First BCD

[svannoni]

Hello all,
My wife and I just got back from vacation were we took a resort course scuba dive. We loved it. I now want to get certified. I have been reading on SB for a while and think I want to purchase my dive gear before the class so I can learn in my own gear. I know you all are going to say go to the LDS and try them before you buy, but in southern Iowa there is not much option for that. I have been looking zeagle escape and Beuchat Masterlift TEK. The latter of the two does not seem to be very popular but seems to have alot of desirable features as I progress in diving. Any thoughts are welcome.
Thanks,
Steve

[IceBergSlim]

The more "features" it has the less you want it.

[rstofer]

Well, you have posted to the backplate/wing (BP/W) capital of the world! Right here on SB. You might find that BC recommendations are outnumbered about 20:1 by BP/Ws.

Before anyone can say anything about what kind of equipment may be reasonable, you need to describe where you want to dive. If you are doing cold water then there is some variation between wetsuit and drysuit diving. If you are just going to do resort dives, the equipment needs are less demanding.

It seems both have adequate lift for wetsuit diving but I can't say anything about drysuit. Either will work for warm water diving.

However, I'm not a fan of integrated weights. It's really a matter of age and a trashed back. My tank, regulator and BP/W weigh about 50#. If I were to add my lead to the rig, it would be 70#. I DO NOT want to try to lift 70#. Now, it's true that you can don the BC and then insert the weight pockets, and that is probably the right way to do it, but I'm just not convinced.

OK, here it is: Decide what kind of diving you want to do. Warm, cold, drysuit, wetsuit and just call Tobin at Deep Sea Supply. He can help you pick a BP/W that will be a lot more comfortable and a lot less bulky.

There are alternatives for carrying weights. Personally, I use a DUI Weight & Trim Classic harness. Since I dive in cold water with a wetsuit, it would be nice if a) my rig could float itself without the buoyancy of my wetsuit and b) I can float while wearing my weight harness without my BP/W. Soi, it's a matter of getting the right amount of weight in the right place. Oh, and I want to keep the BP/W weight down to something reasonable. My 30# wing won't float 20# of lead, a 5# backplate and a tank that is 11# negative when full. My wetsuit probably has something like 25# of initial buoyancy and I only wear 20# of weight in the harness. Everything sort of works.

You have the right idea about buying your gear ahead of time. You will, however, make no friends with your local dive shop (LDS) when they find out there is nothing for them to sell. Selling classes doesn't keep the doors open. Selling overpriced dive gear does that.

In terms of the OW class, I would avoid the friction by a) taking the class from a shop I never intend to revisit and b) using rental gear. That way when I have the OW cert and show up at the shop I really intend to use with a full bag of gear, they don't have anything to say. I would already be a trained diver and expected to have my gear. This thing gets very predatory. Really ugly! YMMV but don't count on it!

Another approach is to do the confined water dives locally with rental gear, buy your gear and travel somewhere warm for the open water portion. Or just take the whole program somewhere warm. Warm is good...

Richard

[Matt S.]

If you want to buy your gear, I say go ahead... just accept now that you will end up changing your mind about some things, and buying replacements. No matter how carefully you plan, once you start diving you will learn things and some of your carefully researched decisions will fall apart.

Been there, done that, and I would do it again. The benefits of having my own gear right away easily outweighed the few hundred bucks that I lost by not buying exactly the right stuff the first time.

For example, I went from a Zeagle Ranger BCD to a backplate/wing system.

The comments above about upsetting your dive shop by buying elsewhere are spot on. It's something you will have to deal with--and when the price difference is large, it's a tough situation.

If you do decide on a bp/w system, your shop may be or be able to become a DSS dealer. That would let them sell you the stuff at about the same price as you could get it for direct, but they keep the profit.

[svannoni]

For now I just plan on diving in warm water. I may later start diving more locally in what is considered temperate water. Dry suits are not really in the future for me. The two bc are really close to one another. The Beuchat does have more lift and a few more d rings. It also has individual handles for dropping weight for each side instead of the one ripcord system. That maybe good and bad I guess. Good is it would be more of a controlled rapid ascent bad is I will have two handles to try to think about in a troubled situation.

[The Kraken]

Well, if you elect to take the B/C route, may I suggest a back inflate with as few straps, latches, and catches on it as possible. All they do is occupy space and confuse you when you go to locate something.

the K

[MSilvia]

The Beuchat does have more lift and a few more d rings.

More lift is not necessarily a good thing. You want the right amount, not too much, not too little. For a warm water recreational diver, anything more than 35# of lift is probably excessive at worst, and unnecessary at best. Extra lift means extra fabric, which means extra drag, which means extra work, which means harder breathing, which means less bottom time.

For what it's worth, I do some pretty gear-intensive dives, and I only have one D-ring on each shoulder, one on my left hip, and one on my crotch strap. I can't see needing more than four unless you're doing something pretty unusual, or if you want to look like (and have the drag of) a decorated Christmas tree.

Good is it would be more of a controlled rapid ascent bad is I will have two handles to try to think about in a troubled situation.

You shouldn't ever ditch weight at depth, so your ascent shouldn't be effected by your weight pockets unless they fail.

[svannoni]

I do know dropping weight is not for normal ascents. The only reason to ditch weights I understand is if there is a problem suck as the bc won't inflate and you can't ascend for some reason normally. That is why I thought being able to drop the weight individually would be better then just dumping it all at once and riding the rocket to the top. My thoughts about the higher lift ability is what if my dive buddy has problems and cant ascend. will #35 lbs lift be enough to help them to the surface?

[RAWalker]

I do know dropping weight is not for normal ascents. The only reason to ditch weights I understand is if there is a problem suck as the bc won't inflate and you can't ascend for some reason normally. That is why I thought being able to drop the weight individually would be better then just dumping it all at once and riding the rocket to the top. My thoughts about the higher lift ability is what if my dive buddy has problems and cant ascend. will #35 lbs lift be enough to help them to the surface?

Your thought process is working in the correct direction.
Being able to partially dump weight is of benefit if it starts you moving to the surface with less weight dumped you may be able to keep your accent speed to a more reasonable rate.
As for lift you are thinking like a concerned divebuddy. I applaude you. Under tropical conditions with minimal added weight and using AL80 tanks 30# of lift should allow you to swim a disabled buddy with a bladder failure to the surface.
In cold water with more weight or with heavier tanks this may not be the case.
Their are some jacket BCD with higher lift capacity but as others have noted it is a trade off with drag.
My experience has lead me to a more streamlined BP&W with 30# wing as my primary singles rig but I also have a 45# wing and a Hybrid Backinflator Jacket BCD with 45# lift capacity. My needs are based on tropical trips but cold water local diving. Your mileage may vary.

[shoturtle]

Just remember you need to be comfortable in the gear, or it will not sever you right. The zeagle is a good bc. There are more user of the Beuchat in Europe. Just remember on SB the bp/w crew is allot louder about the gear then any other group. My suggestion try the BC out in a pool if you can.