runsongas
Contributor
There is little reason to buy aqualung over apeks in the UK because apeks pricing is more reasonable in the uk and eu
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The fact is the beginners requirements are nearly always different to the more experienced.
Given your shape (probably similar to what mine was when I started diving - a little more "curved" than it should be) I would suggest looking at either a BP&W or similar as the way the harness sits makes it ideal for people who struggle with jackets. If you are only doing warm water diving then an aluminium plate & small wing (13kg lift) would probably be best. I take my kit with me (steel BP&W) as well as regs etc with me when I go abroad - that way I know the state of the gear and when it was serviced etc.It depends what you mean by beginners. I should maybe have used the term holiday divers who dive infrequently. In the UK I get the impression there are quite a lot of divers like me. They get their OW (18 or 20m) cert as all they want to do is a few dives on holiday and enough in between to keep in practice. I see more experienced regular divers festooned with every bit of kit imaginable, that is not for me. My diving is more an extension of snorkeling. My local club dive to 60m in a cold murky lake with near zero visibility (less than 1 ft). I do appreciate the skill and commitment needed to do this (one died a few years ago, they found his body several days or weeks later stuck in weed) but I can't see the fun in it, you may as well sit in a freezer with the door shut. Once I get my 18m cert I will think about getting certified to 30 or 40m so I can have a BRIEF look at wrecks but I will never spend much time at that depth, it is outside my comfort zone. There are plenty of fish and things to see at less than 15m and I will be happy with that.
I can see the attraction of a back inflate jacket or wing type BCD, but I have learnt on a Jacket with side and back inflate and as these are what most of the holiday hire centres have I want something similar with controls and octo in a similar position. I don't like the integrated weights on Axiom and several BCDs, I prefer the simpler Cressi gravity system but Cressi jackets don't seem to fit me that well. Another BCD I like the look of is the Scubapro Litehawk, particularly if I could swap the pockets for cressi style gravity drop pockets.
Due to serious injuries in 2014 I still have restricted mobility in my legs and arms and put on quite a bit of weight on an already large frame, this gives me extra problems with BCD fitting. Weight is coming down and mobility is improving with exercise buts its a hard slow job.
I would also state that you don't necessarily buy a BP&W, as a back inflate with a simple harness would work just as well.
Would you categorize the Zeagle Ranger LTD as a back inflate w/simple harness? I am currently using the Ranger LTD (my first BC) and really do like it and also figure that may be my lead-in to getting a BP&W one day as the difference would seem pretty minor in general?