asked before but differently - opinion & advice

[Humuhumunukunukuapua'a]

In terms of the great question of "will it face plant me on the surface", I found a back-inflate BC to be very little difference from a stab jacket. I can hang out on the surface comfortably all day. It just wasn't all that big a deal.

I love my back-inflate BC, fo all the reasons that have been stated before. It is less cluttered. No squeeze (that actually took a while to get used to, because the squeeze is helpful when you're getting your buoyancy wired). I'm glad I have it over BP/W because I often have to haul my gear out of water on my back a long ways, and my BC is way comfy. It has integrated weights and quick releases, and in general more convenience features than a BP/W. I'm really pleased with the choice I made, and, like you, am a purely recreational diver, though mostly in cold (temperate) water.

Good luck with your descision!

Gregg

 

[Humuhumunukunukuapua'a]

Oh, yeah. I got an Aqualung Titan reg setup at a great price used. I had it serviced and it works like a champ. My LDS rents them and services them, so that factored into the choice. It's a rugged, workhorse reg used in a lot of rental shops (so you know it can take abuse). What's more it's very simple to open up and just give a rinse to. Breathes great. I can't really think of a reason to spend more.

 

[MSilvia]

Sure, but most are still technical divers at some level. Like yourself.

True. After about 70 dives in a SeaQuest Spectrum III that I had trimmed out with 4 lbs of weight on the cam strap, I was offered a great price on a DiveRite Transpac II with integrated pockets, and made the switch. Since I was diving wet in cold water, the pockets didn't have the capacity to keep me from needing a weight belt, so I only used them on vacation. When I started diving dry, I noticed that the chest strap from the TPII was competing for space with the drysuit inflator, so I sort of wedged it underneath to keep it out of the way, which didn't do any favors for airflow through the suit, but wasn't a huge deal.

Several friends of mine were using BP/wing rigs already, but I continued to use the TPII... after all, I liked it much better than the jacket, and I'd paid good money for it. I did some checkout dives with NOAA, and the UDS used the same rig. I was using it in my advanced nitrox/rec trimix class with doubles, and the instructor had the same rig. When I found out a DIR fundamentals class was being offered in the area, I signed up and asked the instructor if I could take it in my Transpac. He said that I could.

As I was reading the course materials I decided that I'd probably get more out of the class in the long run if I took it in a BP/wing though, so I decided to see if I could borrow one. About that time, I realized I could use the wing from my transpac, so I bought an Abyss backplate, 3 triglides, 3 D-rings, a stainless steel buckle, and 12 feet of 2" webbing for around $90, and put it all together. I now had my own for less than $100 (not including the wing I'd been using for a couple of years already).

I suppose you could say that I'm a convert because of taking a DIR class, but I don't claim or strive to be a DIR diver, and it wasn't my rig of choice when I started diving beyond recreational limits. At least 3/4 of the dives I do now are single tank recreational dives, and I'm VERY happy I finally found dive gear that I can't imagine ever finding inadequate.

Bottom line? If technical divers like the rig, it's only because they want gear that will reliably do everything they want in the simplest and most effective way possible and never compromise their safety under adverse conditions. Granted, most recreational divers don't NEED that degree of simplicity and reliability, but why not consider it since it costs about the same?

 

[MikeFerrara]

I knew that when someone posts for advice here, many of the responses come from hard core divers (keep reading) and every one has an opinion. So I am going to try this differently this time.

For Recreational diving (under 100 ft) with no intention of becoming a tech diver, and for mostly warm to temperate waters with no intention of ice diving, ever, what would your recommendation be if you were to put yourselves in my shoes for a BC and Regulator set-up (1st/2nd), and why not throw in gauges and/or computer too.

I know everyone is very happy with the BP+Wings or whatever Zeagle makes, but at the end of the day, most LDS sell jacket styles like cup cakes, and back inflation for those with more peculiar demands. So, let's hear from some folks who use jacket style BCs and what you think of them underwater and on the surface. The last thing I want is to buy a back-inflate and find myself flopping around on the surface because I have never tried one before. However, I am open to trying new things and so many are happy with them.

BTW, I need to purchase a set-up soon, so I am actually evaluating advice for real.

Oh, and I don't have the luxury to rent all sorts of styles and brands to try out.

Thank you.

I used to dive a jacket. Does that count?

Then I went to a back inflate bc and I liked it much better. Then I tried a bp/wing and never looked back regardless of what most dive shops sell. A bp/wing is easy enough to get with or without a dive shop. Eventually enough divers are liable to be diving bp/wings that more dive shops will carry them but as long as you wear what they carry they can continue to carry it.

 

[Tanked Monkey]

I would go with a Backplate with a one piece webbing harness, an Oxycheck or Halcyon singles wing, and a single tank adapter. I'd use an Apeks regulator, but nothing fancy. Maybe a T20 or something along those lines. I'd avoid the console, and get a brass pressure gauge, wrist mounted Suunto SK-7 compass, and wrist mounted nitrox-capable computer.

Funny, that is almost exactly the same as my current setup. Apeks ATX50 primary, Apeks AT20 backup, DiveRite SS BP, standard 1-piece webbing, STA, but OMS 35# singles wing. Brass pressure gauge, wrist mounted SK-7, wrist mounted Suunto Gekko. All in all, it wasn't too expensive, will last me forever, and can grow with me as my diving grows. I have 5 dives on it so far, and it performed great.

My wife uses the Titan LX (http://www.aqualung.com/products/titan_lx.html), and I have breathed off it too, and it is great, and very economical. I might be so bold as to say the Titan LX is one of the best values in regulators out there. Biggest bang for the buck. Also, she uses a SeaQuest Libra, which is the women's version of the SeaQuest Balance. It's rock solid, for a back-inflate BC. If I bought a traditional back-inflate, I would definitely go with the Balance.(http://www.aqualung.com/products/balance.html)

Good luck, and happy hunting.

-Mike