Backplate systems: Advantages & disadvantages?

[JeffG]

Thinking of other disadvantages:

1. fully inflating the wing on the surface while in a vertical position will push you forward (although if you are leaned back you can make it work like a raft in the pool.)

Same issue with any back inflate bcd. Don't over inflate.

2. perhaps not the best design for new scuba students who are nervous enough without having to contend with disadvantage #1.

A non-issue if the students are taught proper use of gear

3. women don't think it is sexy when you model your bp/w in the house while wearing boxers and dress socks.

Get a new woman.

 

[LAJim]

BCs are expensive, fragile, non-modular items that constrict your motions and often can not be repaired by the user or modified to be used by someone who is sized more than a little differently. They are inherently less able to provide proper trim under water.

BP/W can be assembled and rebuilt peicemeal often interchanging components from multiple vendors. Properly rigged they are sweet, sweet, sweet underwater.

I want a titanium back-plate, but that is a different story.

Jim

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Thinking of other disadvantages:

1. fully inflating the wing on the surface while in a vertical position will push you forward (although if you are leaned back you can make it work like a raft in the pool.)

2. perhaps not the best design for new scuba students who are nervous enough without having to contend with disadvantage #1.

3. women don't think it is sexy when you model your bp/w in the house while wearing boxers and dress socks.

#1 - not if you're properly weighted
#2 - in cold water situations, it's actually an advantage to take some of the weight off of your belt
#3 - most of the women divers I know would definitely find it sexy ... they might find the guy modeling it attractive as well

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[H2Andy]

I want a titanium back-plate, but that is a different story.
Jim

LAJim, love your avatar

Hunter S. rules

this has nothing to do with your post, sorry

i figure, why buck a trend?

 

[Damselfish]

Same issue with any back inflate bcd. Don't over inflate.

not quite the same - assuming a heavy blackplate, that is going to counteract the tipping forward effect some. With a back inflate BCD you have to make a point of putting more weight back there.

 

[rjack321]

If your riding that high in the water with it fully inflated, you probably need a smaller wing. Or don't overinflate the oversized one.

 

[GreenDiverDown]

3: Weight integration. There are only a couple of viable choices for weight integration on a BP/W, and None are all that good. Also in general, if you do go with integrted weights, you give up on accessory pockets completely.

Not so. There are some really good weight integration dealie-do's... if you're into that kinda thing. The ACB pockets from Halcyon work great. Apeks has their thing... not so bad... if you like the Apeks rig. I think OMS has some... I think. Then there are the pockets from Oxy and XS. They'll work, too.

 

[GreenDiverDown]

Not so. There are some really good weight integration dealie-do's... if you're into that kinda thing. The ACB pockets from Halcyon work great. Apeks has their thing... not so bad... if you like the Apeks rig. I think OMS has some... I think. Then there are the pockets from Oxy and XS. They'll work, too.

What was I thinking. BP/wings ARE weight integration. We use different weight plates and STAs just for that purpose.

It's the 'ditchable' weight thing that the various solutions mentioned above address.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Not so. There are some really good weight integration dealie-do's... if you're into that kinda thing. The ACB pockets from Halcyon work great. Apeks has their thing... not so bad... if you like the Apeks rig. I think OMS has some... I think. Then there are the pockets from Oxy and XS. They'll work, too.

And there are the Dive Rite pockets ... which work great if you really want weight integrated pockets.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Green_Manelishi]

Thinking of other disadvantages:

1. fully inflating the wing on the surface while in a vertical position will push you forward (although if you are leaned back you can make it work like a raft in the pool.)

Not if its properly sized and you/rig are balanced.

2. perhaps not the best design for new scuba students who are nervous enough without having to contend with disadvantage #1.

the "advantage" to a conventional BC here is that you can overweight them (so they can sink and stay on the bottom) while at the same time put them in a BC with 100 pounds of sheer vertical lift so they can defeat the overweighted-ness and float straight up and down or be flipped onto their back and "do the kiver" while trying to right themselves in the water.

3. women don't think it is sexy when you model your bp/w in the house while wearing boxers and dress socks.


I suggest you wear a kilt while modeling your BP. That is guaranteed to make your woman swoon with desire.

G_M