BP/W’s finally make it to the big time!

[LakeCountyDiver]

It's kind of weird how I think back when I was just getting open water certified the dive shop only sold jacket stylesBCs and was very recreational minded. There was another dive shop in town that was known as a "techie" shop and we were to never go there. Me being the open-minded curious guy that I am naturally I found myself there one afternoon and walked in the door and seen types of gear I knew nothing about nor what it was used for. The shop owners quickly dismissed me and it left a bad taste in my mouth. They went out of business within the year.

From that moment on any time I would see somebody with a 7 foot long hose or backplate and wing I would just think of them like they were the hindepartholes at that techie shop.

Then I found myself drifting towards cavern and cave diving. That was about the time I got on social media and found the forums. I ended up talking to Tobin at DSS for over an hour and ordered my first backplate and wing. I was actually mad at myself for not trying at sooner because it was like heaven to use. From there my training advanced and so did my gear.

I could not imagine using a jacket style BC. However when open water divers approached me I treat them with the utmost kindness and answer any questions about my gear and style of diving. The TEC side of diving has way too many ego-driven Neanderthals that pride themselves on making other people feel inferior. It all brings me back to my open water days where I was taught prejudice from the get-go.

 

[Rooster59]

Once BP/W hits the mainstream, all the crazy "improvements" and additions will make it unrecognizable.

 

[Stoo]

these newfangled plate thingies that are supposed to be the all new rage.

Up in these parts, BP/W have been pretty standard kit for probably at least 15 years, and maybe 20. My original wing was made by a company called AtPac and I used that starting in '81. It replaced my Fenzy!

 

[michael-fisch]

Selling Backplates and Wings is the worst thing that divestores can do to themselves and will cause many of them to go out of business.
The normal diver buys a new BC ever 5 years, owners of Backplates and Wings never replace the stuff - my backplate/wing has been in steady use since 1998, it's still going strong and doesn't look any different than what the manufacturers are making new now (other than the wing has gotten a bit faded in the last 20 years of use).
Michael

 

[Addicted2H2O]

Selling Backplates and Wings is the worst thing that divestores can do to themselves and will cause many of them to go out of business.
The normal diver buys a new BC ever 5 years, owners of Backplates and Wings never replace the stuff - my backplate/wing has been in steady use since 1998, it's still going strong and doesn't look any different than what the manufacturers are making new now (other than the wing has gotten a bit faded in the last 20 years of use).
Michael

I think from a business standpoint, you're absolutely right. It's way too easy to build a harness from webbing and stainless rigging & buckles and much more cost effective. A backplate should essentially last you forever if you take proper care of it. So the best they could really hope for is that somehow your wing gets punctured beyond repair and then you're spending $300+ on a new one. As compared to a new BC that typically starts at the $350 mark for an fairly inexpensive entry level one.

 

[Sam Miller III]

@Eric Sedletzky
posted :
"...these newfangled plate thingies that are supposed to be the all new rage...."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
@Stoo
responded
"Up in these parts, BP/W have been pretty standard kit for probably at least 15 years, and maybe 20. My original wing was made by a company called AtPac and I used that starting in '81. It replaced my Fenzy! "

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank you Stoo…! At least one of Gods frozen divers know about the history of BIU
AT PAC the first BIU -- wing-- introduced a long time ago in Sunny California

<<< My son Sam IV wanted an At Pac-- he received one on his 7 th Christmas and used it for about 20 years
You can read about Sam IV (and me) at
~~~~ NAUI-SourcesMag2018Q3p18-19.pdf ~~~
or History of diving - Tales from the Abyss "SCUBA Legends"
suggest that you also read about Sam IV 40 hour US Diver repair course >>>>

Sam Miller, 111

 

[shoredivr]

Selling Backplates and Wings is the worst thing that divestores can do to themselves and will cause many of them to go out of business.
The normal diver buys a new BC ever 5 years, owners of Backplates and Wings never replace the stuff - my backplate/wing has been in steady use since 1998, it's still going strong and doesn't look any different than what the manufacturers are making new now (other than the wing has gotten a bit faded in the last 20 years of use).
Michael

A couple of years ago the inner bladder on my single wing failed along the weld. It was simple to order another bladder to replace it.

 

[kelemvor]

Selling Backplates and Wings is the worst thing that divestores can do to themselves and will cause many of them to go out of business.
The normal diver buys a new BC ever 5 years, owners of Backplates and Wings never replace the stuff - my backplate/wing has been in steady use since 1998, it's still going strong and doesn't look any different than what the manufacturers are making new now (other than the wing has gotten a bit faded in the last 20 years of use).
Michael

I've seen plenty of "jacket" bcd's that have 20 or so years of use on them, but still functioning. Unless it's one of the bcd's that designed deliberately disposable, it should be maintainable until the material frays to nothingness almost. Not that I'm arguing in favor of jackets over bp/w, just saying not all jackets exist to screw the diver.

As for bp/w's I replaced the bladder on my dive rite Rec EXP wing in 2017. It cost $100.

Of course, since I bought that bp/w, I've since purchased four other plates (plus harness and other hardware) three other wings, and a variety of other "bcd accessories" such as gear pouches and weight pouches.

Although the shop may not get $800 a whack for bcd replacement, there's plenty of room for an ongoing revenue stream even with bp/w. Also, the shop owner doesn't have to live with the crushing guilt of doing a disservice to his customers . Seriously though, I think the best policy for any dive shop is to sell both. Who knows what the customer might want? If the lds has to order it, that customer might as well turn to amazon.

 

[BlueTrin]

Once BP/W hits the mainstream, all the crazy "improvements" and additions will make it unrecognizable.

Like any popular products there would be many variations of it

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I wish the article had said something to dispell the lie that BPW's push a diver face forward. Or that it's one of the most economical choices for a shop or independent instructor to have for rental/student gear. In the article I wrote years ago this was addressed as well as a number of other points.