Advanced Open Water course in tourist locations with BP/W?

[scuba_divo]

I'm coming back to diving after time away. I'll need to get most of my own gear. I'm intrigued by the BP/W options, but, if I were to show up in Thailand or Okinawa to do a PADI Advanced Open Water or specialty course would they let me use that, or would they require that I rent a jacket/vest BC? Are there regulations about BP/W in these courses or do individual dive shops just make their own rules?

 

[stepfen]

If you know how to use it (hence don't expect them help you adjust it etc) I guess they won't mind.
BPW are getting more and more popular so hopefully they would have seen people using them. Some Indonesian guides I had in Raja Ampat use BPW themselves!
But if you want to be 100% sure just ask your instructors directly.

 

[almostDIR]

they will want you to be comfortable with your equipment so that you can concentrate on the training. so they probably don't want you to bring any new untested equipment around which takes your attention off from the course. if you have dived a lot with your bp/w it should not be problem but it wouldn't hurt to ask

 

[scuba_divo]

OK, thanks. So, definitely, check before making any solid plans.

 

[leadduck]

I can't see a reason why BPW would be a problem. Some jacket BCs are very similar to BPW. But I expect the instructor will require ditchable lead such as a weightbelt when you're in a wetsuit, no p-weights screwed to the backplate. Anyway, better ask the instructor before booking the class.

 

[divad]

OK, thanks. So, definitely, check before making any solid plans.

Good idea.....Don't Trust/Verify.

 

[jlcnuke]

I can't see why a BP/W would be discouraged for an AOW course at all. A rescue course it would make things slightly more difficult (have to teach everyone in the class how to take it on/off - slightly differently than the jacket BCDs, but still not a big deal), but even there I don't see anyone discouraging using it really.

 

[decompression]

As long as you show your card.......VISA or MasterCard, I don’t think it’ll be a an issue.

 

[uncfnp]

I know this sounds a bit flippant but if an “advanced” course required jacket BCD’s I think I would look elsewhere. Honestly.

 

[NorCalDM]

If they don't let you find some place else. When we are teaching I wear mine and I'm usually the guy getting rescued so the students have to learn how to deal with it. BP/W are not as uncommon as people make them out to be I've been lucky enough to dive around the world and almost every place I've dove I'm not the only one with a BP/W including guides.