Back inflate BCD's

[ScubaDan]

I’m with ERP I bought a back inflate BC which is an Amer-Sea and now I wish I would have bought a BP and Wings to start with. Amer-Sea is a well made BC I just wish I would have spent the money on the BP and wings.

 

[Cherry]

I guess the reason for my struggle is mny lack of experience. At this time I am basically a tadpole trying to devlope my basic skills. I read the stuff UP and others post re DIR and I can sense the logic but I really dont have enough experience to know what direction my Diving will go. DIR seems a daunting road to me at the moment. Desirable but daunting. At the moment sitting here in the pre winter Rockies Diving appears to be an obsession. I just wanna getwet again as soon as possible. I will be off to climes warm in a couple of weeks and will get as wet as I can for as long as I can. While there I am going to try as much as I can. If possible I will try BP/Wings. with a bit of luck I will have a Black diamond or balance in hand to take with me and try it on for size. I do know my IST Jacket BCD is in the past for sure. With the size of my brood and their growing addiction to diving any equipment we get will get used. With computers I would justify new purchases by claiming they were broken with scuba I will just say...ahh the kids could sure use my old one..... I thank everyone for their patience with my continual questions on this subject. Damn sure hope someday to meet some of you folks

 

[ckharlan66]

Let me add that the BP and wing is not just for DIR. If you wish to go that way you can but it isn't a prereq. for diving a bp. I am totally rec right now and it is all I use. Based on your last post I will add that the BP is one size fits all so if in the future you want to pass it down (a la the computer example you gave) you just re-adjust the webbing.

I am not necessarly steering you away from the Seaquest. They make a great BC and I loved mine. You will do good which ever way you decide to go.

Try to dive them both and see what you like best. That is the most important thing. If you want to try a BP and don't have a local source I hear that Extreme Exposure will let you try for 30 days with no obligation, only the cost of shipping.

Good luck on your shopping. The most important thing is to get wet as much as possible.

Chad

 

[leadweight]

Like Rick M and others, I use a Transpac 2 witha travel wing for diving singles. It is absolutely heaven. I tried a backplate for 12 dives and did not like it. It made my underarms sore and the crotch strap was a PITA. Check out some of my other posts on this board. Unless you dive heavy steel doubles I can see no reason to choose a backplate. No doubt other users of this board will quote this reply and feel duty bound to refute it sentence by sentence. I guess they all get a warm fuzzy feeling that by diving a backblate they are among the gods of diving, going miles back into the Florida caves on rebreathers and scooters, seeing what no man has seen. I'll just have to watch Star Trek and dive myself delerious in the Caribbean where the water is warm and the fish are colorful.

Know what, a good diver can get wet with any old gear. I went out on a boat once where a TV commercial was being filmed. At the end of the day the operator said the rest of us (those not in the water for the shoot) could go diving. We picked up a bunch of wet gear that the safety divers had been using and found a couple of full tanks and had a ball. Don't let anyone tell you that a backplate, Transpac, or rope and a plastic bag are the path to nirvana underwater. Its all about achieving a totally relaxed state during a dive. After you get there, equipment is about personal choice. If your jacket is squeezing you, try diving with less weight, it might help.

 

[randyjoy]

When I'm diving for me, I dive a Halcyon BP/Wings.

When I'm diving for the LDS, I dive a Seaquest Balance. It has three SS D-Rings in the same place as my BP/Wing and with the trim weights set, it feels similar. I can clip off everything just like I normally do.

If I can't dive a BP/Wing, I like the Balance.

 

[detroit diver]

leadweight once bubbled...
Like Rick M and others, I use a Transpac 2 witha travel wing for diving singles. It is absolutely heaven. I tried a backplate for 12 dives and did not like it. It made my underarms sore and the crotch strap was a PITA. Check out some of my other posts on this board. Unless you dive heavy steel doubles I can see no reason to choose a backplate. No doubt other users of this board will quote this reply and feel duty bound to refute it sentence by sentence. I guess they all get a warm fuzzy feeling that by diving a backblate they are among the gods of diving, going miles back into the Florida caves on rebreathers and scooters, seeing what no man has seen. I'll just have to watch Star Trek and dive myself delerious in the Caribbean where the water is warm and the fish are colorful.

Know what, a good diver can get wet with any old gear. I went out on a boat once where a TV commercial was being filmed. At the end of the day the operator said the rest of us (those not in the water for the shoot) could go diving. We picked up a bunch of wet gear that the safety divers had been using and found a couple of full tanks and had a ball. Don't let anyone tell you that a backplate, Transpac, or rope and a plastic bag are the path to nirvana underwater. Its all about achieving a totally relaxed state during a dive. After you get there, equipment is about personal choice. If your jacket is squeezing you, try diving with less weight, it might help.

Did you have some bad turkey tonite?

 

[Mouth Breather old]

leadweight once bubbled...
Know what, a good diver can get wet with any old gear. I went out on a boat once where a TV commercial was being filmed. At the end of the day the operator said the rest of us (those not in the water for the shoot) could go diving. We picked up a bunch of wet gear that the safety divers had been using and found a couple of full tanks and had a ball. Don't let anyone tell you that a backplate, Transpac, or rope and a plastic bag are the path to nirvana underwater. Its all about achieving a totally relaxed state during a dive. After you get there, equipment is about personal choice. If your jacket is squeezing you, try diving with less weight, it might help.

Lead, your post makes way too much sense and is reasonable...people like you are going to destroy this board! Now cut that out!

You are supposed to pick your favorite BC, defend it to the death, and imply that all others are suicidal fools for not going along with you!

 

[leadweight]

Only a suicidal fool would eat as much as I did yesterday.

 

[Ari]

I used my conventional Jacket style BCD only for the first few classes and moved quickly to a back inflated one. I really like it and never missed the Jacket style since.

Nevertheless, you might be thinking about moving to a BP and Wing configuration sooner rather than kater and save the intrim phase. I don't think it will be a problem, once you get used to the idea.

As for the blackdiamond, I hear it is a good BCD. Take a look at Rodale's latest back inflated BCD comparison. If I am not mistaken, the BD took first place.

Good luck with your choice.

Ari

 

[Cherry]

Thanks all for the advice As a result of this thread and a few Priv. msgs I have been convinced to wait for a period as one message said "ya gotta walk before you can run" and I think its probably good advice. In the meantime I am going to dive a number of backinflate BCD's and yes even try out a BP and wings I'll let you know what the results of my wee survey is.