Should a BP/W be my first BC?

[scubamikey]

My girlfriend and I just got certified last fall and have no dives since then. I learned on a weight integrated jacket BC but I've been reading lots of threads here and reviews in Scubadiving magazine about Back-inflate BCs and the BP/W setup.

I see a lot of people switch to a BP/W and really like it. I like the back inflate idea and I'm wondering if I should start with a BP/W, or should I get some more diving experience on a traditional BC for any reason?

I know very few divers in the area and borrowing gear is difficult. Also my LDS is $$$ to rent gear. It would probably be cheaper to buy gear on the internet and then sell it if I don't like it.

I live a few miles from a large lake and can practice all day in 5' of water if I need to.

My diving will be NY in the summer and FL in the winter, with a little SoCal time occasionally when I visit my brother. So I'll usually be wearing a wetsuit.

Also, what do you think about using weight integrated pockets with the BP/W? It's the only system I know at this point.

I could afford the $500 range if needed, which I think should get me a good BC system of any style.

 

[MSilvia]

I don't see why not.

Weight integrated pockets on a BP/W is certainly possible... you just put the pockets on the waist strap.

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

The Dive-Rite Trans-Pac has snatch-and-drop weight pockets available. I've got them and use them for carrying miscellaneous gear when I don't need them for weights.

 

[OE2X]

I have dove jacket, back inflate and BPW over the years. I only dive a BPW now. I have a friend that after his OW dives and two dives with me, bought and uses a BPW - loves it.

It's not about being a new diver and using a "technical" piece of gear. The system is really simple. The hardest part is getting the fit nailed down for the first time. If you can find someone else who uses one in your area to help you fit it, then you have it made.

 

[Damselfish]

If you only read Scubaboard you might believe everyone uses BP/W. Clearly some people switch and like it, but I suspect some that switch do it because they were disatisfied with what they had for some reason, such as a problem with fit. On the other hand, lot's of people don't consider switching because they're happy with what they have and you don't hear as much from them. So this is a tricky question to ask here, as with a disproportionate number of vocal BP/W proponents it's hard to get a balanced answer. I think you have to do 2 things -

Read about the pros and cons of the different styles to try and determine what you might like and features to look for, considering the type of diving you will be doing. All styles have their fans and detractors.

Try and dive the styles you are interested in. I know it can be difficult to find a way to try the exact model you might be interested in, but you might at least be able to try something of the basic style which will help alot. Who knows you might find someone on this board in your area willing to help out. And yes there is always the e-bay exchange program, though obviously that has it's drawbacks too.

 

[Walter]

It doesn't matter as long as you are happy with the set up.

Things to look for in a BC:

1. No padding - Padding requires additional weight, yet compresses at depth so it no longer cushions. Additionally, air in a BC lifts the BCs weight off your back rendering padding redundant. Padding also increases drag, making dives in current more difficult and increasing your air consumption.

2. No cummerbund - Cummerbunds increase drag.

3. Dump valve at the highest point of the BC. - Inflate the BC and hold it up as if you were wearing it at the surface. Is the dump valve at the highest point? If not, look for a different BC. If it is, turn it as if you were swimming in a prone position. Is there a dump valve at the highest point? A good BC will pass both tests. If the dump valve is not at the highest point, it will trap air, requiring contortions to dump all the air or additional lead. A nice extra is a right shoulder dump valve and dump valves at the bottom.

4. No fabric covering of the bladder. - These BCs are sometimes called "bladderless" or "single bladder BCs." The fabric covering creates drag in current.

If you get a BC with those features, you'll have a good BC regardless of its style. Style (vest, back inflate, horse collar or BP/wing) is much less important than a good design and attention to details.

 

[cool_hardware52]

My recommendations would be to use a weight belt. Weight belts are cheaper than most integrated weight pockets. When using a BP&W your belt will be fairly light due to the weight of the plate, and the fact that your current BC is probably 3-5 lbs positive. That means your "belt weight" could be as much as 10 lbs less than the weight you carry now.

Having all your weight on your rig means a heavy rig to hump around, and might mean you need a larger wing. Why? because your wing needs to be able to float your rig at teh usrface without you (and your buoyant exposure suit) in it. Having some of your weight on belt splits up what your suit floats, and your wing needs to float if you remove the gear. Lastly a weight belt provides more trim adjustment possiblities.

The drag difference between a properly designed, properly sized, "Double Bladder" wing and a similar "Single Bladder" is trivial. Double Bladder construction has a sewn outer shell, with a removable, replaceable, often repairable, inner urethane bladder. The sewn outer shell is the structural element, the inner bladder just needs to be air tight. This type wing tends to be more expensive, more robust, slightly heavier, a little more bulk to pack and take longer to dry.

Single bladder construction uses a single layer of urethane coated nylon for both the structure and the air tight layer. These are generally cheaper, slightly lighter weight, difficult to impossible to repair, and faster drying.


Tobin

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Tobin,

Are your wings of the single or double bladder type?

 

[Damselfish]

It doesn't matter as long as you are happy with the set up.

Things to look for in a BC:

1. No padding - Padding requires additional weight, yet compresses at depth so it no longer cushions. Additionally, air in a BC lifts the BCs weight off your back rendering padding redundant. Padding also increases drag, making dives in current more difficult and increasing your air consumption.

Padding is another one of those things some people have strong opinions about, but I think it's another of those things where it just depends.

I used to have a jacket with a hard plastic pack and no padding. Sure it was fine with 14mm of neoprene underneath. But when I wore it to hike in to a shore dive before I put my wetsuit on (often the easiest way to carry everything) it was very uncomfortable. In the tropics in a skin, it was uncomfortable until I got in the water, and even some then. Some people will say it doesn't matter once you're UW. That may be true, but some of us like being comfortable above water too.

My next BC was a jacket with a ton of padding, as that's what I thought I needed to be comfortable. And it was comfortable but probably overkill, and took forever to dry. So much padding I think it actually made the tank less stable. Certainly more bulky to pack for travel. I don't know if the type of padding in mine really added bouyancy. Maybe at the beginning but it doesn't matter so much then as you're weighted for the end of the dive, and by then it was saturated anyway (see comment about drying!)

My current BC (a back inflate) has thin padding which doesn't take too long to dry, certainly doesn't add much bouyancy, and is enough for comfort when needed. And I don't think it adds any extra drag that the BC doesn't already have.

So, whatever...

2. No cummerbund - Cummerbunds increase drag.

Some people also find these comfortable and I think additional drag if any is negligible - if anything it seems more streamlined to me than a buckle.

 

[cool_hardware52]

Tobin,

Are your wings of the single or double bladder type?

We make only "double bladder"


Regards,


Tobin