BCD for wrecks

[tedwhiteva]

There is a reason SO many people use BP/W for wreck and double diving - it works best, even over a back-inflate BC.

 

[mthirsc]

Yeah, I guess it is But the BP/W disciplines me. Seriously, most BC pockets are kind of hard to use anyway-- you can't see them easily so doing it by feel is going to take more time than just clipping something off.

 

[The Chairman]

There is no BC that can handle doubles better than a BP&Wings. Very few even offer doubles as a possibility. It really has nothing to do with pockets or D-Rings.

Many try to do wreck penetration on a single: bad move! Redundant air is the only sane way to penetrate.

 

[DocWong]

If you're going to dive doubles, it would be very unstable to use a soft BC type arrangement.

When I was diving a Transpac singles rig and went to a backplate, I was amazed at how stable the rig felt in the water and never went back. I thought the Transpac was pretty cool, and it is, until I dove a backplate. My trim improved immediately and I felt more streamlined in the water.

I can't imagine diving doubles in a soft BC type system.

 

[dk2943]

When doing deco or penetration dives, there isn't as much tolerance for problems, as direct ascent to the surface may not be an option. You have to fix your problems while you're underwater, and therefore it's a good idea to eliminate potential problem sources before they occur. A bp/w helps to accomplish this by making it possible for you to incorporate everything you need for a dive, and eliminate everything you don't.

For me, a lot of the appeal of bp/w is in the absence of B.S. "features" that don't contribute anything positive to my dive. The rest of the appeal is in the performance. It's minimalist, but doesn't make me feel like I'm sacrificing anything I actually want and actually adds some tangible benefits like letting me reduce the lead I carry.

I understand what you are saying, but I still have a question. Please forgive my ignorance, as I am a relatively new diver. I have a Riptide Zone II BC. It is lightweight, has a bladder, is minimalist up front, and is set up for a plate to carry doubles. It seems like as close to a BP/W as you can get, so what am I missing?

 

[RJP]

I understand what you are saying, but I still have a question. Please forgive my ignorance, as I am a relatively new diver. I have a Riptide Zone II BC. It is lightweight, has a bladder, is minimalist up front, and is set up for a plate to carry doubles. It seems like as close to a BP/W as you can get, so what am I missing?

Minimalist? I count 9 D-rings, 7 plastic buckles, 13 different straps, 3 velcro connections, and a plastic handle.

You want "minimalist up front" huh? I'll give you minimalist...

A BCD with all the trimmings that can also "accept a backplate" sounds a bit ridiculous to be quite honest. Seems to combine all the drawbacks of a standard BCD with a backplate, while providing none of the benefits of a BP/W set-up. Great idea!

 

[Norm]

My closest divebud and I use Zeagles. He has a Ranger and I use a Tec Pac. My other bud uses Diverite. (I like my Tec Pac so much I bought a second one)

 

[Xman]

another vote for bp/w. Whilst it is certainly do-able to use a "tech"bc, like others I believe that you would be far better served by the streamlining and reliability of a bp/w.

 

[MSilvia]

I have been diving a Ranger and love it. What do you consider "BS Features" on my Ranger, and why wouldn't I be able to mount doubles to it? Please don't take this as antagonistic, I really want to know what I am in for when I do put a set of double on a Ranger.

From the Zeagle website, the following are the standard features on the Ranger. It's without a doubt a great BC, and I don't have any beef with it, but in reference to my earlier post about B.S. features on BCs in general, I'll point out those Ranger features that I don't want, and why.
Standard Features:
44-LB lift capacity Ballistic bladder
IMHO, this is way more lift than single tanks require. More lift equals more drag, and an increased chance of the wing enveloping the tank like a taco shell. I haven't used the Ranger specifically, and it may not cause a problem, but in my experience bladders that are too big are not desireable.
30-lb capacity Ripcord® weight system
I don't have a problem with that, but I don't want it either. IMHO, weight pockets add bulk and clutter. I prefer diving without weight pockets. If I'm diving a rig that requires extra weight, I'll either stick it on a cam band, or put it on a belt.
20-LB capacity rear trim weight system
I like that a lot better, but I'd still rather have a plate instead of a back pad and trim weights. Again, more simplicity, less clutter.
PFS Modular Sizing
Modular sizing doesn't seem like an improvement over one size fits all with two adjustment points.
Heavily reinforced 1050 denier Ballistic nylon construction
This, I like. I choose ballistic nylon for my wings too.
11" grommets for mounting twin cylinders
Also something I consider a requisite, although I prefer the holes be in something firm enough to eliminate shifting.
Two Zippered utility pockets at sides
More clutter, with zippers. In my experience zippers can be a royal ***** to use when wearing thick gloves, especially when cold water starts imparing dexterity. Give me velcro closure thigh pockets any day.
Adjustable elastic waist panels
Thanks, but I've seen too much old, dead elastic that doesn't stretch anymore. I prefer a simple webbing belt that is cheap and easy to replace if necessary, and which will stay the size I make it.
4 Stainless angled D-rings on shoulders (two adjustable)
That's two more than I need for diving in cold water with two lights, two stage-rigged deco gas cylinders, and a camera. Also, they're several inches lower than I like them, and at least two of them don't appear movable or removable. Rings I don't need in a place I don't want them isn't much of a feature IMHO.
2 Stainless D-rings on vest
These are in the wrong place for the things I need lower D-rings for. You need hip rings for proper stage mounting, and these can't be moved. IMHO, they're next to useless there unless you really want to dangle accessories as if they were Christmas ornaments.
Adjustable Sternum Strap
Awesome... I so loved the way the sternum strap on my old back-inflate BC interfered with the inflator valve on my drysuit that I very nearly cut it off and discarded it. Good sense prevailed though. I just tied it out of the way to preserve the harness' resale value (thank god).
Single or twin tank capability.
With the same 44lb wing, I presume? In short, I don't believe one size wing can be good for both.
8 optional Trim Colors available
I can get my webbing in almost any color I want. Why settle for just 8?

You can mount doubles to it, but you can expect them to have some wobble if you aren't mounting to a plate. Also, (again, I lack first-hand experience with Rangers) you may find you cannot readily switch to a different wing that would be better suited to the doubles you want to use.

 

[bdorough]

Well, I am new to this thread and new to the board. I own a Zeagle Ranger LTD, Dive Rite Back Plate and Transpac and find each has it's place. I prefer my Zeagle when I am doing recreational diving, but for wreck diving, the backplate system is more streamlined, carries my doubles better (without wobble) and is more customizable than my Ranger. So, another vote for bp/w.