When I did my confined water portion of my OW the students were all wearing jacket style BCs while the instructor wore his Zeagle Ranger (back inflate). Being somewhat rotund I hated the jacket style BC and bought my own back inflate BC before I did the open water dives. I never once felt like I was being pushed face first into the water.
I have since switched to a BP/W (which is an option you may want to consider - and less $$ than many BCs) which I've found distributes the weight on your body better (effectively you're moving weight from your belt to your back).
Take your time and try a few different models before committing to the purchase, if possible try out a BP/W. It's much better to buy the right gear the first time 'round (I may have a slightly used Zeagle Stiletto for sale soon!)
I have since switched to a BP/W (which is an option you may want to consider - and less $$ than many BCs) which I've found distributes the weight on your body better (effectively you're moving weight from your belt to your back).
Take your time and try a few different models before committing to the purchase, if possible try out a BP/W. It's much better to buy the right gear the first time 'round (I may have a slightly used Zeagle Stiletto for sale soon!)
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