BP/W For a younger one?

Hello,

Christmas is coming up and my brother has been wanting a BP/W. I personally do not have one but I have a back inflate but he is using a jacket style BC. He is 15,weighs around 140-150lbs and is 5'9''. I heard that BP/W setups are relatively inexpensive thats why I was looking into getting him one. Would you think this would work for him? What setups could you reccomend?

The thing that confuses me about these setups is how do you attach the wing and what do you do about weighting?

Thanks,

Jake

give him your back inflate and buy this today before the pricing goes back up
DRIS Dive Gear 28lb BP/W System - Dive Right In Scuba - Plainfield, IL
he'll fit in it, we have girls smaller than him in ours every day. the wing is attached via the cam bands or a single tank adapter depending on the plate and wing. if you have the cash now buy that because that sale won't last after today and we'll link some videos for setup later

Jake, Absolutely!
A BP/W is great for growing teen divers. It's one of the few BCD systems that can grow easily with the diver as the diver grows physically. The wing & back plate stay the same over the years as the diver grows by replacing a few feet of webbing as needed which is inexpensive. As opposed to purchasing a BCD in a different size every few years. And in terms of diver growth (not in size), as their skills and interests in diving expand, the BP/W will adapt to that as well.
There are also a few BP/W-type soft plate styles (mostly created for travel) that are just as adaptable.

The wing stays in place by running the camstraps through the designated slots into the slots of the backplate and then back out. The wing is wedged between the tank and the backplate.

Weights systems vary. There are weighbelts and weight harnesses. There are also pockets/weight systems that can be added to the webbing which have quick release mechanisms or velcro.

Consider the Zeagle Express Tech which has optional weight pockets and fits everyone from teensy to jumbo and is affordably priced. The above set-up linked in the previous post may also be a good value. I recommend checking out several manufacturer's sites like Zeagle, Dive Rite, HOG, and DSS. for more information on the various systems to decide what will work for your brother. Then search LDS's and on-line LDS for pricing. Don't hesitate to ask your local LDS if they can value match what you find on-line with fair pricing and service.

Good luck and let us know what you choose and why...and how your brother likes diving it.

As already said, a backplate and simple harness is ideal for someone whose body size and shape is likely to change, because it is infinitely adjustable.

Wings attach in different ways. Some have a rubber nut; some use wingnuts, some are simply stabilized by the cambands. It depends on the manufacturer.

Weighting can be done a lot of ways. Weight belts, weight harnesses, weight pockets for the waistband, weight pockets on the cambands are all solutions, and some of us use more than one.