Back inflate BCD's

[Cherry]

Ok a question and I know UP and a few others will say just get a backplate and wings but for some reason as a newbie I am considering getting a back inflate BCD. My IST Jacket style really squeezes me on the surface when I even slightly over inflate it and yes I havent quite developed my bouyancy skills yet but a back inflate I feel will solve alot of these particular issues for me. So Back inflate as a step to wings? and in particular comment on Sea quest Black Diamond and Balance BCD?

Thanks

Ok UP fire away

 

[ckharlan66]

I have a Balance that I dove for about a year. It no longer fits. I really liked it. It took some work to get the weight positioned correctly for proper trim but one I got the advice from the board to do 1/3 of the total weight in each front pocket and 1/3 divided in the trim pockets it was great. It is pretty streamlined and I liked the BC alot.

The Black Diamond had some other features that I didn't feel I needed to spend addtional money on.

Of course now that I shrunk out of it guess what I bought and like better.

 

[Dryglove]

read this http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=18070

 

[Cherry]

Ahhh let me Guess BP and wings

 

[ckharlan66]

Yep.

Chad

 

[Rick Murchison]

My personal favorite for diving singles with back inflation is the Dive-Rite Transpac II with the Travel wing. If you have a chance to try one sometime I highly recommend doing so.
Rick

 

[Mouth Breather old]

Cherry,

Since you asked a question about back inflate BC's. I will answer your question about BACK INFLATE BC'S. I won't tell you about about BP's because there are people on this board who are more than happy to do that...whether you want them to or not

I really like the comfort of a back inflate BC. Rick Murchison and I agree on the Transpac II and travel wing. A nice hybrid of BP and Jacket BC. Sort of the best of both worlds. I found it very similar to my own back-inflate BC but with the added advantage of changeable wings.

The Black Diamond that you mention seems well made, very sturdy, but kind of heavy compared to a lot of back inflate BC's that I have seen. My friends that use it like it a lot, but there seems to be a lot of "stuff" (rings, plastic releases, and do dads).

Cherry some other back inflate BC's that my women friends and daughter like are the SP Ladyhawk, and Zeagle Zena.

Good Luck with your search!

 

[detroit diver]

...So Back inflate as a step to wings?...

Cherry,

Why do you need a "step to wings"? Unless you have all the money in the world, why spend on something that you're thinking of discarding anyway? And you already like the idea of back inflation.

Just go ahead and buy the BP and wings.

 

[dhom88]

Check out Amer-Sea as well. I just got one of their Amer-Tech back inflate BC and love it. http://www.amer-sea.com/Merchant2/m...ode=AS&Product_Code=430&Category_Code=BC-back

 

[ERP]

I dive a seaquest Balance back inflate. And in retrospect I would have at least liked to dive a BP and wings before I made my decision.

I only have a couple of problems with the balance, don't know how many of them carry over to the black diamond.

1 Not enough/Badly positioned D Rings
2 Diving with an AL80 and with no weight in the pockets it has a tendancy to ride up, I don't have this problem diving cold water, probably because with weight in the waist strap fits better.
3 It's positively bouyant empty - My estimate from sinking it with weights is as much as 3 or 4 lbs
4 The dump is slow.

Overall I like it a lot. However, why waste the money if your going to eventually move to BP and wings anyway? If your considerig a BP and wings at some point at least dive one so you can make an informed decision.

When I have some disposable cash around I intend to dive a BP and wing to see if it works for me. I just wish I had known about it before I purchased the first time.