BP/W pocket quandary for women

[kathydee]

I don't think there's anything 'attractive' about those shorts

I guess "attractive" is relative. They ARE more attractive than my X shorts .

 

[TSandM]

And there are a bunch of people willing to put up with BP/W shortcomings and desperately work to minimize those shortcomings seemingly in an attempt to make their decision to use an oddball setup work

Beano, did it ever occur to you that a lot of people don't see them as shortcomings? I couldn't use the pocket on my original BC -- it was too hard to reach in my dry suit and heavy insulation, and I couldn't work the zipper with my dry gloves. I can reach the pockets on my dry suit easily, and even easier, the pockets I use with a wetsuit or my Fusion Sport.

I don't like weight integration. I'm VERY happy with a weight belt, especially the nice rubber Mako one I now have. I think the weights are more secure, and easier to separate from the BC.

I don't need adjustable straps. I hated the adjustable straps on my original BC. I had to reef on them in a very uncomfortable and inconvenient direction to get them tight, and they never seemed to tighten down all the way. My backplate is perfect, every time I pull it off the hanger.

YOU may see a lot of drawbacks. I see a rig that leaves the front of me clean, is always the right size (MY size!) and is absolutely stable on my back. No shortcomings to overcome here.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I guess "attractive" is relative. They ARE more attractive than my X shorts .

Most of use older guys look like a walrus in dive gear, attractive not a trait we can comment on.

 

[BluewaterSail]

I'm curious how many dives you have done in your scubapro shorts? While they are an attractive design, I wonder about their durability over time.

I would guess somewhere between 75-100 dives with the shorts. So far they are holding up.

 

[dfx]

Beano, did it ever occur to you that a lot of people don't see them as shortcomings?

Just as not everybody sees the benefits of BP/W as benefits. That's the gist of this whole discussion. I don't think anybody's saying that BP/W is bad per se. They're good for some people/in some situations, but not for everybody and not always.

However, there's some folks here that advocate the notion that BP/W is good per se. That everybody should be using them, and always. That they're the best thing since sliced bread, the holy grail of diving. That's just nonsense.

 

[buddhasummer]

Let's see. First you need a backplate. What kind? Steel, aluminum, plastic? Then you need the wing. How big? Does it fit the backplate? Then a harness. How do I put that together? Then a weight system, can I do that with this combo or do I have to use a weight belt (oh dear god)? Oh, do I need a single tank adapter with that?? Pockets, now it gets tricky (the very reason for this thread)... Can I attach some or should I put them on a separate belt (oh god, that again) or something else completely?

That's what I meant with loose parts. And I have seen BP/W rigs come half apart after a dive. I'm sure there's ways to keep it together better, but then that's just one more thing you have to worry about.

Or you can get a jacket BCD and you're done!

---------- Post added August 9th, 2013 at 02:43 PM ----------


That's actually my whole point. Not everyone is better off with them.

It's just not that difficult, you are making it sound more so than it is.

I for one like the choice of how I want to dive i.e where i want D rings, where/how I want to stow stuff, the ability to change my configuration depending on locale etc. having something that is tailor made to my unique body type/size.

Horses for courses I guess.

When you say you have seen BP/W "come half apart" what do you mean, just curious cheers.

 

[TSandM]

With a single tank, no STA setup, it's possible for the wing to sag off the plate. DSS uses rubber thingamabobs to attach the wing to the plate, and they won't hold at all if the wing is pulled on, and sometimes let go anyway. It's no big deal; when you put the rig back on a tank, the wing sorts itself out. But I could imagine it looking odd to someone who isn't familiar with the equipment.

 

[alecto]

The pocket quandary isn't exclusive to bp/w either. I have worn jackets where the pockets were not large enough to fit my smb and spool. But there are a variety of jacket configurations that are predetermined and I would pick from the jackets that could accommodate me if I go that way. For example, I found the fit and comfort of the i3 soul great. It has one large fold down pocket that would hold my items on the right side. But then no more room on the left b/c of the lever.

Each system has there own give and take. Like all things it comes down to personal choice. I know people who know how to set up a bp/w properly so I'm not concerned there. Just like I know people who can help me find the proper fitting jacket.

Choosing a bp/w setup in my mind is the same as for a jacket. Think what you need and how you want it beforehand. Not all jackets are weight integrated. If that is important to you for a jacket, then probably important with bp/w.

i guess I'm the kinda person who wants to press and play with all the buttons instead of putting it on auto.

 

[dfx]

It's just not that difficult, you are making it sound more so than it is.

I for one like the choice of how I want to dive i.e where i want D rings, where/how I want to stow stuff, the ability to change my configuration depending on locale etc. having something that is tailor made to my unique body type/size.

Horses for courses I guess.

It's no big deal if you know what you're doing (as with anything). But you only would if you spent the time to familiarize yourself with the whole setup, do the research on the options, etc.... Or you can get a jacket BCD, then you don't have to.

Don't get me wrong, I love tinkering with stuff, build my own little thingies (even though I suck at it), take stuff apart and modify it, etc... But I only do that if I can envision some potential benefit from it, even if that's only to save some money. Otherwise, I won't bother. If I can buy a pre-made jacket BCD that does everything I want, why should I put time, effort and maybe more money into another option, where I might eventually end up with an equivalent setup, but only if I do everything right?

When you say you have seen BP/W "come half apart" what do you mean, just curious cheers.

What TSandM said. The bladder/wing was loosely hanging off the BP.

 

[Glenlivet]

If I can buy a pre-made jacket BCD that does everything I want...

That is the point. Obviously, you can.

But I can't, so I dive a nice, modular BP/W rig which is perfectly tailored to my needs.