Is back inflation really 'all that'?

[The Chairman]

I have two essentials I need in a BC:

• Back Inflate
• Crotch Strap

Everything else secondary. My current favorites are the hybrid back inflates like the Zeagle Express Tech and the Dive Rite Hunter Pack. They're a cross between a BC and a BP&Wing.

Would you explain what you mean?

Times 2.

 

[Scuba Scott]

Would you explain what you mean? I dive BP/W and have a regular jacket style BCD, but have never used a back inflate BCD. Are you saying that the bladder in the back created more space between your body and the scuba tank? I wouldn't expect that, but rather that the bladder (much like a wing) would go around the tank.

The wing is between you and the tank. Empty, the tank rests on your back just like a jacket BC. At depth most people add a little air. The wing floats up away from your body and lifts the tank off of you. When adjusted just right feels like wearing nothing.

 

[Centrals]

I recently upgraded my 20 year old BCD that was falling apart at the seams to an aqualung axiom jacket style BCD that, compared to my old one, is like night and day and I enjoy it. It's very comfortable and does the job. That said, it was more of an impulse buy as my old one wasn't going to make another dive and I needed something quick, so I didn't do my research. Now I'm wondering if a back inflate would make a big difference under the water.

Forget about it and go DIVING and have a BLAST.

 

[Landau]

I have a an Aqualung Dimension, very similar to your axiom except it is back inflate. To me the main feature I like is the harness waist belt system is very comfortable for the long walks in gear needed on my local shore dives. It distributes the weight much better than others I have used and I believe yours is the same design.

I like the back inflate in the water but it doesn't seem as much a difference to me as others are seeing. They all pretty much disappear to me underwater.

 

[DevonDiver]

The wing is between you and the tank. Empty, the tank rests on your back just like a jacket BC. At depth most people add a little air. The wing floats up away from your body and lifts the tank off of you. When adjusted just right feels like wearing nothing.

The photo below shows a typical single tank wing (back inflate) design.

The design has a flat back section that attaches to a backplate. Surrounding that flat section is a donut shaped wing that envelopes the cylinder.

This is how it looks when rigged to the back plate and harness..

The harness is snug and held close, especially by the crotch strap. At no point does the cylinder move further from the body... if it did, the harness fit would change. In use, the fit doesn't ever change.

This photo shows the rig from side view..

and in use..

Just for clarification,at no point does a back inflate wing "lift the cylinder away from you for comfort".

 

[buddhasummer]

You can't unring a bell...if you like it, cool.

 

[jfe]

The biggest difference is in comfort IMHO. I hated the feeling of your ribs being compressed and you have to force your hands into the side pockets when inflated to get at something leaving it rather useless in actual fact when the jacket BC is inflated. But then I have been out of a jacket for some time now and all of us when in training and our first couple of dives are over weighted, over inflated.
If it fits and you feel comfortable, who can argue against it.

 

[UFOrb]

At depth most people add a little air.

Really? I haven't had a whole load of diving experience but I thought by being correctly weighted you should be neutrally buoyant without requiring any air in your BCD/wing? When I am correctly weighted, I only add air when I'm at the surface again, expelling any expanding air from the BC during the ascent.
So being correctly weighted is the key, but not necessarily easy to achieve, especially if like me you don't get to dive regularly and, to date, I've only used rental jacket BCDs...
I have just bought a back inflate for my next trip in May though
Btw, the Axiom was the BCD originally recommended to me by my LDC and apparently gets loads of good feedback.

 

[teknitroxdiver]

Really? I haven't had a whole load of diving experience but I thought by being correctly weighted you should be neutrally buoyant without requiring any air in your BCD/wing? I always get rid of all my air for the descent and if correctly weighted, only add air when I'm at the surface again, expelling any expanding air from the BC during the ascent.
So being correctly weighted is the key, but not necessarily easy to achieve, esp if you don't get to dive regularly like me...

You have to compensate for lost buoyancy from your exposure suit due to compression depth. This can be substantial with thicker wetsuits. And you also have to compensate for the buoyancy swing of your tank. That's about 6 pounds for an 80cf tank. So if you're neutral with no air in your BC at depth at the beginning of the dive, you could easily be 10 pounds or more underweighted at your safety stop at the end of the dive (nearly empty tank and suit no longer compressed at depth).

 

[UFOrb]

You have to compensate for lost buoyancy from your exposure suit due to compression depth. This can be substantial with thicker wetsuits. And you also have to compensate for the buoyancy swing of your tank. That's about 6 pounds for an 80cf tank. So if you're neutral with no air in your BC at depth at the beginning of the dive, you could easily be 10 pounds or more underweighted at your safety stop at the end of the dive (nearly empty tank and suit no longer compressed at depth).

Ok thanks, that makes sense. I've only dive warm waters in a rash guard only (on my last couple of trips) or 3mm shortie wet suit so far.