Is the Trans-Pac ok for recreational diving?

[Santa]

I don't have a transpac but an oceanic chute 3 which is a wing type bcd.

I've really liked it for a long time and it's true that especially with heavy coldwater gear it can have a stabilizing effect.

However this stabilizing is starting to annoy me a bit when it comes to tropical diving. I like to be able to dive in different positions and the wing tends to force me into an either horizontal or vertical position depending on how much air I put into it.

Theres lots of things you can do fooling around with weight placement but in my experience solving an issue of too much air in a specific place by piling lead on top just causes other problems.

I find that my buoyancy is near perfect when it's empty and I keep it so down to around 25 m anyway.

But I'm considering trying out some traditional bcds to see if they allow more freedom of movement when diving light.

 

[Tavi]

My first BC was a Transpac II with Rec Wing. Works great for singles. Now it has a travel wing on it and it's my pool BC.
All of my open water diving is in a BP and wing.

 

[curiousgeorgie]

I would love for the instructor to read these threads. I'll definitely shop for one at another dive shop.

 

[Packhorse]

Na, buy it from them and offer for her to try it out. Nothing wrong with educating the uneducated.

 

[archman]

When I asked about one at the dive shop, a scuba instructor advised me against one for recreational diving. She stated that those "modular" type BC's are only good for tec diving with doubles and when I challenged her opinions, she stated that a single tank would not be stable with a Trans-Pac. Is this true?

Do that shop (and its future customers) a favor. Refer them to ScubaBoard. Try to be nice about it, so that they actually might come here, and learn fun stuff about the TransPac.

 

[Brewone0to]

Get one or find a shop that will let you test dive one.
Dive it to find out for yourself. (include the crotch strap)
Diving one is like donning a dinner jacket, It's just a perfect fit.
Pockets are available seperately,which is a good thing. (custom/streamlining)
I'm thinking of getting a second one for sidemounting doubles only,
so that I don't have to change it from single back mounted.
Of course if I were to dive back mounted doubles,without question would
use a Backplate Harness/Wing combo.
Also befor making purchase,take a look at Oxychek's Mach-V wing.
Very compact streamlined,and perfect for singles use.(My next wing)