I think this makes more sense on paper than in practice. Simply because no matter what you think the future will bring, you won't know until you're there. Kind of like if I think I may want to be a NASCAR driver, so the first car I buy is a race car. This has NOTHING to do with the pros or cons of a jacket or a BP/W. Just that maybe what you need 5 years from now might be different from what you currently think you will need 5 years from now.
New divers and BCs
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NudeDiver
Contributor
Not to mention that 5 years from now, the BC you buy today may no longer fit anyway.
WANTING a BC is quite different from "NEEDING" one. I was addressing the issue of "needing one" from any economic standpoint (i.e. whether it cheaper to own or rent). The theory is that if you dive often, then you "need" a BC because otherwise, you're overspending in the course of renting one - and that if you don't dive very often, renting one can be a lot more economically efficient.
I appreciate your desire to help out new divers by summarizing what's been said about BCs to the numerous questions that are always asked. you could also do the same thing for a whole bunch of pieces of gear that are often asked about (especially by new divers), such as split vs paddle fins, air2 vs octo, snorkel or no snorkel, etc, but I suggest you don't. Why do I say this? Because with roughly the same amount of experience as me or the average new diver, do I necessarily trust your summary. Based on your summary, I shouldn't even bother with a jacket style BC, but I know there are quite a few people on here that like their jacket BCs, and there must be some reason why they're massively common as rentals other than price (and I'm not even sure if they're cheaper at all than back inflate)
What really bothers me about your summary though, and why I personally like reading the numerous threads about gear choices (though I'm not yet even looking for my own set) is the reasons people give for why they like/use the gear that they do. What people say they do or don't like about something can be very informative, albeit confusing at times, and it's never quite as black and white as your summary makes it out to be. I don't think you can or should make statements like this: "BUY THE BP/W IF YOU CAN,IF YOU WANT THAT LATER ON.IF YOU WANT TO PLAY,HAVE FUN and later on get into BP/w,,get a BI.You will be happier with a BI,over a jacket." This makes it sound like everybody should eventually end up at a bp/w but it may not be right for everyone, depending on their preferences and type of diving they do.
I think you're missing one REALLY BIG thing however that comes up so often that if I had 1 cent for every time somebody said it I'd be rich (and diving way more than I currently am): Try before you buy. Try everything you can, and then try it all again. Buy what meets your needs and what's comfortable for you, not what somebody on the internet tells you is good, because what they think is great meets their needs and is comfortable for them, but you're not them.
I apologize if this comes across as bashing your post, but I feel it's important that anybody looking for opinions about anything, BCs, cars, vacation destinations, whatever, read as many opinions as they can and then summarize it all for themselves rather than just reading a summary. I'll admit that what I've come up with reading through the threads is similar to your summary, it is by no means the same.
What really bothers me about your summary though, and why I personally like reading the numerous threads about gear choices (though I'm not yet even looking for my own set) is the reasons people give for why they like/use the gear that they do. What people say they do or don't like about something can be very informative, albeit confusing at times, and it's never quite as black and white as your summary makes it out to be. I don't think you can or should make statements like this: "BUY THE BP/W IF YOU CAN,IF YOU WANT THAT LATER ON.IF YOU WANT TO PLAY,HAVE FUN and later on get into BP/w,,get a BI.You will be happier with a BI,over a jacket." This makes it sound like everybody should eventually end up at a bp/w but it may not be right for everyone, depending on their preferences and type of diving they do.
I think you're missing one REALLY BIG thing however that comes up so often that if I had 1 cent for every time somebody said it I'd be rich (and diving way more than I currently am): Try before you buy. Try everything you can, and then try it all again. Buy what meets your needs and what's comfortable for you, not what somebody on the internet tells you is good, because what they think is great meets their needs and is comfortable for them, but you're not them.
I apologize if this comes across as bashing your post, but I feel it's important that anybody looking for opinions about anything, BCs, cars, vacation destinations, whatever, read as many opinions as they can and then summarize it all for themselves rather than just reading a summary. I'll admit that what I've come up with reading through the threads is similar to your summary, it is by no means the same.
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Firefgter, I'm glad you got something you are pleased with. The problem is that, with the small number of dives that you have, you haven't had a lot of experience with a variety of different BCs, to know what each of them has to offer, and what the drawbacks are. EACH design, be it jacket, back-inflate, or backplate/wing, has advantages and disadvantages. Each should be properly matched to the kind of diver who is going to use the gear.
It is my belief that many people who intend to dive regularly at home in colder water, would be well served by purchasing a backplate system from the get-go. This is due to buoyancy concerns. If you are primarily travelling and diving in warm water, a light back-inflate BC may be fine, especially if your body is such that stock sizes fit you well. For people who lie on the ends of the bell-shaped curve for size, a backplate and simple harness offers infinite adjustability, and may make their lives considerably easier.
Each of us purchases gear that we hope will work, and if we are pleased with it, we all like to recommend it. But until you have enough breadth of experience to understand which divers, and which circumstances, favor a certain type of gear, it's a little shaky to say that any particular thing is to be recommended for everybody.
It is my belief that many people who intend to dive regularly at home in colder water, would be well served by purchasing a backplate system from the get-go. This is due to buoyancy concerns. If you are primarily travelling and diving in warm water, a light back-inflate BC may be fine, especially if your body is such that stock sizes fit you well. For people who lie on the ends of the bell-shaped curve for size, a backplate and simple harness offers infinite adjustability, and may make their lives considerably easier.
Each of us purchases gear that we hope will work, and if we are pleased with it, we all like to recommend it. But until you have enough breadth of experience to understand which divers, and which circumstances, favor a certain type of gear, it's a little shaky to say that any particular thing is to be recommended for everybody.
NudeDiver
Contributor
Even if you have all the experience in the world - 6 million dives or whatever, it's kinda ridiculous to say that everyone should be using the same thing - no matter what that thing is.
Coldwater_Canuck
Contributor
The rental gear I've used has been less than pleasant. But, if I was only diving twice a year, I'd suck it up. But after using rental gear, getting a BCD, regulator, and computer are my priorities. I've been relatively happy with wet suits (until I read the "pissing in wetsuits" topic
and tanks as rentals. Basically same here. I'd heard about back inflate and front inflate models, but had heard of front inflate as obsolete (which was correct) and thought of back inflate as some crazy things only technical and double divers would use and not be for new recreational divers (which was incorrect). As I said, I blame PADI partially for this: they could have explained better.
Sas
Contributor
Yes this is true. I find it hard to imagine why some people I know spent a fortune on their BC (i.e. over $1000, which is what it costs for top of the line BCs in Australia) when they may only do 25 or even less dives a year. I sat down before buying gear and worked out how long it would take before my gear purchase would have paid for itself versus renting. I think it was about 40 or so rentals, which I would have done by now had I not bought. But I guess some people just like to have their own stuff, even when it does not make sense economically.
TSandM:
Yes this is a good point and one of the reasons why I found a BP/W (with SS BP) more comfortable. Was nice to drop 6lb from my weight pockets and move it to my back given I have to wear tonnes and tonnes when in my drysuit.
NudeDiver
Contributor
So - what, you just want praise and thanks, rather than a real discussion?
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