My complete BP/w system cost me $425. That is strikingly different than the $600+ BCD's I see regularily stocked in most dive shops locally. For the shop, training in BCD may be cost effective because they are only paying dealer cost, not full MSRP. I'm sure that is true of most BP/w vendors as well, including Tobin (though I don't know for sure).
Based on the selling prices of the average BC and the average BP/W, I think it's fair to say that the BP/Ws are more expensive. As an example see
Buoyancy Compensators | Scuba BCD: at JoeDiverAmerica.com where you can purchase BCs for less than $200. Yes you can pay more, but much more for a BP/W.
What overhead is increased with BP/w other than assembly? I take it you mean assembly? If not, then please clarify what means overhead in your context.
I used the term overhead to be the actual cost for a LDS to complete an OW course. Equipment, instructors, DMs, books, air, certifications, everything. Generally the higher this cost is, the less profit is made. The LDS can charge more, however they risk losing the competitive advantage that a lower priced course offers. Equipment costs are often reduced to allow the dive store to tie-up less money, so they can use the funds in other places that will provide a greater return on investment.
BP/w's are safe (at least the currently manufactured ones). What do you perceive unsafe about them? I gather from your posts that you don't, but you keep bringing up safety.
In the quotation you gave, I was not bringing-up safety of BP/Ws. My comment was directed to the fact that that the LDS wants to use safe equipment for training, at the least cost to them. In this way the higher cost of BP/Ws are seldom warranted. Should a dive store sell BP/Ws they may integrate them into the training program to intice students to purchase them. This would generally increase the cost of sales, as the BP/Ws are more expensive.
Will the OW purchase exactly the same BCD (make and type) that he/she was trained in? If not, then they are already purchasing something they are not trained in. Did the rental have integrated air source and the diver purchases octo instead or vise versa? If the diver was trained using tables, then will they purchase a computer? They were not trained that way. Was the diver trained with a weight belt but ends up using weight integrated instead?
Good points. There are differences between BCs and between BP/Ws. The purchase choice rests with the new diver. What I have experienced is that many new divers wish to buy more than just a BC or BP/W; they want all of their equipment. For the majority of the population, money is a consideration (although there are some people that price is no object). The new diver generally finds him/herself faced with trying to purchase everything on a budget. If they decide to go "high-end" on one item, they often cut back on others, or purchase their kit in steps.
Many will not end-up purchasing a computer at the on-set, but will work within the limits of the tables. If they do purchase a computer, the majority will get an average type of computer and not a X1 or VR3 right off the bat. They don't necessarily need all these functions. In a similar way they will often purchase a BC over a BP/W. Please keep in-mind that many divers tend to purchase from their LDS and if the LDS doesn't sell BP/Ws, they may be reluctant to purchase one as their first compensator.
UTD trains OW in BP/w, and spends considerable effort on bouyancy and trim from the very first day in class, and I'd say by their check-out dive (for OW recreational) they are looking better than any other OW student I've seen even by their 20th dive and even after PPB in most cases (unless they are mentored by some of the UTD/Tec/GUE locals). I'm not saying they don't have issues or more to work on. I'm saying they are enjoying their dives earlier.
Yes, UTDs mission is to train divers for exploration. This equates to a focus on more extreme types of diving. This is not the focus of most LDS, nor do I believe that this is the reason why
most divers learn to dive.
Newly certified divers do not have to struggle with these things if they do not have unnecessary overweighting (which is the norm here for OW students), cumbersome BCD's with integrated weighting changing their balance, and improper distribution of weights that most shops/instructors wait until further instruction (AOW or PPB to correct). And proper instruction and the time spent to become comfortable with it during OW. Most PPB I've seen even then doesn't spend much time on this, just a getting nuetral and fin pivots.
Yes, I've noticed this as well.
... A good buddy tried to get horizontal with his BCD he had. After about 80 dives he finally had it pretty good but struggled sometimes. Tried my BP/w and went and purchased on the next day. For him, that was the answer to his comfort issues.
Yes, getting horizontal with some BCs can be a problem. It is this same "difficulty" that gets a diver's head out of the water on the surface. If I don't properly trim my BP/W, if I'm in a face down position inflated, someone will have to flip me face-up if I'm unconscious. The center of gravity on a BP/W is behind the diver, the same "comfort issues" affecting a diver when he's conscious often prove to be "uncomfortable" for him when he's unconscious. No doubt someone will want to argue this and I think I'm beating a dead horse here, so will not say anymore on the issue.
Thanks.