Buddy Dive Rentals - BCD's weight integrated, or will i need a weight belt?

[NY Knight]

Anyone rented equipment from Buddy Dive lately? Just wondering if they have any weight-integrated BCD's. I HATE belts, but will use one if I have to….

 

[Lorenzoid]

Have you asked Buddy Dive? Are they not responding to your email?

 

[NY Knight]

I have, they are… I just didn't like the answer and was hoping the response was from a front desk clerk who didn't really know the right answer, which is they have awesome well-balanced BCDs with perfect weight integration, NOT that I have to squeeze myself into a weight belt every morning and that I'll then spend the rest of the dive trying to adjust my trim to compensate for the poor job I did placing the weights on the belt, flailing helplessly as I list to starboard. That's the WRONG answer.

 

[wwguy]

I used to work part-time in a dive shop where I was instructing. The owner was also a close friend, which resulted in some interesting and insightful discussions on the ins and outs of running a shop. For instance I observed that many renters of dive gear think the rental rates are overpriced and will go out of their way to drive across town to rent from another shop if their rates are cheaper. This usually occurs without comparison or inspection of the actual rental equipment models and features at either shop. Yet surprisingly many renters generally abuse and neglect the gear when renting it. Granted this is mostly out of ignorance, but I can't count the times that I saw regulators being carried with second stages dragging on the ground, or regulators being tossed into rinse tanks with dust caps removed etc. To counter this, and to reduce losses, most dive shops stock their rental inventory with the toughest, simplest, most inexpensive, and serviceable gear they can find.

Thus I believe that it's generally not realistic to expect advanced features and/or exceptional fit and comfort from rental gear, especially for a high volume operation like Buddy Dive. There's just not much profit in it for the dive shop. That's the main reason many people purchase their own gear, even when they don't dive frequently enough to justify the purchase expense vs. rental rates.

Just my two cents. I hope you find something that meets your expectations and contributes towards a great dive trip.

 

[DaveA]

Last year, my wife and I arrived on a Saturday in BON and my dive gear got to there the following Wednesday (thanks United). We stayed at Buddy, so they let me borrow a set of rental gear until mine arrived. It was a jacket style that required a wt belt. It was serviceable but not great. The thing i missed most was my fins aand hard sole booties!

Dave

 

[Doctorfish]

Very unusual for a Caribbean dive op to use integrated weight BCs as rentals.
Almost all would use a basic jacket style with a belt.
Buddy Dive will give you weights for the entire week so once you set them up on the belt the way you like them, should be no problem for the rest of the stay there.

The alternative is to buy a BC

 

[wildbill9]

Travel bc!!! Nuff said...light weight and you are used to the equipment and you know its care level. JMHO. Bill

 

[hroark2112]

7 posts and no one has said "OMG buy a backplate & wing!!!"

This might be a record!

 

[NY Knight]

Thanks for the responses and tips, all. WWGuy -- I'm sure you're right, and that's the thought behind this policy, but I've gotten spoiled over the last couple of years. I do most of my diving on my quarterly visits to Florida, and have somehow gotten lucky several times recently -- I've been able to rent weight-integrated BC's, and I am SO sold on them.

Yeah, yeah, gimme time, I'll buy one eventually. But I just shelled out a wad of dough for a great reg for the trip to Bonaire, so no other big-ticket items for THIS trip. Hopefully by the NEXT one!

Quick question for the (hopefully not too distant) future: Does one sacrifice much with a travel BC? Compared to the rentals I'm used to, i probably wouldn't notice, but curious about y'all's experiences.

 

[wwguy]

Quick question for the (hopefully not too distant) future: Does one sacrifice much with a travel BC? Compared to the rentals I'm used to, i probably wouldn't notice, but curious about y'all's experiences.

For your diving style (occasional diving during travel to warm water) you probably won't sacrifice anything if you buy the right travel BC. It's more likely that you'll be gaining something by having your own quality gear that you're familiar with and that always fits your body shape. My wife's only BC is her Seaquest travel BC. I choose to travel with a "normal" BC because I have it and I love it so I can't justify additional expense to shave a few pounds in my luggage.

The biggest difference between most "travel" and "normal" BC's is that the travel versions cut down on size and weight by using smaller bladders, smaller weight pockets, and reducing the number of d-rings etc. Some travel BC's, like Aqualung/Seaquest's Zuma were designed from the ground-up for compact travel and have some innovative features not found on traditional BCs. If you're only diving is warm water travel, then you'd probably enjoy one of these. If you dive in colder water, where more exposure protection, weight and gear are needed, you'll probably want a traditional BC that's also suitable for travel.