Best Jacket Style BC with Tech Options

[DMDavid]

I'm looking to replace my trusty old jacket BC that have used for years.

I have a DR Trans Pac II that has very specific applications but I'm looking for suggestions on a tech oriented jacket style BC that has plenty of attachment points.
A plus would be a removable bladder and a dump valve top and bottom.


FB-Florida Scuba Diver

 

[danvolker]

I'm looking to replace my trusty old jacket BC that have used for years.

I have a DR Trans Pac II that has very specific applications but I'm looking for suggestions on a tech oriented jacket style BC that has plenty of attachment points.
A plus would be a removable bladder and a dump valve top and bottom.


FB-Florida Scuba Diver

Jacket style for tech is a big mistake. Too floppy, not made for this application....I suppose a farmer could pull a manure trailer with a Ford Focus, but a tractor would be a better choice.

Also, you don't "WANT" to clip lots of things to your rig if you are tech diving...this means more drag, and more entanglement opportunities. The dive industry likes to make you think that is a nice perk to a tech bc, but this is pure marketing BS, like in past years where the brand new , "must get" bc's were a "hot new color", or had so much inflation they could float you like a yacht, or any one of a huge list of hypes, by non-diving, "ad agency types", working for dive equipment mfg's.

David, I'm pretty sure you know all this as well as I do, so I'm wondering if this is a "stirring the pot" thread you just started ??

 

[DevonDiver]

+1 to what Dan Volker said.

There's really no excuse for using a jacket BCD for tech nowadays. Not sure why you'd want "lots of attachment points" for your tech 'orientated' diving... it runs contrary to what you should be aiming for in a configuration.

Most of the so-called 'tech' orientated jacket BCDs are nothing more than a fashion fad. The words tech, tec and tek seem to appear in the names of many mainstream jacket BCDs nowadays - take a 'run-of-the-mill' mid-range jacket BCD and just sew on a few extra d-rings and only sell them in black.

 

[DMDavid]

Sorry! I guess I didn't do a good job of explaining my needs.

I have been diving since 1975 and I am quite familiar with the advantages of wings, jackets and BP's.
What I'm not familiar with is any new BC's that have come into the market in the last few years that might be a better option.

My Diverite covers my wreck penetration dives so what I'm looking for is a non-wing type BC that has plenty of attachment points for all my camera gear accesories, the purpose of all the attachment points is to have a place for everything and everything in it's place (no dangling gear).

It would not be used for caverns (I'm not into cave diving) or wrecks or anywhere else that may have entanglement hazzards, just for shooting videos and having instant access to all my camera gadgets.


FB-Florida Scuba Diver

 

[DMDavid]

David, I'm pretty sure you know all this as well as I do, so I'm wondering if this is a "stirring the pot" thread you just started ??

Nah!
To stir the pot I would have asked questions like "What's the best agency?" or "Steel or Aluminum?".



FB-Florida Scuba Diver

 

[DevonDiver]

My Diverite covers my wreck penetration dives so what I'm looking for is a non-wing type BC that has plenty of attachment points for all my camera gear accesories, the purpose of all the attachment points is to have a place for everything and everything in it's place (no dangling gear).

I'm still not sure where the 'tech orientation' comes into it?

For photography (in doubles?), you could look at something from Zeagle. i.e. a Rear-Inflate BCD like the 'Express Tech' or 'Ranger'.

Otherwise, just take advantage of the modular nature of a BP&W system - adding more attachment points and pockets exactly to the specification/configuration that you need them.

There's a wide range of decent sized pockets (better than most you'd find on a jacket BCD) for BP&W. You could mount a few of them to take care of extra wet lenses etc. Everything else can be solved with d-rings and rubber loops.

A pair of X-Shorts (DIR shorts etc) will also give you some great storage options (especially for travelling and wetsuit use). Otherwise, go for double bellows pockets on your exposure suit front thighs.

 

[TSandM]

I think "tech oriented" and "jacket style" are fundamentally incompatible. But since to you they aren't, I would ask, what do you define as "tech oriented"? In other words, what qualities in a jacket are you specifically looking for?

 

[danvolker]

Sorry! I guess I didn't do a good job of explaining my needs.

I have been diving since 1975 and I am quite familiar with the advantages of wings, jackets and BP's.
What I'm not familiar with is any new BC's that have come into the market in the last few years that might be a better option.

My Diverite covers my wreck penetration dives so what I'm looking for is a non-wing type BC that has plenty of attachment points for all my camera gear accesories, the purpose of all the attachment points is to have a place for everything and everything in it's place (no dangling gear).

It would not be used for caverns (I'm not into cave diving) or wrecks or anywhere else that may have entanglement hazzards, just for shooting videos and having instant access to all my camera gadgets.


FB-Florida Scuba Diver

When are you going to be in Palm Beach next? Come out with me and some of my friends, and I will show you some of our solutuions...As you "may" know, I shoot video, Sandra shoots stills.... And we need to deal with the exact same issues you want to deal with.... In Trip to Palm Beach to dive with Goliath Groupers! - YouTube I was shooting video and penetrating the shipwreck of the Mispah.... Big issues to do this dive:

• lots of current around the wreck, and many opportunities to swim with/follow the free-swimming goliaths around outside of the wreck....they swim faster than most scuba divers, and you really need to be slick ( wing and backplate slick) to accomplish the speed for their normal swimming....if they go into turbo mode, forget it, their gone
• in the penetrations, there are 2 biggies....none of the divers in the penetration with you can silt the bottom, and you cant silt the bottom ... so it is a huge plus to be able to be dead flat horizontal, and to get good glide from each frog kick---effective glide from low drag, means you can maintain the speed required to stay with the monster fish in the wreck. There are many awesomely skilled divers wearing jacket style BC's--divers able to be flat horizontal.....the deal here is, that it is "Easier" ( with BP/wing) to be dead flat horizontal, when shooting video, trying not to let the camera jerk up and down, trying to maintain absolute perfect bouyancy so that YOU don't cause any silting, and not having to actually "work" to reach the speed required to follow your subjects durring the penetration....With the jacket, the drag is so high, it is just going to make you work harder, which means it is more likely that you will end up having the camera jerk up and down as you start having to swim too hard.
• It only takes a couple of D rings to have the needed attachment points... I can clip my Aquatic housing off to a chest level D ring, so that during ascent or a deco stop, my arms and muscles can relax, and not have muscles constricted--which will cause bubbling ( many old time photographers not aware of this, ended up with arthritis from so many "mini-hits". Also, a thigh pocket on wet suit or dry suit is a great way to have small stuff out of the hydrodynamic drag area, and in an easy to get to place for access.

 

[danvolker]

Also, optimally related to this issue, is the photo technique and trim video I did with Errol K. A GUE view of how the bp/wing is best adapted to the objective I think you have in mind.... Here is is, if you have not seen it gue-reversekick1 - YouTubeb

 

[Crush]

How about this Aqualung Pro Unlimited:



Plenty of attachment points, zippered pockets, integrated weights and a very convenient dive knife placement.

Yes, I am being sarcastic.