The great back inflate vs. jacket BC debate

[Groundhog246]

Back inflates here. I dive a Sherwood Outback and my wife dives a ladies model US Divers Alcyone. We both trained in jackets and used them our first few dives. Once I tried a back inflate there was no going back. Only downside with my Outback, it's a bit bulky to pack and has more buoyancy than I need. My wife's Alcyone pack down smaller than most jackets. If I spotted a men's, I'd be tempted to grab it, especially for travelling.

 

[ronrosa]

I've heard many divers say that back inflaters tend to push them forward, but my experience has been the opposite. My Ranger floats me straight up in the water. Are you over inflating on the surface? That would tend to push you forward. almtree: Bob

Like I said in my message, the tedency to push forward was with the Seaquest Balance. It had this tendency at the surface as well as underwater.

I have experienced no such tendency with my Transpac.

 

[TTT]

I too learned to dive in a jaket BC, and didn't mind it. But after using my back inflate Sherwood Outback, I am very happy with it, and much prefer the back inflate to the jacket style, mostly because it allows me to be much more horizontal in the water. It does have a bit more lift then needed, but it has not given me any problems yet.

 

[firedogut]

i got my OW in a jacket style. When i bought my BC i got a Zeagle Escape. It took a few dives to get the trim weights right and get use to the back inflate but i love it.

 

[Bob]

Like I said in my message, the tedency to push forward was with the Seaquest Balance. It had this tendency at the surface as well as underwater.

I have experienced no such tendency with my Transpac.

Just trying to be helpful NY. I have made a few dives with the Balance and didn't have a face down problem. It must be a specific to you problem. Good luck and good diving. almtree: Bob

 

[rcohn]

I've been reading the latest issue of Rodale's Scuba Diving (March 2004) where they tested 11 weight integrated BCs. There were two jackets, two hybrids, and seven back inflates. Out of the four tester choice BCs were the two jackets, one hybrid and only one back inflate out of seven candidates. The back inflate had the lowest score of the tester's choice group.

Any ideas why the jackets are soundly beating the back inflates? Other than the usual boring Rodale's sucks type of comments of course.

Ralph

 

[loosebits]

I used to dive a jacket style but then lost some weight and it became too big for me. After reading some threads here and elsewhere, I decided to go with a backplate and wings approach and I absolutly love it.

Most of the advatages are mentioned all over the place on this board but here a few that are often overlooked:

- It packs up incredibly small!! I've got a 34# wing from Zeagle with their 6# SS backplate and it packs up in a third of the space as my old SQ QuickDraw. I am able to get all of my tropical dive gear (except fins) into a carry on for a flight so I don't need to worry about weight restrictions or baggage monkeys losing/breaking my gear and I get to sit and watch when the TSA goes through my stuff instead of finding a note in my bag.

- It will always fit me!! I've got the harness trimmed down so I have very little extra webbing in my drysuit with my thickest undergarment. If I put on 20 lbs, just go to my LDS and buy new webbing for $10 and thread a new harness.

- It's usually cheaper (unless it has a big "H" on it). Price some jackets or back inflates with SS d-rings and compare it to the price of a BP/wing with harness.

Most LDS's don't carry (or at least don't display) backplate/wing configs. These are what I call the Rodales shops. They always make sure and have the latest colors and styles so you too can look like that diver on the cover but they usually don't give you any useful advice and will try to load you up with retractors and suicide clips. Either do your research online or find an LDS that caters to more technical divers to help you (marked by having steel tanks, line arrows and canister lights in the shop).

On a completely unrelated note, stay away for Dacor/Mares jackets. The one's I've seen at the local mud holes have some strange inflator mechanisim that sits where the pockets are on most jackets. If I found an unconsious diver on the bottom wearing one of those, I wouldn't know how to use it and they would stay on the bottom until I could figure it out. Maybe they have the manual laminated and stored in the pocket.

 

[grouchyturtle]

- It's usually cheaper (unless it has a big "H" on it). Price some jackets or back inflates with SS d-rings and compare it to the price of a BP/wing with harness.

That's funny. Actually I paid for the big H, but it was already rigged, all had to do was some adjusting. Yeah I'm lazy. But even if you don't get the stupid expensive, BIG H brand BP, I do recommend the Halcyon wings. The doughnut shape makes it so easy to dump air. The 36# Pioneer is what a lot of the guys around here have. I got the 30# Eclipse and love it. Very streamlined and I barely even have to move to dump.

But even if you pay more, the great thing is it will last forever. You just have to relace the webbing every few years. It does pack much smaller than my old back inflate did.

 

[NewTODiver]

I was looking at 2 BC's: The Seaquest Pro QD and the Black Diamond. Opinions I've read seem to indicate that both are quality designs.

Just wondering if a jacket would be more appropriate for me since I like to go head down quite often to take pictures. Would a back inflate tend to straighten me out horizontally or does it allow the freedom to go in such a position. Would I be better off with the jacket?

Any opinions welcome (especially from other photog nuts).

 

[loosebits]

I was looking at 2 BC's: The Seaquest Pro QD and the Black Diamond. Opinions I've read seem to indicate that both are quality designs.

Just wondering if a jacket would be more appropriate for me since I like to go head down quite often to take pictures. Would a back inflate tend to straighten me out horizontally or does it allow the freedom to go in such a position. Would I be better off with the jacket?

Any opinions welcome (especially from other photog nuts).

There really isn't a problem in getting yourself in any position in any BC. However, without any corrective action, a jacket will tend to make you vertical while a back inflate (assuming weights are located properly) will tend to make you horizontal. Also backinflates aren't as prone to rolling (try diving a jacket with a heavy steel tank).