Hi Glenn,
Let me offer some suggestions to you as a new diver.
1. Fill out your profile. It makes answering your questions easier in many cases.
2. Call your instructor if you can. Make an appointment to meet with your instructor, even if you are already an Open Water diver. Your instructor should explain to you what 'trim' is. Even if you are finished with your OW class, this is a concept that it would be helpful for you to understand. It will make other things easier later, such as BC selection and being able to determine proper weighting for trim, even if you change your equipment.
3. Your instructor should also take a look at your set-up, again even if your class is already over. A medium vest is likely to be cut slightly shorter than a large or X-large. But only slightly. If you are being hit in the back of the head by the first stage, this can be very annoying. I know, as it happened to me when I was new. If you lower the tank too far, it then hits you near the base of your spine. Be aware that you have several options aside from the type of BC you choose to use.
For example, you can also go with shorter tanks. I used two 50 cu ft aluminum tanks made into a set of small doubles for many years. They were light, balanced well, held more gas than an 80, and never hit me in the back of the head or the base of the spine. Even now I have a set of aluminum 63s that I use from time to time. Something like this would be excellent in a lake. There are also many Low Pressure (LP) steel tanks you may want to consider. Not only are they often shorter than an aluminum 80, but they are 8" in diameter instead of 7.25". They also hold quite a bit more gas and weigh more, so you don't need to wear as heavy a weightbelt.
4. A 'wing' is another type of BC. It is not a vest. It offers several advantages. First, the webbing is often more adjustable than a vest. Consequently, it is often easier to fit the harness to the diver very well. BCs can sometimes be too large or too small for some divers. Second, it provides floation along your back. This often makes achieving proper trim (see above) easier underwater. Third, many times new divers will inflate their BCs on the surface and report feeling 'squeezed' by the inflated vest. Some divers think this makes it difficult to breathe. Wings do not give anyone that 'crushed chest' feeling. There is no bulk beneath your arms or across the front of your body.
Your instructor should also be able to discuss pros and cons of different BCs and wings with you. Wings are offered by 6 or 7 different manufacturers, much like BCs. They are actually very old. Most of us who began diving in the 1970s used wings. BC 'stabilizing jackets' or vests were not widely manufactured until the early 1980s.
5. For equipment in your price range, consider purchasing high quality used gear. You are unlikely to find it at your local dive store, however, you may have more luck either here on Scuba Board or on online locations such as E-bay. Obviously, however, you need to be familiar with what you want prior to purchasing used gear.
Hope this helps. Good luck.
Doc
edited for typos
Let me offer some suggestions to you as a new diver.
1. Fill out your profile. It makes answering your questions easier in many cases.
2. Call your instructor if you can. Make an appointment to meet with your instructor, even if you are already an Open Water diver. Your instructor should explain to you what 'trim' is. Even if you are finished with your OW class, this is a concept that it would be helpful for you to understand. It will make other things easier later, such as BC selection and being able to determine proper weighting for trim, even if you change your equipment.
3. Your instructor should also take a look at your set-up, again even if your class is already over. A medium vest is likely to be cut slightly shorter than a large or X-large. But only slightly. If you are being hit in the back of the head by the first stage, this can be very annoying. I know, as it happened to me when I was new. If you lower the tank too far, it then hits you near the base of your spine. Be aware that you have several options aside from the type of BC you choose to use.
For example, you can also go with shorter tanks. I used two 50 cu ft aluminum tanks made into a set of small doubles for many years. They were light, balanced well, held more gas than an 80, and never hit me in the back of the head or the base of the spine. Even now I have a set of aluminum 63s that I use from time to time. Something like this would be excellent in a lake. There are also many Low Pressure (LP) steel tanks you may want to consider. Not only are they often shorter than an aluminum 80, but they are 8" in diameter instead of 7.25". They also hold quite a bit more gas and weigh more, so you don't need to wear as heavy a weightbelt.
4. A 'wing' is another type of BC. It is not a vest. It offers several advantages. First, the webbing is often more adjustable than a vest. Consequently, it is often easier to fit the harness to the diver very well. BCs can sometimes be too large or too small for some divers. Second, it provides floation along your back. This often makes achieving proper trim (see above) easier underwater. Third, many times new divers will inflate their BCs on the surface and report feeling 'squeezed' by the inflated vest. Some divers think this makes it difficult to breathe. Wings do not give anyone that 'crushed chest' feeling. There is no bulk beneath your arms or across the front of your body.
Your instructor should also be able to discuss pros and cons of different BCs and wings with you. Wings are offered by 6 or 7 different manufacturers, much like BCs. They are actually very old. Most of us who began diving in the 1970s used wings. BC 'stabilizing jackets' or vests were not widely manufactured until the early 1980s.
5. For equipment in your price range, consider purchasing high quality used gear. You are unlikely to find it at your local dive store, however, you may have more luck either here on Scuba Board or on online locations such as E-bay. Obviously, however, you need to be familiar with what you want prior to purchasing used gear.
Hope this helps. Good luck.
Doc
edited for typos
