Differences between Jacket, Back-Inflate, BP/W

[Ioncloud9]

I just finished my open water certification and am now considering what BC type to get. I did my certification dives in jacket style BCs with integrated weights. One was a Scubapro and the other was an Oceanic. They were pretty generic and typical and have so far worn that style during my discovery dive, pool, and open water dives. I've gotten some recommendations on a BP/W and am seriously considering this. I've also looked into back inflate or hybrid BCs by the major brands.

I know some of the basics like the back inflate and BP/W style naturally keep you horizontal when underwater, as opposed to the jacket which seems to be designed more to keep you afloat at the surface. But what are the other major differences and how is it different when wearing one through all the stages of diving?

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

Think about it this way. I need 7 lbs of lead when diving wet. When I am diving with my back plate and wing, the AL plate on my back is around 3 lbs negative so I only need 4 lbs of weight in my belt. No BCD (whether back inflate of jacket) will take that much of weight off of my belt for me. The only thing that allows for weight distribution is a back plate. This is just so that you are clear that a back inflate "BCD" is not the same thing as a back-plate and wing.

Secondly, a BP wing allows you to choose the wing lift that you need. Most of the BCDs (whether back plate or wing) come with more lift than an average recreational diver should need. This is because they have to factor in the "GOSH I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH LEAD I NEED SO LETS PICK UP THE HEAVIEST WEIGHT BELT ON THE BOAT AND JUMP IN!" factor. While this may be great for a lot of divers, if you happen to be the one who knows exactly how much you need then you end up diving with a much larger air-cell. Venting may not be as effective and you may have to manage an air bubble that insists on shifting places because the air cell is too big for the actual air you have inside it.

In the end, a back plate and wing with a wing that is of appropriate size (not under powered and not too big) is the way to go IMHO. It is the most streamlined of all rigs and results in a better, more customized diving experience than the "one size fits all" mind set on which BCDs are designed.

 

[tbone1004]

if you're in the upstate area of SC, you're more than welcome to try my backplates.

basically the bp/w is scalable. I have one backplate that I can use for singles/doubles/CCR and use two wings for those. Total cost is about $800 for that which is not bad at all.

If you change weight at all, worst case is you are out about $10 for a new piece of webbing vs. having to buy a new rig. Anything breaks? it's modular, just replace the piece that broke. etc etc. Lots of threads on here, but if you're ever in the Greenville ish area, let me know and I'd be more than happy to walk you through in person

 

[divad]

But what are the other major differences and how is it different when wearing one through all the stages of diving?

Same BP for single tank or back mount, or monkey diving. You just switch out the wings (two nuts, takes about a minute), everything else stays exactly where your body remembers it.

 

[Charred]

I wish I lived in SC

 

[tbone1004]

I wish I lived in SC

you will find that the vast majority of serious technical divers are VERY generous when it comes to other divers trying gear before they buy. It's not an anomaly. I can think of at least 4 in the Lehigh Valley area off the top of my head. That's everything from single tank bp/w's up to rebreathers, scooters, etc.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Comfort is sometimes raised as a consideration.

One notable consideration in choosing between a jacket-style BC and a BP/W is, to put it simply, how you perceive the feeling of being squeezed. The cummerbund on the jacket BC helps keeps the BC from riding up on you by hugging your torso, while the crotch strap on a BP harness serves a similar purpose. Some people say they find the snugness of the cummerbund unpleasantly constricting. Others may find the snugness of the cummberbund comforting. I suppose this is also true for the air cell, which in a traditional jacket BC wraps part way around the torso, which some people might perceive as constricting while others might perceive as comforting. The air cell of a purely back-inflate BC (or a wing) is entirely behind you. Most divers who did their initial training in a jacket BC never gave it any thought until they had the opportunity to try a BP/W or back-inflate and compare.

Another comfort-related difference is padding. A jacket BC is typically highly padded, which matters to a diver, if at all, only while on land. Once in the water, the padding has no beneficial effect and only adds undesirable buoyancy. A BP harness is generally unpadded, though you can buy padding kits if you really want to. The only rationale I can see for padding a BP harness would be if one's typical dives involve long walks to a shore dive entry point. Again, underwater, few people have complained of discomfort with a BP/W, despite the fact that it's bare webbing and a rigid plate (not to mention something with the ominous-sounding name "crotch strap"). Just from looking at the BP/W, you might find it hard to believe the thing is truly comfortable--you just have to try one.

 

[Ioncloud9]

if you're in the upstate area of SC, you're more than welcome to try my backplates.

basically the bp/w is scalable. I have one backplate that I can use for singles/doubles/CCR and use two wings for those. Total cost is about $800 for that which is not bad at all.

If you change weight at all, worst case is you are out about $10 for a new piece of webbing vs. having to buy a new rig. Anything breaks? it's modular, just replace the piece that broke. etc etc. Lots of threads on here, but if you're ever in the Greenville ish area, let me know and I'd be more than happy to walk you through in person

Yeah that all sounds good. I am a few hours drive away though in the Charleston area (its a hard life down here by the ocean). I would like to try-before-you-buy and so would my girlfriend. She is hesitant to buy gear she hasn't tried yet or different gear than what she used in training.

Overall though from everyone's suggestions it sounds like not only is the BP/W simpler and more minimalist/modular, it's also negatively buoyant requiring less additional weight. For reference I was properly weighted during my OW dives with 16lbs of lead wearing a 3mm suit. (some lady on the boat required 25lbs of lead.)

 

[tbone1004]

Yeah that all sounds good. I am a few hours drive away though in the Charleston area (its a hard life down here by the ocean). I would like to try-before-you-buy and so would my girlfriend. She is hesitant to buy gear she hasn't tried yet or different gear than what she used in training.

Overall though from everyone's suggestions it sounds like not only is the BP/W simpler and more minimalist/modular, it's also negatively buoyant requiring less additional weight. For reference I was properly weighted during my OW dives with 16lbs of lead wearing a 3mm suit. (some lady on the boat required 25lbs of lead.)

Offer stands if you are up here at some point and want to try. For reference with a SS plate you'd be able to take 8-10lbs off of that weight belt

 

[scbaNE2179]

I started off in a jacket BC, then back-inflate BC, and for the past 2 years, I made the switch over to BPW full-time. Would never go back to anything else! So much more streamlined. Once I made the switch, I easily dropped 6-8 lbs of lead-this was mainly due to me using a SS BP, STA, and 3 SS buckles. Currently I use a quick release harness harness but I wish I went straight webbing for a more streamlined set up.