Bcd

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

I

ianwinchester

New
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Location
Canada
# of dives
0 - 24
I'm new to scuba diving and looking to pick up some basic gear. I do not know what style or brand of bcd but most seem adamant on BP/W config. My budget is limited as I want To allow money for other pieces of gear but i also don't want to cheap out. Recomend me BCD's and tell me the pro's and con's of it
 
costs for a BCD or a BP/W can be very similar so that isn't necessarily the basis of selection.....

What have you dove with during class? Did it fit? What did you like of dislike about what you were using? If you didn't like something, ask if there are ways to avoid the issue.

What type of diving are you realistically intending to do? Gear configuration greatly contributes to gear selection....

The BP/W is in the SB "vocal majority", but there are also one heck of a large number of "silent members".
 
I switched from a jacket BCD to a BP/W and would not go back. The advantage I like the most is that the Hogarthian BP&W rig is so much easier to rinse, dry and pack than a jacket! I also appreciate the reduced drag in water and much less mess with buckles and rims. A well thought through and tested system where to store what - the prime light, the backup light, the SPG etc. And I can modify it, if I want to dive a double tank set. Otherwise the jacket was ok, too. Not such a big differnece in horizontal trim as I expected.

As to which BP&W to choose - after extensive reading I chose the Deep Sea Supply as the best quality for the price and a great customer support. It's also very simple to assamble and disassamble and doesn't need a single tank adapter - the tank is some 2'' closer to your back. If you chose a DSS rig, consider also the weight plates and the harness glider.

Have a look at Zeagle Express Tech - it's something inbetween. I read very good reviews of it, and it's light, simple, inexpensive and fits most sizes. Great for traveling. Some say, it's not good for cold water diving, though, because it's so lightweight for a thick wetsuit or dry suit with a lot of buoyancy.

Good luck!
 
I would suggest trying a few different types of buoyancy control before you buy something if you can. Almost any one will work, so it comes down to personal choice, taste, and possibly the type of diving you anticipate doing in the future.

I began diving when there was no such thing as a BCD, and have used many different styles over the years. These days I prefer the wing style, but there is no right or wrong choice, if the style you choose works for the diving you are doing, and provides you with a safe stable platform. Every choice has trade offs, which it pays to experience yourself, before you spend a lot of money.

I have rented or borrowed every style BCD before purchasing.
 
thanks for the input. Could you guys list what is necessary to create a full bp/wing combo. wing, harness, ect.
 
ianwinchester:
thanks for the input. Could you guys list what is necessary to create a full bp/wing combo. wing, harness, ect.
Click to expand...

For a bare bones system, you need a backplate, wing, harness, and cambands. For some systems DRIS and Halcyon you also need a single tank adapter. Items such as pads and pockets may be handy but are not essential. One of the nice things about a BP/W system is that you can customize your rig exactly the way you want it.
 
Basically what you are asking about is a simple bladder, a plate ( stainless steel, aluminum or even plastic), bands to hold the tank and a simple web harness with D ring attachment points and a buckle that you can adjust to fit. Then you can add pockets, weight pouches, or whatever, as you need or see fit.

There are lots of options, which you will want to explore before spending money, in my opinion. There are plenty of used wings available if you shop around, which can save you a lot of bucks.

Remember though that not all components are interchangeable from brand to brand. Learned that one the hard way myself.
 
you also need to know that there are numerous products that are very little in difference, but can carry a significant price difference (big name brands).....
 
The first big question is whether you are going to dive locally, or just on vacation. If you are going to dive in cold water, having a steel backplate is a big advantage, because the BC then has no intrinsic buoyancy (so you don't have to carry lead to sink it) and the plate becomes part of your ballast, so you can reduce what has to be put into pockets or a weight belt. In addition, the plate moves six pounds of your weight up onto your back, reducing the tendency for your feet to sink. This can make buoyancy control and horizontal trim easier.

If you are only going to do tropical diving, those advantages are not as significant. But the backplate system still has the nice quality of holding the tank very stable in the middle of your back, and being pretty easy to pack, since it comes apart into pieces.
 
I am currently putting together a BP/W with an aluminum plate for travel. I love my steel plate for the reasons mentioned above, but got a bit tired of carrying that 6 lb plate in my luggage for warm climes where the extra weight is not needed.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom