Why don't more dive shops display more (any?) BP/Ws?

[lowridersvt]

How's that relevant? If I have more coffee on the shelve and cater to coffee drinkers I would expect to sell more coffee than tea right?

Well its relevant because allot of the divers they cater too are new and novice divers that walk out the door with a better product and a good understanding on the product they sell . Allot of divers come in wanting the jacket bc and leave with a bp/w for the same price or less that is a much better unit.

 

[j3r3my]

This is an informative thread. My LDS has nothing to do with bp/w and therefore is no help. Can anyone give me a recomendation on a bp/w? I'm a rescue diver and hate my jacket style bc. Can send pm to keep this thread from going in the wrong direction.

Thanks!

 

[Web Monkey]

This is an informative thread. My LDS has nothing to do with bp/w and therefore is no help. Can anyone give me a recomendation on a bp/w? I'm a rescue diver and hate my jacket style bc. Can send pm to keep this thread from going in the wrong direction.

Just curious. What do you hate about it?

Assuming it holds air and a tank, it's really hard for a BC of any style to be actively "bad"

Terry

 

[j3r3my]

It's not comfortable. Its slides side to side, the weights are held by velcro and on a recent dive in catalina one weight pouch slid out of the pocket as I was swimming to the steps. I was on the surface, it only fell five feet. I haven't dove since. I just want something better.

 

[Web Monkey]

It's not comfortable. Its slides side to side, the weights are held by velcro and on a recent dive in catalina one weight pouch slid out of the pocket as I was swimming to the steps. I was on the surface, it only fell five feet. I haven't dove since. I just want something better.

Velcro sucks. If you want to keep it, you can move your weights to a Weight & Trim harness, but that won't fix the sliding.

Although I do like Jacket BCs for single tanks, I do have to say that there are a lot of manufacturers that should be ashamed of themselves for using velcro for anything more important than keeping a hose from flopping around. It's unconscionable to use Velcro to retain weight pockets.

Honestly, I'd contact the manufacturer, explain what happened and ask for a replacement BC with a safe weight retention mechanism. Weight is the only thing you can't share underwater. If you lost your weight with a significant deco obligation, you could have been killed or crippled.

There's nothing wrong with a BP (or a jacket). You just got a bad design. I'd push for a free replacement.

Terry

 

[RonFrank]

I can only comment on what I see.

In Denver we have one tech shop. I have never been in it! I do however know many of the instructors that work there, and even the owner. They teach both PADI, and GUE. They do sell BP/W's but they also sell jacket, and back inflate BC's.

The shop I certified in was starting to sell some tech gear last summer, mainly DiveRite. They did have some Backplates, and the Transpac, and Transplate BC's. I have not been at that shop in a while, but sales of the tech stuff seemed very slow based on a discussion with the Shane (owners son). Next time I am there, I would not be surprised to see the tech gear gone.

Most BP/W sales appear to be on the internet. I know and dive with a number of folks who use DSS. You won't find those in an LDS, as they are direct marketed to the public online. I use a Hammerhead, also online direct.

The vast majority of divers I see (minus Scubaboard events) are using jacket BC's, and you also see a lot of Zeagle (or I do). I was just on a live aboard in the Channel islands, and with the exception of one crew member, I was the ONLY diver using a BP/W. However the boat was full of drysuit divers. This boat may not have been typical as it was chartered by a N. CA dive shop, and many of those on board were using the same equipment (not rental).

My observations of divers in the US would support the facts presented that BP/W sales account for a very small percentage of the diving public.

I also talk to a lot of folks that purchase used gear. Let's face it, many take up diving, go on one trip, and then they have a baby, or loose interest, and sell their stuff.

My first BC was a Ranger (used), and I picked up my Stiletto from an out of business shop in Key West. My BP/W was purchased from numerous places in pieces. My reg was new off of ebay from an LDS buyout. I would not be surprised to learn that most of my gear is *off the grid so to speak*, and I have a bunch of gear!

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I can only comment on what I see.

In Denver we have one tech shop. I have never been in it! I do however know many of the instructors that work there, and even the owner. They teach both PADI, and GUE. They do sell BP/W's but they also sell jacket, and back inflate BC's.

The shop I certified in was starting to sell some tech gear last summer, mainly DiveRite. They did have some Backplates, and the Transpac, and Transplate BC's. I have not been at that shop in a while, but sales of the tech stuff seemed very slow based on a discussion with the Shane (owners son). Next time I am there, I would not be surprised to see the tech gear gone.

Most BP/W sales appear to be on the internet. I know and dive with a number of folks who use DSS. You won't find those in an LDS, as they are direct marketed to the public online. I use a Hammerhead, also online direct.

The vast majority of divers I see (minus Scubaboard events) are using jacket BC's, and you also see a lot of Zeagle (or I do). I was just on a live aboard in the Channel islands, and with the exception of one crew member, I was the ONLY diver using a BP/W. However the boat was full of drysuit divers. This boat may not have been typical as it was chartered by a N. CA dive shop, and many of those on board were using the same equipment (not rental).

My observations of divers in the US would support the facts presented that BP/W sales account for a very small percentage of the diving public.

I also talk to a lot of folks that purchase used gear. Let's face it, many take up diving, go on one trip, and then they have a baby, or loose interest, and sell their stuff.

My first BC was a Ranger (used), and I picked up my Stiletto from an out of business shop in Key West. My BP/W was purchased from numerous places in pieces. My reg was new off of ebay from an LDS buyout. I would not be surprised to learn that most of my gear is *off the grid so to speak*, and I have a bunch of gear!

There are more divers in LA using BP/W than in Norcal. Most of the shops in Norcal are still selling just jackets. If you get on some of those Socal boats you will see nothing but BP/W and maybe 1 or 2 jackets, then sometimes you will see an even mix, then if you happen to get on a Sport Chalet chrtered boat you will see nothing but jackets.
Some of the old time hardcore dive clubs in Socal, when they charter a boat you won't see either BP/W or jackets, just bare bones plastic backpacks with no BC whatsoever.
http://diver.net/backpack_divers/

 

[cool_hardware52]

Most BP/W sales appear to be on the internet. I know and dive with a number of folks who use DSS. You won't find those in an LDS, as they are direct marketed to the public online.

Humm. Bet my dealers would disagree.

Tobin

 

[james croft]

Let's face it, many take up diving, go on one trip, and then they have a baby, or loose interest, and sell their stuff.

So that's how babies are made.

 

[RJP]

My LDS (The Scuba Connection in Hillsborough NJ) probably has as many or more BP/W setups on display as they do traditional BCDs. In fact as soon as you walk in the door you almost run right into a Halcyon rig on the most prominent display stand in the shop. Then there's a whole other wall of H gear featuring AL and Steel plates, all the different wings, accessories, etc. Right across from that is a similarly large display of DiveRite gear, including several Nomad sidemount rigs on display.

I'm pretty sure there's a rack of ScubaPro and Sherwood BCDs in there somewhere, though I can't quite recall seeing them in a while. Maybe they are tucked behind the rebreather display.