BP/W question

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XTheOwl

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I'm a noob.

I have only 7 dives with a jacket BC. I have read alot of posts on this forum about the benefits of the BP/W setup, and am leaning towards one when considering equipment of my own.
I was wondering though, with all the air shifted so far back, how hard is it to remain stable in non-standard orientations? Can you lie on your back or stay vertically upside down or any other odd position without the wing trying to flip you back onto your stomach?

Is this maybe a slight advantage of a jacket with interconnected air pockets that let the "center of lift" shift around a bit more?

Thanks,

xto
 
Congrats on your recent certification. My recommendation would be for you to find someone in your area with a BP/W and dive with one before you decide to purchase.

I bought an Oxycheq BP/W after certification and have been extremely satisfied. So much, I also bought one for Sharon so I always have spare parts....I mean, so she could enjoy diving with the benifits of the BP/W.

I have not had any issues regarding stability in various positions as questioned; however, I don't typically swim on my back.;) IMHO this is a non-issue.

Good Luck.
Keith
 
The only difference is that on the surface, there is a slight tendancy to push you forward a little. I have no problem doing a back-stroke however. The real advantage is underwater where it keeps you in the proper swimming possition. That is however, only the primary advantage. There are many secondary advantages like a more streamlined rig, more gear configurations, lower cost, and greater acceptance on scubaboard.
 
NeedABiggerBoat:
The only difference is that on the surface, there is a slight tendancy to push you forward a little.
Click to expand...

Really?

I've never noticed that with any sized wing or either of the three plates I own, aluminium, steel and ABS. If you inflate the wing properly, I find it more stable on the surface and I have never felt like I was being pushed forward.

Jeff
 
When I have switched from a standard BC to a BP/W I haven't noticed any stability problem, only advantages. I feel I can more easily stay in any position I wish, both in the water and at surface with the BP/W, and nothing pushes me face down at surface.
 
I am also a newbie. I took the plunge and order BP/W as my first BC. So far I like it better than the jacket BC I used in OW class. There are a few improvements and drawbacks I have noticed so far:

Improvement:
1. In jacket BC, the waist strap cannot tighten and no crotch strap, so as you put air in and out of the jacket and change orientation, the whole thing shift around. With BP/W, this will not happen anymore. The whole rig stay with your more firmly

2. With jacket, I need total of 30lb of lead, with BP/W, I have been using 20lb only. I believe I can go to 18lb. I will try to do a proper weight check this weekend.

3. Range of moving in water is a lot better with BP/W. It feels like nothing is around you in water.

Drawback:
1. This is not really a drawback, but my lack of experience with BP/W. I got pushed face forward on surface the first time I use it.

Overall, I am happy with my BP/W setup. It is a bit more epxansive than jacket BC, but I think I can grow on it for much longer.
 
eelnoraa:
Drawback:
1. This is not really a drawback, but my lack of experience with BP/W. I got pushed face forward on surface the first time I use it.
Click to expand...

If you over inflate your wing on the surface this can push you forward, the trick is not to over inflate. Cheers.
 
I've been diving my DSS BP/W since June of this year and prior to that I dove a BC since I got certified two years ago. I never heard about a BP/W until I joined SB. My BC was more expensive than my BP/W. I love my BP/W because of how streamlined and simple it to use.

I've never experienced the pushed face forward on the surface but I believe that is because you may not be properly weighted in your rig.
 
XTheOwl:
Is this maybe a slight advantage of a jacket with interconnected air pockets that let the "center of lift" shift around a bit more?

Thanks,

xto
Click to expand...

No, not really. Unless you're overweighted you are usually not diving with much air in the wing. An exception might be with large tanks (lots of gas weight) and a thick wetsuit, fairly deep at the beginning of the dive when you compensate for both the weight of the gas (let's say 7 lbs in a big tank) and the compression of the wetsuit (maybe another 10).

In any event, the air in your cell will rise to the highest point no matter what. Trim and position stability is more about weight distribution than the shape of the air bladder.
 
NeedABiggerBoat:
....and greater acceptance on scubaboard.
Click to expand...

I agreed with you up to that point ;) Greater acceptance is not really relevant.

People should dive what's comfortable for them and not base it on what people on scubaboard might think of them :D

In answer to the OP's questions though.... I am very stable in the water with my bp/w setup, vertical, horizontal, upside down, whatever position I need to place myself in to take a photo ;) On the surface, I generally put a small amount of air in my wing and lay back... just like an easy chair :D No problems being pushed forward, as long as you don't put to much air in it and you're trimmed out correctly. There are a few things to get used to and getting things configured is a little more work, but I'm very happy with the switch :)
 
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