BP/W really OK for a newbie

[ShakaZulu]

Wow I don't understand much of this but seems like if I will be buying all these extras, pockets, rings, etc. why not just buy a regular BC?

I have no issues with BC just want to know if I'm missing something with The BP/W?

This is why you need to spend money and buy a normal BC. When you learn to dive, you'll realize that the pockets, d-rings and flashing lights are all stuff that you can do without, and that it's really about your trim, and how effortless you glide through the water..........

 

[lamont]

Stephen, Thank you for your kind works and support.

As you know I always distinguish between the confident experienced professionals such as youself (that'll be a dollar please) who are always willing to offer advice about a bp/w and those who promote bp/w for the sake of bp/w and regardless of the topic of the post or the interest of the diver.

It's not that I'm on some sort of crusade to promote one style of BC against another. I do get awfully bored reading the same stuff over and over by the same group of people. We need some new blood and fresh ideas. I like hearing about bp/w's and harnesses, plates and wings. I like hearing about BC's and the various styles and what people like and don't like about them. Same with all the equipment really.

I'm not the only one who feels this way either. I was making an equipment purchase recently and mentioned Scubaboard. The owner said something like "you want get any help there unless you want a backplate."

There's a new post titled "Mares Dragon" and as I write this there have been 7 positive replies by people trying to answer the question and not a single "GET A BP/W" reply. That's got to be a Scubaboard world record. So maybe more people will start speaking up.

Thanks again Stephen,

Don

Dude,. stay out of threads titled "BP/W really OK for a newbie" if you're sick of reading about BP/W.

Guarantee you, I'll never bother to read any of the post in the "Mares Dragon" thread because I just don't care.

Enjoy.

 

[scubamikey]

I didn't read all the posts, there were too many for my dial-up to handle.

Here's my experience:

I took my OW classes with a SeaQuest Pro QD+, alum 80 tank and 26 lbs lead.

I searched Scubaboard and researched gear for two months straight.

Today I did my first dive outside of the OW classes. I used my brand new DSS single tank rig with SS plate, steel lp85 tank and 18 lbs lead (I'm pretty sure I was overweighted, but I was just testing gear today so I didn't care).

I set it up myself by reading Scubaboard posts and "Dress for Success". You should also read "DIR-Fundamentals".

Staying upright on the surface was easy, worked my first time, I guess some people have a problem.

My trim was MUCH better with no effort.

I really liked that it was like floating under a blimp, rather than being squeezed by the jacket.

I found that it was hard to vent air from the wing at times when I was horizontal. Later, while rinsing the wing, I found/remembered the rear dump valve. C'mon, I said it was my first time.

Overall, I could tell right away that I'm going to like this much better than the jacket BC.

Also I think the cost of the BPW+weight belt+lead is only a little more than the total weight integrated BC+lead package.