BCD toss-up...again!

[Stryker]

well It definitely works for me, but I need an option for diving doubles when I get to it... Seems like the bp/w idea works well without extra material and constricting nature that some of the jacket/vest style BCs have... I am a little ways off of even thinking of getting one, but its good to decide this far out....

 

[mxracer19]

thanks for all the tips guys(and gal), i hadnt even considered a bp/w setup. what are the differences between that and the transpac? like I said Iv never really considered the bp/w so im not too familliar with that style.

thanks
-Matt

 

[kidspot]

I'm not really complaining!! It's just that this comes up so often and the answer is often 'BP/W' - without addressing the original question! As I have the Transpac I just thought it would be nice to also give him an answer to what he asked!

Hey Kim,

I understand your point, I just hate making a decision and then finding out afterwards I didn't have all my options presented before hand . . . Probably why the "BP/W" answer comes up so frequently, and this is one of the few places it will ever be brought up as a viable option for most rec divers (most LDS in my area wouldn't even know what a bp/w is) - I was fortunate enough to have folks here on the board steer me in that direction before making my first gear purchase - and I'm thrilled with it!

Aloha, Tim

P.S. I'm glad you could actually address the original question though - as that's one of the great strengths of this board.

 

[H2Andy]

i love that poem, Matt

basically, the backplate/wings puts the air on your back, allowing a much more
streamlined, horizontal position in the water. also, the backplate can be used
as weight to lessen or even eliminate the lead you take with you
in the water. since the backplate spreads the weight over your whole back, it
doesn't affect your trim as much as wearing weight on a belt or integrated pockets.

also, the harness can be adjusted to fit YOU exactly. no BC is ever going to fit you
as precisely as a backplate, because the harness is infinitely adjustable in a backplate.

also, you carry a lot less material with you. the backplate/wings is less bulky that any
BC out there, which means less drag, which means less efort, which means you
use less energy and air moving around in the water.

this is off the top of my head. i'm sure i've left out some things.

 

[Chad Carney]

Keep in mind that if you're diving Dutch Springs and wearing a nice thick wetsuit, the Travel Wings or Scout may not have enough lift for you.

The Zeagle Scout has 35 pounds of usable lift, quite enough for the compensation of any wetsuit unless the diver is grossly overweighted.

The 3 BCs that mxracer19 listed are quite different in pricepoints.

Although the Zeagle Scout travels well it does not have many of features and extras that do come with the Escape and Stiletto. These BCs are much closer to the pricing of the others. (The Scout has been removed from the 2005 pricelist, but may be redesigned soon.)

An interesting fact is that BP&W usage on this board is hugely disproportional to that of the rest of the diver population in the country.

Chad

 

[jonnythan]

The Zeagle Scout has 35 pounds of usable lift, quite enough for the comensation of any wetsuit unless the diver is grossly overweighted.

My bad. One of my buddies rented a Scout a year or two ago, and the bladder seemed *much* smaller than my Pioneer 36 when inflated.

 

[kidspot]

An interesting fact is that BP&W usage on this board is hugely disproportional to that of the rest of the diver population in the country.

Chad

yup - that there is . . . I wonder if there's a reason for that? Maybe it's a growing trend and this is one of the first evidences of that trend? They do appear to be more commonly seen on the beaches than in the past, but that's hard to quatify as I may just be more observant of them now that I have one myself . . .

Just some thoughts

Aloha, Tim

P.S. I think I'll start a new thread and see where this discussion goes...

 

[H2Andy]

An interesting fact is that BP&W usage on this board is hugely disproportional to that of the rest of the diver population in the country.

hey, we attract the best, most savvy divers around.

can't hold that against us

 

[mxracer19]

a bp/w is definatly a viable option for me. My friend owns a machine shop, it would be no problem to have a backplate machined for free if i paid the price for 1/8" steel. all i'd need is a template and im sure my own back would do just fine for that haha. Its such a simple concept yet I completely overlooked it. beautifull in its simplicity. thanks guys, youve really enlightened me to an entirely new option.

 

[ScottZeagle]

My bad. One of my buddies rented a Scout a year or two ago, and the bladder seemed *much* smaller than my Pioneer 36 when inflated.

Jonny,

The Scout was available with an 18 or 24 lb bladder - but came STANDARD with a 35lb. It is possible that your friend had one of the smaller bladders!!

Scott