Bcd

[meesier42]

since you do live in KY you will be doing a fair amount of travel I am sure. Make sure you look at how things pack when you decide.
I have done diving with BP/W setups, and I didn't really care for it. I enjoyed the weight off the belt, but then again I hated the harness setups, although never used the Transpack. I went for the Hybrid Cell Aeris Atmos XT, which they have now improved and are calling it the Atmos LX which is a primarily back inflate BCD with the ability to ensure a heads up position when fully inflated. I highly recommend that people look into this option. But again, this isn't the best travel BCD, but I have made it work.

 

[tharg]

well 250$ for a jacket style none intergrated. for what if seen of the trans pack its 600$ with the venture wing. the money i can save could be used on other gear like down payment on a dry suit. or use it to go diving

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

my favorite bc regularly sells on ebay for $125 shipped to Hawaii. shhhh, don't tell anybody.

 

[Nick_W]

well 250$ for a jacket style none intergrated. for what if seen of the trans pack its 600$ with the venture wing. the money i can save could be used on other gear like down payment on a dry suit. or use it to go diving

Well, if you ask me, the Transpack is overpriced. Personally, I would never buy one. But that's just me.

If you're in the $250 range, you are correct that you're pretty much going to have to stick with jacket style BCs (not that that's a bad thing) but even with the jackets, at $250 you're going to be looking at the lower end. Now, if you start looking up around the $400-$500 range, you can find yourself a very nice back inflate BC or even a BP/W. I like your idea of using the savings to go diving, but I wonder if maybe you should spend just a little bit more and get yourself something good that you're going to want to keep for a long time.

 

[SparticleBrane]

Remember that bat inflating BC's have a tendency to push you face forward into the water when you're topside, which can be frustrating.....especially when you're new. Also remember that back inflating wings typically only support singles OR doubles, and those that do both often are a huge compromise.

The myths keep on going, don't they?

 

[fisherdvm]

The myths keep on going, don't they?

Why do you keep on saying it is a myth? I dive both back inflate and regular BC's, and it is not a myth. Simply a center of gravity issue, where the air bubble is located in relation to your center of gravity.

Certainly your rig is set up well, but for students who wear weight belt and don't know where the trim pockets are in their jacket back inflate, it certaintly can tilt them forward. Another beginner posted this in a different forum, and it is not a new issue.

The key in diving with a back inflate is to have as much weight as possible near your lumbar spine. Some jacket back inflate has trim pockets back and higher, and you should stack as much weight as possible in these. If you are diving with a back plate, a heavy steel plate will place about 8 lbs where it should be. A plastic or aluminum back plate might need additional trim weight clipped on to balance you out. If your weight are shifted forward on a weight belt during the dive, using rubber bands around them will keep them from shifting.

 

[cool_hardware52]

Why do you keep on saying it is a myth? I dive both back inflate and regular BC's, and it is not a myth. Simply a center of gravity issue, where the air bubble is located in relation to your center of gravity.

A properly weighted diver will need very little air in their BC, period. The relative location of a very small bubble simply cannot cause large forces in any direction.

Certainly your rig is set up well, but for students who wear weight belt and don't know where the trim pockets are in their jacket back inflate, it certaintly can tilt them forward. Another beginner posted this in a different forum, and it is not a new issue.

A properly weighted diver, wearing a correctly adjusted Back inflate or BP&W, that includes a crotch strap, will need only a small "Puff" of gas in their wing at the surface.

This small volume of gas will be located behind their neck and the top of their shoulders when they are vertical at the surface. This small puff of gas cannot induce the turning moment you describe.

OTOH, an overweighted diver may have their wing inflated all the way to their waist. Combined with BC's or harnesses that lack a crotch strap, which allow the BC to rise WITHOUT lifting the diver, can result in the panic inducing face plant.

If a student diver is using gear improperly is that the fault of the gear or the instructor?

Tobin

 

[fisherdvm]

If a student diver is using gear improperly is that the fault of the gear or the instructor?

Tobin

In my opinion, it is the fault of the gear. I would dare to say that up to 75% of all scuba instructor do not own a back plate with wings - how do you expect them to instruct a student how to rig up a back plate?? Sounds simple if you did it yourself. They barely have enough time to teach the essentials, and you expect them to mess around with a back plate setup?

I just see yo yos in the pool. Psssss, BCD completely inflated. Psssss they sink like a rock to the bottom.

Then they do their OW dives, and you see the same. They watch the instructor do it, and they do it too. By saying that such event can occur, you're confirming that it is not a myth.

 

[SparticleBrane]

Most people who dive aren't comfortable in the water. Sounds ridiculous but it's true. Thus, during OW training, they decide to pump their BCs completely (because they think it'll keep them up out of the water, or keep them from sinking) -- which puts them into some rather contortionist movements. Learning the proper way to use your gear is the better approach.

 

[cool_hardware52]

In my opinion, it is the fault of the gear.I would dare to say that up to 75% of all scuba instructor do not own a back plate with wings - how do you expect them to instruct a student how to rig up a back plate??

Instructor ignorance is no excuse. If the instructor is unqualified to teach students who choose a particular configuration they should say so, not condemn the gear and perpetuate 1/2 truths.

What if a student driver wanted to learn in a stick shift, and the instructor had experience only with automatics? Should the student be told that manual transmissions are evil and fraught with problems in an effort to persuade the student to abandon the stick shift? Or should the instructor tell the student they are unqualified to help? Should the instructor perhaps educate themselves with manual shift vehicles in order to be able to teach a wider range of configurations?

Sounds simple if you did it yourself. They barely have enough time to teach the essentials, and you expect them to mess around with a back plate setup?

If an Instructor views a BP&W as a greater burden, they should rightly charge an additional fee to assist in the set up of such, if they are qualified to do so. It is certainly fair for an instructor to say "Back inflates or BP&W's require more effort to set up than a jacket BC" That's miles apart from "Back Inflates will force you forward at the surface"

I just see yo yos in the pool. Psssss, BCD completely inflated. Psssss they sink like a rock to the bottom.

Then they do their OW dives, and you see the same. They watch the instructor do it, and they do it too.

Just screams quality instruction.

Tobin