BP and Wing with a Dry Suit - Info Reqd

[cloned_person]

I have been looking at the threads on the advantages of a BP/Wing Vs. a BCD, and one advantage often stated is streamlining, without igniting the whole what do you use for buoyancy debate Dry Suit or BCD. I myself use dry suit and I am quite happy controling my air bubble. Therefore my BCD is only a cylinder holder most of the time, and a means of flotation on the surface.

I dive a dry suit all year, (UK based), I am looking for some advantages, or help justifying the cost, of course I will endeavor to try before I buy, but the market here is not as open to these suggestions.

Thanks in Advance

 

[DiveTub]

I Dive Dry
And use my Wing for buoyancy, carrying 2 100cft Steels and 2 70cft Stages there is no way a drysuit is going to keep me off the bottom without some air in the wing.

When diving a single tank in my BCD dry I tend only to use my drysuit, as the amount of air I need is so minimal there is no point putting any in the BCD.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I did my first dives in a BP/wing today. I also use my drysuit for buoyancy control ... although that may change over time now that I've got the wing.

Yes, streamlining is one advantage. Even with my wing empty (and using my suit for buoyancy) I noticed more glide with every kick. For reference, I dive a single LP95 using a single-tank adapter on the backplate. But there are other advantages over the traditional BCD.

Upper body mobility was the first I noticed ... having nothing but a couple of straps around your shoulders and waist make bending over in a drysuit much easier ... I can get into and out of my fins with much less effort.

Comfort ... honestly, after putting about an hour and a half of bottom time (and getting used to the rig a bit), I was so comfortable in the water that it felt like I didn't even have a tank on my back. I was surprised at how comfortable it really was.

Control ... having no padding between me and the tank meant that when my body moved, my tank moved accordingly. No "wiggle", no flex ... it was basically just like part of my body.

These BP/wing thingies could spoil a fellow ... and the best part is that they don't really cost any more than a traditional BCD.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[ABQdiver]

NWGratefulDiver once bubbled...
snip...These BP/wing thingies could spoil a fellow ... and the best part is that they don't really cost any more than a traditional BCD.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Ain't it Great? I love mine!!

 

[jonnythan]

BP.

There's no better or more secure way to mount the tank to your body.

The wing is just sandiwched between your backplate and the tank.. and barely. The tank is rigidly mounted to the metal backplate, which is *very* securely seated flat against your back and held with the webbing.

The entire BC/tank system manages to disappear.. no clutter, no padding, no tank movement at all. The difference is really amazing.

 

[cloned_person]

Thanks, the upper body mobility was something I just hadn't thought of. That is one big plus for me

 

[Arnaud]

200 yards swim on the surface with a buddy in a jacket-style BC and you with your B/P&W. You'll see the difference.

As to using the wing instead of the DS for buoyancy, it took me a while to admit that some of the respected members of the board and some good friends were right. And right indeed they are...