BP/W for me?

[GreatDane335]

Hi Everyone,

This is my first post on SB but I've been lurking in the background reading everything I can while starting my scuba diving adventures, so before I get into my post, hers's a little background on me:

I live in South Africa and so far on every holiday I've been on, I landed up doing the discover scuba course. At first it was just to experience scuba diving and after that I got hooked and wanted to dive every holiday although I never had time to do a full course. This changed recently when I went away and had the opportunity to do my OW, so all in all I have only done about 10 dives. I spend most of my holidays in Plettenberg Bay and Durban so places like Sodwana and Aliwal Shoal are close to me.

After a recent dive where my BCD didn't stay inflated on the surface due to a fault, I have decided to buy my own equipment. Up to now I was convinced that I would go for a back inflate jacket style BCD (and it's still the idea I like most) but after reading everything about BP/W I'm starting to think that a BP/W could be the better option for me and I would like your opinions please.

Before you give your opinions please consider the following:

• Living in SA, there is not a huge selection of different scuba gear manufactures. We have Aqua Lung, Cressi, Mares, ScubaPro, Tusa.
• All my diving will be tropical water apart from sometimes in Plett when the water temp is as low as 17.8 deg C (64 deg F).
• I have no intention of doing technical diving, only recreational.
• Most of my diving will NOT require travel by air.
• I would prefer to buy the correct gear from the start and not have to upgrade at a later stage.
• Any gear I buy needs to have reasonable support in SA.

Thanks for your input.

 

[bryanmc57]

A call (or pm) to Tobin at Deep Sea Supply will be well worth your time.

 

[GreatDane335]

A call (or pm) to Tobin at Deep Sea Supply will be well worth your time.

Unfortunately I can't get DSS equipment in SA so maybe just from a knowledge point I'll pm him. Thanks.

 

[tbone1004]

he will ship overseas btw, shouldn't be a deterrent.

 

[fjpatrum]

For the record, I am strictly a recreational diver and I dive a BP/W. I do this entirely because it fits ME better than any jacket I tried to dive.

Make no mistake, any dive gear you buy will last as long as you want it to (within reason), if properly cared for, and it will ALL work for recreational diving. The regs you get, if you stick to warm water, will not matter (and for the most part even if you end up diving cold water). The BCD you get will not matter other than your own comfort (unless you start cave diving--then it still wouldn't matter but a jacket isn't the "best" choice for caves).

If you find a back inflate jacket that fits you properly and you like, it will be a perfectly acceptable, and functional, choice for you. After all, you're the one who has to dive it and if it's comfortable, you're going to like it a lot more than something that isn't.

A BP/W will also be fine and, generally, requires less maintenance than a jacket. Over many years of diving it will likely be cheaper too as it is a modular system so you won't have to replace the whole kit when a shoulder strap wears out or a buckle (there typically aren't any) breaks because someone dropped a tank on it. Out of the water a BP/W (with a single tank) is marginally less comfortable for some people than a jacket. In the water you can't feel that at all. You can add weight pockets to a BP harness but most don't. You can buy a "comfort" harness but most don't because it's simply not necessary.

Talk to your local shops/gear sources and see what they sell. Purchase based upon what you can source locally and what you can have serviced locally (or learn to service your own gear) and don't let the SB zealots (even me) woo you to a choice that isn't right for you.

 

[ajduplessis]

It is difficult to get technical equipment in South Africa. Your options are Scubapro, Apeks through Auqa Lung, Halcyon through Don Shirley or import from DGX, DRIS or the likes.

I would suggest getting going with Apeks (Aqua Lung). You can also try Divetek. PM me if you need some help.

Plate/harness here Deluxe One-Piece Web Harness
wings here WTX-D40 Single Cylinder Wing
WTX-D45 Twin Cylinder Wing

 

[RJP]

• I have no intention of doing technical diving, only recreational.

Yeah, we ALL said that originally.

 

[DiverDownD3]

I think fj pretty much nailed it. I concur with everything he had to say. As long as you are comfortable, safe, and having fun I don't think there is really any wrong answer. Personally, I dive a BP/W and the reasons I love it is because it's comfortable, streamlined, and if pieces need to be replaced they are a lot easier to do so.

 

[BDSC]

Scubapro is excellent gear and high quality. I've been diving them for 24 years with never a problem and I currently dive the Seahawk back inflate and really like it. If you take good care of your equipment, any of the BCs you listed will last you for years. Hopefully you are in a situation where you can try before you buy.

 

[GreatDane335]

Thank you for all the replies and opinions, I think my best bet will be to go in store and try on some different options.

I am just confirming, that in general if I were to change to bp/w at a later stage, I would just need to buy the harness, backplate and wing and then use my existing equipment?

What should I be looking for in a harness? How important is quick release, continuous webbing vs 3 piece, etc?

I like the modular design of the bp/w, for now should I be looking single tank wing and donut or U shaped?