I've been in the OW class for a few weeks now and was reading up on the boards about back inflate BCs and wondered what one would feel like. I asked some of my instructors why they didn't use a back inflate and they said it dumped them face first on the surface. I perceived it was almost as bad as someone dunking you under water and you really couldn't control it. One of the younger instructors I talked to at the dive shop said he absolutely loved his back inflate and would let me try it out in the pool that night.
I put it on and it had no cumberbund and really appreciated that fact because I don't like them, rather have a crotch strap. The instructor showed me the inflate/deflate and I was off. The first thing I noticed was the freedom I felt around the front part of my body. I then tested the buoyancy at the surface waiting for it to push me head first into the water. I felt what the non back inflate instructors had mentioned, but after adjusting to it for a couple of seconds after using the other BC for a couple of weeks it felt a lot more natural, like I was just standing there instead of floating.
I was getting really excited at this point over the BC, but the real test would come from how it felt when I was under the water. I released some air from the BC and started down in to the great depths of the 12 foot pool while catching neutral buoyancy before the bottom. I started to scuba around and it was amazing, It felt like I was naked with the tank gently resting on my back. When I came back up to the surface I was sold.
Why is it that back inflate gets downplayed that much?
Is it a lot different in open ocean water with swells at the surface?
I really can't see why everyone wouldn't be trained in these, is it just easier for instructors to train unexperienced people that have never dove before in the standard type BC or is it by instructor preference?
Thanks guys,
Jerzi
Ultimately the BCD, like everything else used in diving - is a "personal preference."
The two words - "personal preference" should become ingrained in every divers vocabulary. Opinions regarding which BCD you should dive or which regulator you should dive almost inevitably lead to disagreement and arguments on this board.
Why? because everyone has an opinion. Obviously each Instructor (dive shop) needs to make a decision regarding the gear they're going to provide to their students for training... and the gear they choose is largely based on their personal preference.
You as a new diver should also make your decision based on your own personal preference, not on someone elses recommendation. Make every effort to try different things before committing to a purchase.. and remember that just because divers and even some instructors can speak from experience, doesn't mean their experience correlates to what is best for you.
Work on purchasing gear from a dive shop that listens to you, asks you about the type of diving you'll be doing, what your likes and dislikes are, is willing to let you try different things before committing to a purchase and most importantly doesn't try to convince you that you need something.
Someone once told me there are no "needs" in scuba... only "wants." I believe that. You don't need a BP/Wing because some DIR guy says you do. What you need is a buoyancy compensation device... which may be a BP/Wing or it may be a standard jacket style.. and when making a purchasing decision, you should get what YOU want.
It is a "personal preference." You should get what you are personally comfortable in - what fits you well - and what has the bells and whistles YOU want.
There will always be someone trying to tell you what you need... just remember - you don't need to be a drone. You want to be a diver... and divers dive what they want.
There is no dive on earth requiring one type of BCD over another. I can do any dive on this planet in any type of BCD being produced today... and so can you.
As for why Back inflates are down-played... I don't think they are. Where I'm from jacket styles are down-played. I guess this is a local personal preference : )
Cheers.. and dive what you want!