Any advice on a good yet simple BC?

[Walter]

Can you please be more specific regarding the exact type? Thanks.

The Classic Sport is an excellent choice. Don't confuse it with the Classic, which is IMO, a piece of junk.

 

[mislav]

How much weight do you need? Steel plates weight about 5-6 lbs, so you get that much off your belt. Platic and aluminium are lighter, which is good for travel and for people who are over-weighted in a 5-6 lb plate. For example, in my tech setup with a can light, 5 lb (about 2.2 kg) steel plate, twin AL80's (11L's), 3,5mm wetsuit with 6mm hood and boots and a stage I'm too heavy in a steel plate in salt water and need to get a plastic or aluminium plate.

I need 12 kg (26 lbs?) of weight with a full 7mm suit and a jacket. Might be a bit less but my technique isn't all that good yet. I need half that weight in a 3mm short suit.

I think you can get them ready setup, but usually they come with plate, harness, d-rings, webbing, keepers, etc. and you have to look on some website on how to put it all together. Then you adjust it to fit you perfectly, cut off the excess webbing and you are done.

This doesn't sound like a very user friendly approach. Being new to this sort of equipment, the safest bet would be to go for a ready setup, right?

Not sure about Europe, best to ask at the forum I posted a link to. Over here Deep Sea Supply, Oxycheq and Halcyon are among the popular brands. I think DIRZone and Agir-Brokk are more common in Europe. There are many others.

OK, I'll do that, but I'd rather stick to this forum. A lot of people here are using BP/Ws so I'd rather stick to the advice from my fellow ScubaBoarders. :blinking:

You also have decide how big a wing to select (lift capacity)? donut or horseshoe? single or double baldder? STA or no STA? Wing shape? ...

I'm lost! Thanks for listing all the options, but... Again, I'm kinda looking more for recommendations than to raise more questions on a topic I'm not familiar with.

Depends on what kind of diving you intend to do. If you see yourself as a recreational diver for the forseeable future, any basic jacket-style BC will do.

I'll be a rec diver for some time but I do plan to learn new skills and advance. Having my own gear would greatly help me with that - hence this thread.

 

[PerroneFord]

The BP/W is the only allowed configuration for DIR diving. So EVERYONE at DIRExplorers will be diving one and they can assist you with places to purchase near you. But if you prefer information on this setup at SCUBABOARD, I would suggest you ask in the Hogarthian or DIR forums under the technical diving heading.

Good luck.

OK, I'll do that, but I'd rather stick to this forum. A lot of people here are using BP/Ws so I'd rather stick to the advice from my fellow ScubaBoarders. :blinking:

 

[mislav]

@PerroneFord: Thanks. I'll go and start another thread there. I only hope to see some more replies to this first.

The Classic Sport is an excellent choice. Don't confuse it with the Classic, which is IMO, a piece of junk.

Thank you, Walter. Could you please tell me what exactly makes the ScubaPro Classic a junk so I can avoid making that mistake?

 

[BSea]

I would look at Deep Sea Supply or Oxycheq, whose owners frequent this forum.

http://deepseasupply.com/

http://www.oxycheq.com/

They can set you up with a complete system.

You can also check with Scuba Toys. They sell the Oxycheq & Dive Rite Backplate systems. They don't show the Oxycheq backplates, but they can get anything from oxycheq, and you get a 10% discount for being a scubaboard member.

http://www.scubatoys.com/

If you like the Dive Rite BP/W, you can also check with Dive Sports. They will setup the complete BP/W. My buddy bought his from them & really loves it. If you call, ask for Phil, he's the owner.

http://www.divesports.com/

 

[divnamite]

I'll be a rec diver for some time but I do plan to learn new skills and advance. Having my own gear would greatly help me with that - hence this thread.

What kind of skills? If you intend to do tech diving, then I can't offer anything useful to you since I'm not a tech diver. However, if you intend to be better diver in general, better buoyancy, etc. then ScubaPro/Zeagle/Seaquest jacket will work fine. I have ScubaPro classic with air2, not sure what year (second-hand), I have no problem with it whatsoever, altho I preferred classic sport better, like Walter said. Just for a little background, I'm a pure recreational diver, I intend to get better at bouyancy and underwater photography, no interest at cave diving or wreck penetration at this point. I dive with MK17/S600, scubapro classic with air2. So far, I'm having a lot of fun.

 

[DennisW]

I'll take a stab at Walter's dislike of the Classic Air and Classic Plus. They are both weight integrated BCs. Walter doesn't like weight integrated BCs. Since you aren't interested in a weight integrated system, you wouldn't be interested in these BCs any way. They have a bunch of padding and a cummerbund. The padding causes you to add weight because padding is bouyant. Cummerbunds are a bit more comfortable for some people, Walter just doesn't like them. I just replaced my 1988 Classic Sport with a new one. My old one finally had to be retired.

 

[mislav]

What kind of skills?

You know, just get better at diving in general. Climb the PADI ladder OW-AOW-RD-DM... or CMAS equivalent.

@BSea: thanks for the links and info. It's very helpful.

@Dennis: that's precisely the kind of info that I'm looking for. Thanks.

 

[SangP]

mislav,

One thing about diving is that skills are far more important than having the best gear. There are old timers out there with backpacks who can dive better than most on this or any forum. The key to getting better in diving is to practice as often as you can to get as comfortable with the gear you have.

It's cool to be a great diver with crappy gear but uncool with great gear but can't dive worth a crap.

Although I do use a bp/w and feel that it's a great setup the decision of what works for you one only you can determine.

Go and borrow as many rigs you can to try and if you need any help on assembling a bp/w this board isn't going anywhere.

SangP

 

[mislav]

One thing about diving is that skills are far more important than having the best gear. There are old timers out there with backpacks who can dive better than most on this or any forum. The key to getting better in diving is to practice as often as you can to get as comfortable with the gear you have.

It's cool to be a great diver with crappy gear but uncool with great gear but can't dive worth a crap.

I agree. That's exactly why I'm looking for a down to earth recommendation for a basic setup. I don't care if it's jacket or BP/W as long as it's not the James-Bond-have-it-all style. I need and want only the basics, that's why I exclude jackets with integrated weights, unnecessary amount of pockets and buttons to dump air all over the place.

I'm looking for advice to avoid making a rookie mistake and buying some junk BCD.

An example - I was given a tip to buy a rubber weightbelt instead of the standard one. Since, the rubber belts do not let loose on you in higher depths. Seems like a nice tip.

So, I want something simple that won't keep me from making a progress in my diving skills due to a faulty design or low quality. That's where you guys come in.