All, I'm a new scuba diver with about 20 dives. I got impulsive and bought a bc over the internet. It is a Dacor RIG 2 with a back inflation cell. From what I have read, some people will swear by a back inflation model. I'm starting to wonder if this type of bc if appropriate for a beginner such as myself. Does anybody have any knowledge of this bc or have an opinion on whether a back inflation model is the right choice for a beginner? Thanks in advance. ...robert
dacor bc
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Paddler_46
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Hi Robert,
We have about the same number of dives under our belts as you do, and love back inflation BC's. We have no experience with "the Rig", but have been using Sea Elite Tech BCs for all but our certification dives. For us they have proven to be very comfortable in the water, no squeeze at the surface, and fairly streamlined at depth.
You probably did ok in your purchase, but I suspect you have learned a valuable lesson. If you had bought the BC at your local dive shop, you possibly could have tried it before you bought it. So you would have know if "the Rig" was right for you. I'm sure you saved money by buying the BC over the internet, but don't use this approach when it comes time to buy your regulators. They are your life support and you do want service after the sale!
Good luck with the BC
We have about the same number of dives under our belts as you do, and love back inflation BC's. We have no experience with "the Rig", but have been using Sea Elite Tech BCs for all but our certification dives. For us they have proven to be very comfortable in the water, no squeeze at the surface, and fairly streamlined at depth.
You probably did ok in your purchase, but I suspect you have learned a valuable lesson. If you had bought the BC at your local dive shop, you possibly could have tried it before you bought it. So you would have know if "the Rig" was right for you. I'm sure you saved money by buying the BC over the internet, but don't use this approach when it comes time to buy your regulators. They are your life support and you do want service after the sale!
Good luck with the BC
Robert,
Glad you are enjoying the sport enough to want to go out and start buying all your own kit.
The BCD is one of the more important pieces of kit for dive enjoyment. It needs to fit properly, and be comfortable. These two are (IMO) more important for a beginner than the position of the air.
If the jacket you bought fits properly, and is comfortable then it is a good jacket. I have a combined jacket, with both wings and normal jacket. I didn't get the wings untill after about 150 dives or so, by then I was used to the jacket style, and to begin with the wings were 'funny'. It goes with what you are used to.
As you are relatively new, you probably won't have developed a preference at the moment, so you should adapt to the back inflation quite easily as you are still getting used to diving and the gear.
Unfortunately hindsite is always good, it is much better for things like a BCD to actually go and try them in a shop, and also try the different ones out in a pool if possible. It looks like you have learned this lesson the hard way.
Internet = money saved but no service.
Dive shop = chance to try different ones out, service, and chance to discuss different styles etc.. with someone whe has a reasonable ammount of knowledge, but costs more.
Jon T
Glad you are enjoying the sport enough to want to go out and start buying all your own kit.
The BCD is one of the more important pieces of kit for dive enjoyment. It needs to fit properly, and be comfortable. These two are (IMO) more important for a beginner than the position of the air.
If the jacket you bought fits properly, and is comfortable then it is a good jacket. I have a combined jacket, with both wings and normal jacket. I didn't get the wings untill after about 150 dives or so, by then I was used to the jacket style, and to begin with the wings were 'funny'. It goes with what you are used to.
As you are relatively new, you probably won't have developed a preference at the moment, so you should adapt to the back inflation quite easily as you are still getting used to diving and the gear.
Unfortunately hindsite is always good, it is much better for things like a BCD to actually go and try them in a shop, and also try the different ones out in a pool if possible. It looks like you have learned this lesson the hard way.
Internet = money saved but no service.
Dive shop = chance to try different ones out, service, and chance to discuss different styles etc.. with someone whe has a reasonable ammount of knowledge, but costs more.
Jon T
Hi Robert and welcome to the board. I am in the same boat with Jon. I have a lot of dives on a jacket style BC and I for one liked it. Recently however, I got a Zeagle Ranger, a back inflated BC and have just made my first dives in it. My first impressions of it are: love it under water, hate it on the surface and love it on dry land. The back inflation BC's tend to push you into a face down position on the surface and if you are not expecting it, it can be a bit unnerving, especially if you are use to a jacket style BC. I had read enough here about back inflated BC's to expect that so I was prepared. I think I will learn to like it on the surface as well after some more experience with it and possibly some weight placement changes. I have been told adding a couple of pounds of weight to the tank straps helps resolve this problem. I suspect that the dacor rig will do just fine as Dacor makes good equipment. Just be prepared for the difference in floatation at the surface as I suspect you have been using jacket styles in training/rental. Some pool time with it would be good if you can arrange it.
Combined Jackets
I origionally bought the Jacket, mostly because that was what I was used to using. As I dive almost exclusively with a drysuit I very rarely use my BCD underwater. I added wings because I started to dive with a twinset, and needed a little bit more lift than the jacket provided. I have (with a single tank) used just the wings, and just the jacket for buoyancy at the surface.
Just Jacket - floats me nicely head up, no problems.
Just the wings - floats me face down, unless I actively try and float on my back, getting the weight of the tank under the wings.
When I have a twinset on, I find that when I surface I fill the BCD first, and after that will start putting air in the wings. This tends to not put me face down, probably due to the larger ammount of weight on my back.
After using my combined jacket I don't think I would use wings by themselves, I think this is where the back inflation jackets come into their own. They aren't wings, they are a jacket with quite a large part of their buoyancy behind you, but they retain some of the buoyancy infront of you for head up at the surface.
I can't remember, as I have had little experience of the Dacor RIG (they don't seem that popular in europe) but I think that the Dacor RIG is one of these back aircell Jackets isn't it? - If it is, then it is probably quite a nice jacket.
Jon T
I origionally bought the Jacket, mostly because that was what I was used to using. As I dive almost exclusively with a drysuit I very rarely use my BCD underwater. I added wings because I started to dive with a twinset, and needed a little bit more lift than the jacket provided. I have (with a single tank) used just the wings, and just the jacket for buoyancy at the surface.
Just Jacket - floats me nicely head up, no problems.
Just the wings - floats me face down, unless I actively try and float on my back, getting the weight of the tank under the wings.
When I have a twinset on, I find that when I surface I fill the BCD first, and after that will start putting air in the wings. This tends to not put me face down, probably due to the larger ammount of weight on my back.
After using my combined jacket I don't think I would use wings by themselves, I think this is where the back inflation jackets come into their own. They aren't wings, they are a jacket with quite a large part of their buoyancy behind you, but they retain some of the buoyancy infront of you for head up at the surface.
I can't remember, as I have had little experience of the Dacor RIG (they don't seem that popular in europe) but I think that the Dacor RIG is one of these back aircell Jackets isn't it? - If it is, then it is probably quite a nice jacket.
Jon T
greg somers
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Hi Robert,
I've just dived with a buddy at the 'Goat Island' marine reserve in Northland,N.Z. and he has a back mount B.C. with an intergrated weight system and he swears by it,but he is an instructor and even he stated that it took a while to get used to.He stated that you must consciously decide to angle onto your back,but you get great bouyancy out of the water and it's great for backwards kicking on the surface once you get the hang of it.I prefer a jacket myself and use the Mares Vector Origin.Perhaps your choice was a little premature but keep practicing and look for a diver with a similiar BC that can give you advice.I agree with the others.Take care how you buy your gear in future.I cannot stress enough the importance of being in well fitting,comfortable gear that you know how to operate easily as the more relaxed you are,the better your dive experience.Keep on bubbling bro!From the gasman
I've just dived with a buddy at the 'Goat Island' marine reserve in Northland,N.Z. and he has a back mount B.C. with an intergrated weight system and he swears by it,but he is an instructor and even he stated that it took a while to get used to.He stated that you must consciously decide to angle onto your back,but you get great bouyancy out of the water and it's great for backwards kicking on the surface once you get the hang of it.I prefer a jacket myself and use the Mares Vector Origin.Perhaps your choice was a little premature but keep practicing and look for a diver with a similiar BC that can give you advice.I agree with the others.Take care how you buy your gear in future.I cannot stress enough the importance of being in well fitting,comfortable gear that you know how to operate easily as the more relaxed you are,the better your dive experience.Keep on bubbling bro!From the gasman
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