Is it really a good deal and don’t buy used especially when new to diving

[Happyladydiver]

I don’t know if integrated weights are common in training. I just know I had them and liked them as that belt was a PITA. More junk to haul around for what purpose? Ick.

 

[dmaziuk]

I don’t know if integrated weights are common in training. I just know I had them and liked them as that belt was a PITA. More junk to haul around for what purpose? Ick.

A steel plate and a couple of these: DGX Trim Weight Pocket on the top camband work for my regular diving. These Dive Rite Quick Release (QR) Weight System {12 lb | 5.4 kg} will fit on the waist strap. Bigger ones are available too, if you need more lead (but then you might need more waist circumference to fit them there).

BP&W's main selling point is modularity which means more junk to haul around in separate pieces -- as opposed to having it all sewn together in one complete thing. You might want to look for a "minimalist" back-inflate like AL Outlaw or SP Litehawk on sale: you'd get both the open front and everything integrated in one complete package. (Edit: Zuma too.)

 

[jonhall]

Beuchat Masterlift X-Air Light Womens BCD

Beuchat vs the Zuma - ~8.5 lbs vs ~5 lbs. To go a little further, the Zuma is very minimal. Would have liked more D rings on the BCD but remedied that with some brass rings I added The Mikron regulator - considered travel - had a limited number of HP ports. Would have liked to attach my old SPG once I bought an air integrated dive computer but didn't have the port to do so. On the other hand I don't have a lot to worry about. Just some other considerations.

 

[Bob DBF]

BP&W's main selling point is modularity which means more junk to haul around in separate pieces -- as opposed to having it all sewn together in one complete thing.

Once the BP/W is configured the way one wants it, there is no reason to take it apart and carry it separately, unless one wants to. It is easier to reconfigure a BP/W if you don't like a feature, or where it is placed, because it isn't sewn and glued togather.

One's choice should depend on what one finds more comfortable and convenient, which is much easier if one can try before they buy. I've tried every type of BC over the decades and found they all will work. They all have pluses and minuses, and the diver needs to sort out what is best for them.

 

[living4experiences]

Whew! 10 pages of posts. I just skimmed through, but I hope you find my input helpful. I am a female diver with a large chest area and my weight tends to fluctuate depending on how dedicated I am to diet and exercise from year to year. (Not much dedication in 2020) I've been diving for years now and always rented by BCD & reg. Until recent years, there weren't many choices on the market for women's BCDs, and my theory was, Why buy something ill-fitting that is made for men? Another reason for renting for so long was because of the baggage considerations for dive travel, and all my diving involves flying. I just bought the Aqua Lung Lotus BCD with the traditional inflator hose (not the i3, which is now discontinued) in October 2020 and I first used it last month on a live-aboard. I really love it! I researched all the women's BCDs on the market for a few months and came up with a list of must-haves for my purchase, then added to the list the features that would be cool to have but not critical. I went to many dive shops and tried on lots of BCDs. I'm the type of person that likes to touch and feel my personal-fitting dive equipment before I buy it. For me, the Lotus met my must-haves, which was back-wing style (no jacket-style), integrated weight pockets, no cummerbund, tank weight pockets, front shoulder release straps (for an old shoulder injury), and at least 2 steel (not plastic) D-rings and it comes with 4 D-rings. It can allow for a 20-30 pound weight gain or loss with the generous waist belt. The cool extras are, the exterior portion of the weight pockets secured with Velcro flop down to expand to deeper pockets, if needed. There is an integrated knife sheath. The knife is $40-$45 USD. There is an octo hose pocket. If I had to be critical of just one thing it would be that there's no carry strap and if someone else is handling it, they may grab the top tank strap to pick it up. Otherwise, it's the perfect BCD. Here's the link, and this just so happens to show the exact one I got in pink. BCD Diving | Buoyancy Compensator | Lotus - Aqua Lung.

I dive with a few things dangling from my BCD, so the 4 D-rings are nice...dive slate, torch, pointer, SMB, TG6 camera. And then my knife trimmed in pink, of course!

I bought this from my women-owned local dive shop (LDS) for $535 USD. She told me to be careful not to overinflate at the surface, otherwise, your face may tip forward. I did not find this to be a problem, but I think it has to do with proper weight distribution and I think the tank weight pockets help with that.

Good luck in your search for the perfect BCD!

 

[Tanner Manning]

I know you already have a ton of responses but here's my two psi. Why cry more then once? What I mean is do your research and fork out the money the first time rather then buying something you can't see/touch, hoping it'll work to save some cash, then have to fork out more to to fix or replace. My best example is that my wife and I are looking to buy a boat right now. We saw a used one for $10,000(USD) and estimated we would have to fork out another 10k to get it looking great. Then of course the domino effect of something else breaking right after we fix the other stuff coasting us more. We decided to just fork out the dough to buy new and have a warranty so we can spend time in the lake and not in the garage.

 

[formernuke]

@Happyladydiver

If you like BPW you don't have to get a halycon.

A lot of other manufacturers make them at lower cost.

Have you tried a back inflate? They are kinda a hybrid style. I also have one of them that I use when working with students for my DM stuff.

Again try as many as you can so you only buy once. It is cheaper to rent while you try things out then replace something.

 

[Happyladydiver]

@Happyladydiver

If you like BPW you don't have to get a halycon.

A lot of other manufacturers make them at lower cost.

Have you tried a back inflate? They are kinda a hybrid style. I also have one of them that I use when working with students for my DM stuff.

Again try as many as you can so you only buy once. It is cheaper to rent while you try things out then replace something.

It is hard getting the chance to try many out is the thing as rentals are limited in design. I’ll work on a dive club I guess and try to borrow I suppose. See I’m really independent and hate asking people for a thing usually so this how joiner plan to borrow off people to see how something works is really beyond my comfort zone!

I

Whew! 10 pages of posts. I just skimmed through, but I hope you find my input helpful. I am a female diver with a large chest area and my weight tends to fluctuate depending on how dedicated I am to diet and exercise from year to year. (Not much dedication in 2020) I've been diving for years now and always rented by BCD & reg. Until recent years, there weren't many choices on the market for women's BCDs, and my theory was, Why buy something ill-fitting that is made for men? Another reason for renting for so long was because of the baggage considerations for dive travel, and all my diving involves flying. I just bought the Aqua Lung Lotus BCD with the traditional inflator hose (not the i3, which is now discontinued) in October 2020 and I first used it last month on a live-aboard. I really love it! I researched all the women's BCDs on the market for a few months and came up with a list of must-haves for my purchase, then added to the list the features that would be cool to have but not critical. I went to many dive shops and tried on lots of BCDs. I'm the type of person that likes to touch and feel my personal-fitting dive equipment before I buy it. For me, the Lotus met my must-haves, which was back-wing style (no jacket-style), integrated weight pockets, no cummerbund, tank weight pockets, front shoulder release straps (for an old shoulder injury), and at least 2 steel (not plastic) D-rings and it comes with 4 D-rings. It can allow for a 20-30 pound weight gain or loss with the generous waist belt. The cool extras are, the exterior portion of the weight pockets secured with Velcro flop down to expand to deeper pockets, if needed. There is an integrated knife sheath. The knife is $40-$45 USD. There is an octo hose pocket. If I had to be critical of just one thing it would be that there's no carry strap and if someone else is handling it, they may grab the top tank strap to pick it up. Otherwise, it's the perfect BCD. Here's the link, and this just so happens to show the exact one I got in pink. BCD Diving | Buoyancy Compensator | Lotus - Aqua Lung.

I dive with a few things dangling from my BCD, so the 4 D-rings are nice...dive slate, torch, pointer, SMB, TG6 camera. And then my knife trimmed in pink, of course!

I bought this from my women-owned local dive shop (LDS) for $535 USD. She told me to be careful not to overinflate at the surface, otherwise, your face may tip forward. I did not find this to be a problem, but I think it has to do with proper weight distribution and I think the tank weight pockets help with that.

Good luck in your search for the perfect BCD!

I think we want a lot of the same things so thanks for sharing!

@Happyladydiver

If you like BPW you don't have to get a halycon.

A lot of other manufacturers make them at lower cost.

Have you tried a back inflate? They are kinda a hybrid style. I also have one of them that I use when working with students for my DM stuff.

Again try as many as you can so you only buy once. It is cheaper to rent while you try things out then replace something.

I know you already have a ton of responses but here's my two psi. Why cry more then once? What I mean is do your research and fork out the money the first time rather then buying something you can't see/touch, hoping it'll work to save some cash, then have to fork out more to to fix or replace. My best example is that my wife and I are looking to buy a boat right now. We saw a used one for $10,000(USD) and estimated we would have to fork out another 10k to get it looking great. Then of course the domino effect of something else breaking right after we fix the other stuff coasting us more. We decided to just fork out the dough to buy new and have a warranty so we can spend time in the lake and not in the garage.

I know what you’re saying and I sent it back as it was faulty.

That being said, we bought a $500 25 foot sailboat when we lived in the USA and used it every weekend for a few years before selling it for 3 times that amount before moving back home to Australia. So there can be bargains to be found. I only bought that used bcd as I knew eBay protected people in case it was faulty. It could just as easily have been a score and I’d be using it now and making it work. That’s a fact. It had awesome storage and accommodated me up top. I really liked how it inflated in the back even if I didn’t use it in the water.

 

[Happyladydiver]

Ye

@Happyladydiver

If you like BPW you don't have to get a halycon.

A lot of other manufacturers make them at lower cost.

Have you tried a back inflate? They are kinda a hybrid style. I also have one of them that I use when working with students for my DM stuff.

Again try as many as you can so you only buy once. It is cheaper to rent while you try things out then replace something.

The pearl i3 was a back inflate. I only used it on land but even though it didn’t hold air all night, I liked what I experienced. It was pretty and comfortable. It had pink on it too. Lol I’m such a girl.

 

[formernuke]

Ye


The pearl i3 was a back inflate. I only used it on land but even though it didn’t hold air all night, I liked what I experienced. It was pretty and comfortable. It had pink on it too. Lol I’m such a girl.

I keep looking for a purple wing or BC in mens..... no luck so far.