages, just that I think they aren't as great in these conditions. Obviously I felt they were 'good enough' to upgrade to a BP/W when I upgraded from my jacket style.

[cbrich]

The lake I dive is currently at 54*F and it get's up to 85*F in the summer. I dive my bp/w all year around. I am more comfortable in the summer time because I am wearing less thermal protection to no thermal protection. When I was in a BCD, I found it to be bulky and restrictive, but it weighted less than my bp/w.

[Pullmyfinger]

I wear either a 1mm suit or a 3mm. I dive a neutral aluminum 80, stainless steel backplate with 30 lb. wing.
It's always summer here.

-Mitch

[Peter_C]

I made it about 20 dives in a Knighthawk I purchased before getting certified (With an Air II that sucked). I then switched to a BP/W and have not looked back. Sold the Knighthawk at a huge loss.

For me the Knighthawk did not stay in place as much as the BP/W does. It rode up a little over my shoulders, when floating at the waters surface. The Knighthawk also twisted on my body underwater, which the BP/W NEVER does. I was able to drop a bunch of weight not just because I switched to a stainless plate, but just how much weight does it take to sink all the foam in the Knighthawk? Why do I need foam in the shoulder straps and other places?...oh yeah I don't and I find without the integrated weights my shoulders hurt less, and now I often use doubles (Almost 100 lbs) and still find the shoulder straps more comfortable than on the Knighthawk.

I have watched as most of our dive club has slowly switched from some form of jacket bc's to a BP/W setup. The reason is not because it is cool, but because the benefits outweigh anything the jacket style bc has to offer.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/buoyancy-compensators-bcs-weight-systems/319859-explain-difference-bp-w-back-bc.html

[diver 85]

I've have dived the Zeagle Scout(smaller, good travel BI BC) for over 2.5 years---love it...Got a DR BP/W(travel wing) last spring just to, well, have a BP/W..... can not tell the difference in the 2, diving wise.........The Scout would be less ie 200 bucks vs ?250+(think I paid 245 for my BP/W from see below link)

Wings (http://caveadventurers.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2&zenid=eeccb992723c6e57f57a54746c6b24d9)

[Reg Braithwaite]

I love single tank warm water diving with my steel BP and single tank wing. prior to this setup I had a DiveRite TransPac and wing, I loved that as well but prefer the simplicity of a plate along with the fact that it takes weight off my waist.

[crowleyW]

same here. almost only warm water diving with al plate/w changed to it straight after OW and havent been looking back

[Jim Baldwin]

Looking for first BC and thought about going BP/W even though I would be diving recreationally mostly warm water, single tank. Make more sense to go with a Back inflate BC (Knighthawk, Zeagle,...)?


I've got three BP/W setups for single tank diving and one for diving doubles. Three I keep in Cozumel so that I don't have to pack gear back and forth. When I'm teaching I use a Knighthawk that I modified adding a SS backplate and two inch webbing eliminating all the plastic parts.

Nothing breaks and it's ideal when I have a large student that a regular BCD won't fit.

[kathydee]

I did 40 dives in my back inflate Ladyhawk before I tried a BP & W - in one dive I made the decision to never return to the Ladyhawk!

I love the stability and simplicity of the BP & W. Also it takes less lead to dive it. Immediately I appreciated less clutter in my vision.

Try one out - I bet you love it ;-)!

[tc_rain]

I use the BP/W for warm water. It also packs better then a BCD.

[HenrikBP]

My experience with regular BCs is limited to my OW class and one dive trip (~16 dives). Bought a DSS back plate and Oxycheq wing and have no regrets. I started diving locally this year (cold water + dry suit) but have done 2 warm water trips since getting my BP/W and have no problem with the set-up as far as packing, traveling, getting in and out etc.

For travel I would like a DSS Kydex plate, but my SS plate is just fine.

Henrik

[vondo]

Be sure to check out the Oxy Mach V 18#. Below compared to the 30#. Mounted and depending on your cylinder, it could be slightly leaas than 18.

I use it in the summer with steel 100 and aluminum plate. Perfect.
Steel plate and steel tanks the small wings are probably undersized.

Thanks. Those pictures are quite helpful and Oxycheq is one of the things I'm window shopping. The newer ones at least have a roll control (no STA). But part of my problem is the Golem backplate I have seems to have the less common spacing between cam bands.

[Nemrod]

The problem with wings and back inflates in general in warm water diving with the typical aluminum rental 80 is they face plant you if you put air in them. To prevent it from face planting you have to dump volume until you are about nose level. Weight, what weight?

At least one captain has complained about the all black gear and my floating so low he could not spot me on a drift, being as he did not want to run over me or other passing boats.

I may, after all of these years, get me my very own poodle jacket. The probably 98 plus % of divers who use them cannot be all wrong, maybe. Change I can believe in.

N

[Reg Braithwaite]

The problem with wings and back inflates in general in warm water diving with the typical aluminum rental 80 is they face plant you if you put air in them. To prevent it from face planting you have to dump volume until you are about nose level.

I must be doing it wrong. I fully inflate it and lean back. I float on my back like I'm on a comfortable raft, even in heaving seas. Sweeeeeet...

[DESIGNERDIVER]

Looking for first BC and thought about going BP/W even though I would be diving recreationally mostly warm water, single tank. Make more sense to go with a Back inflate BC (Knighthawk, Zeagle,...)?
I am a new diver and of course during the training course I used a vest style. But with only 12 dives under my belt I use a bp/wing set up. It was highly reccomended and I can see why. My trim was instantly better and it was much more comfortable than a vest style BC

[DESIGNERDIVER]

The problem with wings and back inflates in general in warm water diving with the typical aluminum rental 80 is they face plant you if you put air in them. To prevent it from face planting you have to dump volume until you are about nose level. Weight, what weight?


N
this happened to me as well but as you get more experienced using it you learn to compensate

[petemoss]

I must be doing it wrong also. I have the same "problem" as Reg Braithwaite

[parzdiver]

I must be doing it wrong. I fully inflate it and lean back. I float on my back like I'm on a comfortable raft, even in heaving seas. Sweeeeeet...


I must be doing it wrong also. I have the same "problem" as Reg Braithwaite

Ditto.

[Nemrod]

this happened to me as well but as you get more experienced using it you learn to compensate


That is nice, I guess if I have not figured it out in the last 44 years I never will. The point is you have to do something, lean back, paddle your hands, cycle your feet, whistle Dixie, instead of nicely floating upright, relaxing, bobbing like a cork, head high and dry and able to swivel 360 degrees, converse, whatever. What if you don't want to lean back?

The answer to the OPs question, I use a BP/wing or nothing until I can afford to upgrade to my new poodle jacket, then I am going to use that for casual diving, maybe. Nice pockets, places to put things, weight integration :cool2:.

N

[dkktsunami]

BP/W with long hose in warm open water. I have made the entire trip from poodle jacket, to back inflate, to "comfort deluxe harness", to hog rig with stainless plate. I will never go back. And to avoid "face plant" use less air in bc and lean back like riding down a river with your butt in an inner tube. A full wing will push you forward.

[GLENFWB]

My first BC was a Zeagle Brigade. I liked it a lot and still have it for a backup. But, I use a BP/W now for all recreational dives.

[DESIGNERDIVER]

That is nice, I guess if I have not figured it out in the last 44 years I never will. The point is you have to do something, lean back, paddle your hands, cycle your feet, whistle Dixie, instead of nicely floating upright, relaxing, bobbing like a cork, head high and dry and able to swivel 360 degrees, converse, whatever. What if you don't want to lean back?

The answer to the OPs question, I use a BP/wing or nothing until I can afford to upgrade to my new poodle jacket, then I am going to use that for casual diving, maybe. Nice pockets, places to put things, weight integration :cool2:.

N
well my halcyon can have pockets added and I already have weight integration...........if I needed a weight belt I wouldnt use it

[LetterBoy]

That is nice, I guess if I have not figured it out in the last 44 years I never will. The point is you have to do something, lean back, paddle your hands, cycle your feet, whistle Dixie, instead of nicely floating upright, relaxing, bobbing like a cork, head high and dry and able to swivel 360 degrees, converse, whatever. What if you don't want to lean back?

The answer to the OPs question, I use a BP/wing or nothing until I can afford to upgrade to my new poodle jacket, then I am going to use that for casual diving, maybe. Nice pockets, places to put things, weight integration :cool2:.

N

what if, what if, what if. . . . what if the world stopped spinning?

I am with DesignerDiver, I love my BP/W and have no problem floating on the surface, it is much more comfortable to float with a slight backwards lean then with a poodle jacket squeezing you so it doesn't ride up while it holds you upright in the water.

[rongoodman]

I got my BP/W as soon as I finished OW--haven't looked at a jacket since. I'm doing 2-3 warm water trips a year now, and the system packs and travels well, can light included. What's not to like?

[TSandM]

I use a DSS Kydex plate and a 17 lb wing in the tropics with a 5 mil wetsuit. It's unbelievably streamlined and venting is trivial. I use weight pouches on the cambands for the 10 lbs I need with that arrangement, and I balance beautifully (this is with Jets; with less negative fins, I'd move some of that weight onto a belt).

With a dry suit, I use my SS plate and 30 lb wing, because I need considerably more weight (and I'm using a dry suit more and more in warm water, because it's so nice to END the dive warm!)

I don't know where the thing about being pushed forward comes from. Sometimes people say it's from overinflating the wing, but I generally inflate my wing until the OPV pops on the surface, and I don't get pushed forward. I can float upright without kicking, and I can lie back. The only time I couldn't do those things was in cave filled 95s, and then I wanted to lie on my back all the time.

[LetterBoy]

I use a DSS Kydex plate and a 17 lb wing in the tropics with a 5 mil wetsuit. It's unbelievably streamlined and venting is trivial. I use weight pouches on the cambands for the 10 lbs I need with that arrangement, and I balance beautifully (this is with Jets; with less negative fins, I'd move some of that weight onto a belt).

With a dry suit, I use my SS plate and 30 lb wing, because I need considerably more weight (and I'm using a dry suit more and more in warm water, because it's so nice to END the dive warm!)

I don't know where the thing about being pushed forward comes from. Sometimes people say it's from overinflating the wing, but I generally inflate my wing until the OPV pops on the surface, and I don't get pushed forward. I can float upright without kicking, and I can lie back. The only time I couldn't do those things was in cave filled 95s, and then I wanted to lie on my back all the time.

Thats because you know what you are doing in your BP/W and are a decent diver . . .

[Gombessa]

Ditto.

Ditto here as well.


I don't know where the thing about being pushed forward comes from. Sometimes people say it's from overinflating the wing, but I generally inflate my wing until the OPV pops on the surface, and I don't get pushed forward. I can float upright without kicking, and I can lie back.

From personal experience, I think this comes from some combination of having too large a wing and being massively overweighted. It seems tropical dive ops sometimes hand divers a huge weight belt, maybe 5-10lb overweighted, and when you wear that belt low, combined with a big float of a wing, you can get tipped over face-down.

However, of those I know who dive regularly and pay attention to their weighting and balanced rigs, I don't recall ever hearing about getting face-planted at the surface.

[fnfalman]

I dive BPW single tank rec diving. Not warm water though.

Oh yeah, a fully inflated wing either in the hard plate version or the Dive Rite Transpac soft plate version will not put my face in the water.

[dumpsterDiver]

Nemrod and I are the only people here who don't know how to dive, dive over weighted and consequently are vunerable to the tendancy for a BPW to invert the diver face down. You would think that with over 80 years of combined diving expereince we would have picked up the basic skills... :shakehead::shakehead:

"Leaning back" into a BC is fine if you want to fight the bouyancy, but I don't find it relaxing.

It is not a huge issue, unless you spend a lot of time bobbing at the surface in less than calm conditions, waiting for the boat to find you. Unfortunately, that describes my diving sometimes.

In any regard, a BC is designed primarily to compensate for suit compression and the reduction in mass of the tank as it empties. Both of these factores tend to be relatively minor when warm water diving, so just about any well fitting BC should work pretty well under these conditions.

[The Kraken]

We do, there's nothing better in our opinions . . .

the K and YAF

[Mayor]

If you become a good diver then anything will work but a BP/W gives you options for all kinds of diving. Options are always a good thing! :D

[halocline]

That is nice, I guess if I have not figured it out in the last 44 years I never will.

I don't know, it took me slightly less than 44 years to figure out how to float comfortably in a BP/W. Maybe 44 seconds?

Besides, I'd still use the BP/W even if the face planting bit were true. I use gear that I like for actual diving, not floating between dives. I can get an air mattress for that. ;)

[Gombessa]

Nemrod and I are the only people here who don't know how to dive, dive over weighted and consequently are vunerable to the tendancy for a BPW to invert the diver face down. You would think that with over 80 years of combined diving expereince we would have picked up the basic skills... :shakehead::shakehead:

My thought is that there's either something weird with you and Nem's gear, or your physiques, or perhaps you're more sensitive to this phenomenon than most others. Or perhaps the above is affecting the rest of us :)

Considering that the vast majority of regular BP/W users here don't seem to have that problem, I just feel it's unfair to say in a general sense that "The problem with wings and back inflates in general in warm water diving with the typical aluminum rental 80 is they face plant you if you put air in them." If the phrasing used were "Some people have found that..." or "For me personally..." I wouldn't have mentioned anything.

[FireInMyBones]

I love using my single BP/W for rec diving. Even when not diving "tech" I dive "tech."

[CompuDude]

bp/w for cold water, warm water and everything in between.

Never really hated the jacket BC (it was all I could rent for decades, anyway), but when I finally got sick of rental BCs (funny how often they'd screw that up) and bought my own, I can't say how happy I am I went with a bp/w instead of KnightHawk.

[dumpsterDiver]

My thought is that there's either something weird with you and Nem's gear, or your physiques, or perhaps you're more sensitive to this phenomenon than most others. Or perhaps the above is affecting the rest of us :)

Considering that the vast majority of regular BP/W users here don't seem to have that problem, I just feel it's unfair to say in a general sense that "The problem with wings and back inflates in general in warm water diving with the typical aluminum rental 80 is they face plant you if you put air in them." If the phrasing used were "Some people have found that..." or "For me personally..." I wouldn't have mentioned anything.

You know, statistics PROVE that, most alchoholics believe that they don't have a drinking problem. Similarly, if the BP/W users perceived a significant problem, they would stop using them.

The wing tends to float to the top and consequently, when my body is relaxed, this tends to push my body in the face down position, both underwater and at the surface.

I should be able to draw some force vectors and sketch in the center of gravity and bouyancy and even calculate torque generated by these forces by a typical diver wearing lead on the front of their waist or sides and with all the bouyancy behind them and on their back. But it has been a while since I tried to do that and i would probably make a mistake.

Perhaps it is not that Nemrod and I are weird, but perhaps the BPW users have a different weight/ bouyancy distribution that affects their attitude in the water? Maybe THEY are full of "hot air" and we all know how much that can affect bouyancy.

[LetterBoy]

You know, statistics PROVE that, most alchoholics believe that they don't have a drinking problem. Similarly, if the BP/W users perceived a significant problem, they would stop using them.

The wing tends to float to the top and consequently, when my body is relaxed, this tends to push my body in the face down position, both underwater and at the surface.

I should be able to draw some force vectors and sketch in the center of gravity and bouyancy and even calculate torque generated by these forces by a typical diver wearing lead on the front of their waist or sides and with all the bouyancy behind them and on their back. But it has been a while since I tried to do that and i would probably make a mistake.

Perhaps it is not that Nemrod and I are weird, but perhaps the BPW users have a different weight/ bouyancy distribution that affects their attitude in the water? Maybe THEY are full of "hot air" and we all know how much that can affect bouyancy.

or it could be that BP/W divers are by far superior to you poodle jacket wearers . . .


:landmine:

[Gombessa]

You know, statistics PROVE that, most alchoholics believe that they don't have a drinking problem.

Same argument holds for most people who believe BP/Ws dump everyone on their faces :)


Similarly, if the BP/W users perceived a significant problem, they would stop using them.

And from your own testimonial, if it even exists, it's still not a big issue.


Maybe THEY are full of "hot air" and we all know how much that can affect bouyancy.

I'm not trying to attack anyone here, my "weird" comment was in jest (apologies if you were offended by it). I'm just pointing out that what you yourself are taking as a minority view doesn't seem to justify a claim that a bp/w generally does something that the rest of us don't encounter. Please don't take it as an affront to your experience or skill.

[dumpsterDiver]

I try hard to equate BPW users to alcholics, then say they are full of hot air and you still don't recognize my attempt at humor, oh well. ;)

[ImUrPropofol]

I started with a jacket style BC because that's what my instructor used and sold. Never really loved it, always felt the fit was off and felt crushed by it at times when lots of air in the bladder. Switched to a bp/w setup last year and really like it. The fit is always custom, so you can't go wrong, and the wing provides buoyancy without restricting respiratory effort. I won't go back to the jacket.

[Gombessa]

I try hard to equate BPW users to alcholics, then say they are full of hot air and you still don't recognize my attempt at humor, oh well. ;)

Sorry, sometimes I'm dense. The ;) a little earlier could have helped :)

[Mayor]

:popcorn:

[LetterBoy]

so on a contributing note, If we stopped innovating and changing how we did things, how would Al Gore ever have invented the internet?

[ae3753]

Looking for first BC and thought about going BP/W even though I would be diving recreationally mostly warm water, single tank. Make more sense to go with a Back inflate BC (Knighthawk, Zeagle,...)?

A BP/W is a type of back inflate BC, and is suitable for warm water, single tank diving.

Because a BP/W has less bulk and is more streamlined than the Knighthawk or Zeagle Ranger, it's generally a more liberating way to dive, especially in warm water.

As others mentioned, it's important to select an appropriately sized wing. For warm water diving, a 30# wing or smaller is what you'll be looking for.

Enjoy the search, and don't be too quick to buy :)

[Hatul]

In spite of what you'll read here only a small percentage of recreational divers use the BP/W, even in the cold water of California. On a dive boat occasionally you'll see diver using this.

Adam

[ONESPEED]

In spite of what you'll read here only a small percentage of recreational divers use the BP/W, even in the cold water of California. On a dive boat occasionally you'll see diver using this.

Adam

Doesn't make it a bad system, just a system most recreational divers aren't trained on or exposed to.

McDonalds sells a tonload of burgers, they still suck. Sheer numbers hardly equate to a superior product.

[wardric]

If I use a BP/W with the Transplate harness, does that make me a stroke?

:popcorn:

[fnfalman]

Most divers can't afford to buy their own gears. Very few places rent out BPW, so guess what these divers end up using?

[ScubaSteve]

Doesn't make it a bad system, just a system most recreational divers aren't trained on or exposed to.


That is the million dollar point right there IMO (cheques in the mail ;)). I got certified OW, started diving with rental equipment and shopped between two LDS' and ebay for my first gear purchases. I was not introduced to BP/W until joining ScubaBoard and while I do not regret the purchases I made, I think I would have been better served having ALL options available to me for the first purchase.

[ScubaSteve]

If I use a BP/W with the Transplate harness, does that make me a stroke?

:popcorn:


No

The fact that you are a stroke makes you a stroke

:popcorn:

[CompuDude]

In spite of what you'll read here only a small percentage of recreational divers use the BP/W, even in the cold water of California. On a dive boat occasionally you'll see diver using this.

We must frequent different boats. I see them all the time. Some boats, bp/w's far outnumber BC's, other times it's the reverse. There's almost always at least a couple on a boat with 10 or more divers, though.

[wardric]

No

The fact that you are a stroke makes you a stroke

:popcorn:

lol, I prefer to be called dork ;)

I've been using a standard BC since I started diving in 1993. I have all the BP/W gear except the harness and still am not sure about which harness to use

[ScubaSteve]

lol, I prefer to be called dork ;)

I've been using a standard BC since I started diving in 1993. I have all the BP/W gear except the harness and still am not sure about which harness to use


I have 350 or so dives on my jacket style BC and have my buoyancy down and my trim is good. I have enjoyed every single dive so I have no regrets with what I have. I have a singles wing and a doubles wing but like you, do not have a harness. I have everything including the harness material but do not want to complete it until I have my new drysuit which hopefully is coming in the next couple of months. While I am looking forward to the wing(s) and I have enjoyed all my jacket dives......it would have been better if I had known about all my options in the first place

[wardric]

I have 350 or so dives on my jacket style BC and have my buoyancy down and my trim is good. I have enjoyed every single dive so I have no regrets with what I have. I have a singles wing and a doubles wing but like you, do not have a harness. I have everything including the harness material but do not want to complete it until I have my new drysuit which hopefully is coming in the next couple of months. While I am looking forward to the wing(s) and I have enjoyed all my jacket dives......it would have been better if I had known about all my options in the first place

That's pretty much my story except I already have my drysuit :D

[meagicano]

I'm a recreational diver, just started this summer. My instructor (turned mentor when the course was done) wore a bp/w while we were diving and after I finished up the OW checkouts I did one dive in a jacket before telling him I wanted to try the bp/w.

Of course, I don't necessarily call the St. Lawrence or the quarries around here overly warm - I am wearing 7mm (minimum) of neoprene!

I was attracted to the bp/w set up because I am a busty girl. And to be completely honest, the less "stuff" I have there, the more comfortable I am. I also wasn't a big fan of the squeezing that went on with the poodle jacket and while I had looked at the back inflate BC's, the fact I had been exposed to the bp/w from Dive #1 and I liked how flexible it was made my decision really easy. Plus with the SS plate I don't need to worry about any extra weight to haul around. I don't think it's a big deal as I prefer to dive how I want to dive, but I have had other people with a bit more experience quiz me about diving bp/w as a new diver.
Some people act like I'm making a huge statement or that it's too technical - when really, it does the job.

Also, I've never experienced the face plant, either underwater or on a surface swim! Next time I get out (aka when the ice thaws) I'm going to experiment. LOL.

[CardShark]

Rented a jacket-style for the first 4 post-OW cert dives, then bought a ( back-inflate ) Ranger. Dove that for a year, then bought an Al BP/W.
To me, the BP/W packs smaller, dries faster, fits better, is more stable, more versatile, more durable, and is less confining.
I dive that one BP/W now for cold / ice / warm, single tank ( just add cambands, maybe change the wing ) and doubles. Not sorry to have tried the cummerbunders as that gave me first-hand experience with them, just glad to have found the right BC for me.

[dumpsterDiver]

I'm a recreational diver, just started this summer. My instructor (turned mentor when the course was done) wore a bp/w while we were diving and after I finished up the OW checkouts I did one dive in a jacket before telling him I wanted to try the bp/w.

Of course, I don't necessarily call the St. Lawrence or the quarries around here overly warm - I am wearing 7mm (minimum) of neoprene!

I was attracted to the bp/w set up because I am a busty girl. And to be completely honest, the less "stuff" I have there, the more comfortable I am. I also wasn't a big fan of the squeezing that went on with the poodle jacket and while I had looked at the back inflate BC's, the fact I had been exposed to the bp/w from Dive #1 and I liked how flexible it was made my decision really easy. Plus with the SS plate I don't need to worry about any extra weight to haul around. I don't think it's a big deal as I prefer to dive how I want to dive, but I have had other people with a bit more experience quiz me about diving bp/w as a new diver.
Some people act like I'm making a huge statement or that it's too technical - when really, it does the job.

Also, I've never experienced the face plant, either underwater or on a surface swim! Next time I get out (aka when the ice thaws) I'm going to experiment. LOL.

Certain individuals, have "unique" body mass distributions which result in bouyancy being generated in locations that tend to offset the rear floatation of the wings.:eyebrow::eyebrow:

[WVMike]

I do, all the time.

[Splitlip]

We must frequent different boats. I see them all the time. Some boats, bp/w's far outnumber BC's, other times it's the reverse. There's almost always at least a couple on a boat with 10 or more divers, though.

In SoFla, seeing a BPW on most common charters is still relatively rare. Certainly in Cave Country that is not the case.

I still get a kick out of people who ask me about mine. I started using mine for weight distribution. Plenty of divers on this board I have met whom I consider better divers than I who dive jackets or just recently started playing with BPW's.

If you check out Spearboard (I only follow the local forum) those folks predominantly dive jackets and back inflates. Granted, we don't have the exposure considerations most of the world does.

Starting to see more for sure however.

My local LDS is now a Halcyon dealer and the staff is running through the GUE and tech certs so I expect changes.

[CompuDude]

In SoFla, seeing a BPW on most common charters is still relatively rare. Certainly in Cave Country that is not the case.

I still get a kick out of people who ask me about mine. I started using mine for weight distribution. Plenty of divers on this board I have met whom I consider better divers than I who dive jackets or just recently started playing with BPW's.

If you check out Spearboard (I only follow the local forum) those folks predominantly dive jackets and back inflates. Granted, we don't have the exposure considerations most of the world does.

Starting to see more for sure however.

My local LDS is now a Halcyon dealer and the staff is running through the GUE and tech certs so I expect changes.

I would expect this more from SoFla than SoCal. The poster I was responding to is from SoCal, same as me.

I get what you're saying, however.

[kanonfodr]

I dive in Hawaii (I wouldn't call it "warm", simply not as cold) with a DSS SS BP/W, Torus 26# wing, and steel LP95 tanks. I use no weight with my 3mm wetsuit, gloves, and boots with Hollis F1 Fins. If I am using an AL80, I have a weight belt ready to go with 4 lbs of lead on it.

I personally love the feeling of freedom the BP/W gives me in my diving, I only thought I had experienced it with the SeaQuest and Knighthawk BCs that my LDS was renting.

Oh yes, it's also been a long time since I have experienced the faceplanting of my rig, after a while you eventually get it.

Peace,
Greg

[drbill]

BP/W of the aluminum type are great to travel with, but SS are a bit heavy given airline baggage restrictions. I prefer to travel with a harness (similar to the DiveRite Transpac) and wing myself as the harness can be compacted more easily. I also find it more stable than a BP/W at least for me.