First Dive with BP/W...

[doctormike]

I do love a BP wing but if my drysuit didn't have pockets i would miss that 1 feature from a jacket BCD.

I never dive wet without something like this: Highland Neoprene Pocket Shorts - Dive Gear Express

 

[mblazer]

I have some of the same problems, thanks for mentioning this.

Can those weight pockets slide all the way to the front? How do you ditch them? Do you think the weight harness would fit a tall guy (6'6", 195cm)

Thanks,

Bill

Here's a link to the Seasoft harness, SEASOFT SEAWOLF? Weight Harness - Weights, and a quote from their description:

"The SEASOFT SEAWOLF™ Weight Harness is completely adjustable. It can be lengthened, shortened, and the weight pockets can be moved and positioned forward and backward on the 2" webbing waist belt." I can confirm the ability to fully adjust it in all directions, and yes, I do think it would fit you. The weights go in through the top zippered openings of the pockets, and are ditched by pulling on the release handle at the bottom.​

 

[Ayisha]

I do love a BP wing but if my drysuit didn't have pockets i would miss that 1 feature from a jacket BCD.

1 or 2 weight pockets can be threaded onto the harness webbing and used as regular pockets. Works well for me.

 

[fxrguy]

---------- Post added April 4th, 2013 at 10:49 PM ----------

I just bought a BP/W. Aluminum back-plate. Did my first dive with it last week.

I immediately thought, after jumping in the water, that I would never use a jacket style again. The difference in comfort and mobility was instantly apparent. My arms and chest were unencumbered. It took a lot less effort to move. It was so nice not having a bulky set of pockets or being squished by the bladder when I inflated. It even packs smaller in the dive bag.

I still need more experience with it to test out a few trim solutions, though of the five dives I did with it I did not make any changes from the suggestions made to me by my wing-experienced buddy.

Setting the webbing up for my body size on the boat was pretty easy given that I had some help from a guy who has been using a wing for years. The learning curve in the water was pretty fast too. I found the wing did not dump air as easily as my jacket BC (which has many dump valves) - I had to adjust my angle in the water a bit to get the air to stream out when horizontal - but, the air seemed to go out faster than my jacket BC, especially on the surface when I was still vertical.

During the dive I noticed that I added or released air way less than I did with the Jacket BC. Much less fuddling. It did not ride up as much as the Jacket and felt a lot more stable. The wing has two tank bands too so the tank felt more secure and I did not feel it moving at all.

There are no plastic clips on the wing or giant, plastic integrated weight pockets and there is a lot less fabric. Hence I think the wing is a lot less buoyant than the jacket BC I have.

I bought my current jacket BC in the tropics. When I was back home in Canada diving in the lake with my thick wet-suit I noticed that the jacket BC was a little too tight. I will not suffer this problem now for the wing will adjust easily no mater if naked or dressed for ice.

I did notice that I hang differently when floating on the surface but I just leaned back a bit and felt comfortable.

This is my third BC. The first jacket style BC I grew out of. The second I bought only recently and now regret not trying a wing sooner. Had I made my first BC a wing I could still be using it, I would have saved a lot of money and likely enjoyed my diving even more.

Consequently I can't imagine using a jacket BC anymore.

MT

Started diving back in the late 70's and picked up a At-Pak BC mostly because it was used and cheap. This was one of the predecessors of the current BP&W configurations that are so popular today. I dove with this rig for probably 10 years and absolutely loved the feeling of freedom and buoyancy trim it provided due to it's hog harness and weight integration as part of the back plate. I loved how I could descend to the bottom and adjust my trim so as to "just" start rising and then go horizontal and just pull myself along effortlessly. Didn't even need to kick unless I was in a hurry to keep up. I didn't seem to be able to do that with a jacket BC I think because of the weights being on my waist thereby pulling my torso down. After wearing out the bladder and webbing I choose to "upgrade" the unit with a comfort jacket with the weights integrated into dump pockets along my waist, nice comfy pads for the shoulder straps and a padded back plate you could lay your head on and take a nap. What a mistake! This creature bore no resemblance to what I had come to know and love in a BC. It was so buoyant that I felt like I was trying to dive with a semi truck tire wrapped around me. I had to use twice the weight as before. AT-Pak's in those days were considered unsafe and I was always reminded by some-know-it-all that I was indeed risking my life by using it. Well some 30+ years later I'm still here, still diving and still using a BP&W. It is good to see the BP&W BC's getting the recognition they deserve. I guess it is all about what you feel comfortable with while diving. There is nothing wrong with jacket BC's. They just aren't for me. Welcome and congrats on your good judgement...

 

[Mofous]

Bought a BP/W after my OW cert. Never looked back. Moving over to a set of doubles in the coming months.

 

[modustollens]

After reading some of the posts here and searching the web for information on some of the BC models mentioned I came across this interesting document about the history of BCs:

http://www.seavisions.biz/images/BCD.pdf

Interesting to see how much things have changed over the last 50 years.

MT

 

[dumpsterDiver]

The secret to backplates is the crotch strap Seriously, a snug crotch strap can make up for a harness that is a bit loose (although not one that is uneven).

that is one of the things I like the least about a BP/W.. the crotch strap.... BTW,, if you ad one to any BC, it will have a similar, stabilizing effect..

 

[RTee]

When I resumed diving, I initially dove a BCD for one year then purchased a set of double mounted on a SS BP/W. Shortly after, I elected to switch to a BP system for diving single tank locally and when travelling and opted for a Zeagle Express Tech which could accommodate both. The following year, my GF also switched to an Express Tech. Between the two of us, we have two BP with harness/crotch strap, a 30 lbs 360 bladder, a 35 lbs horseshoe bladder, 30lbs ripcord and 20 lbs zippouch integrated weight systems. We dive dry as well as wet (7mm single layer down to 3mm (5mm for her)) and use exclusively HP100 and HP117 singles for local diving. We are very satisfied with these single tank set-ups as they accommodate all the diving that we do.
Perhaps if money and storage was no object, I could have dedicated cold water and dedicated travelling BP/Wg rig". However, for a mere six pound difference between SS and synthetic, I can live with the present arrangement and modify the amount contained in the my integrated system or on the belt accordingly.

 

[Ayisha]

A removable weighted STA (single tank adaptor) works too. I keep the 6 lb weight on my AL bp for cold water diving and remove the weight for travelling.

 

[fxrguy]

After reading some of the posts here and searching the web for information on some of the BC models mentioned I came across this interesting document about the history of BCs:

http://www.seavisions.biz/images/BCD.pdf


Interesting to see how much things have changed over the last 50 years.

MT

That was a fun blast from the past. I started out with an AT-Pac back in the 70's and can testify to the propaganda to discredit the BC. It sometimes got to be a real pain in the ass every time I had to defend my BC if I was on a charter boat. I'd be willing to bet if any of those people are still diving, which I doubt, many of them have switched. It is good to see that back inflation devices are getting their due!