BP/W when teaching?

[SeaCobra]

I teach in a bp & wings all of the time and that means at least 2 times a week in the pool with basic students. I haven't encountered any problems with this system and 90% of the time, my students are in a back flotation style bc as well.

On the oft time or two when they are not, about the second class or so, they remark about how clean my setup looks and ask if the can try something similar. The results might surprise you, they really like that style.

The shop owner is going so far as to put the Dive Rite transplate harness, bp and Venture wing into the training department.

JeffH

 

[IndigoBlue]

If you are going to be an independent instructor, then you can use whatever you want. However, if you end up teaching for a shop, they *may* want you to use the equipment that they sell (students see instructor in the gear, rush to shop to buy...). That's how it was at one shop that I worked out of.

I always used a rental rig - identical to the student's rigs, in the pool, so they could see how I was fitted-out, etc. and be able to copy. I think there's a valid point to this. However, in the ocean, I frequently dove a drysuit while teaching, while my students were all wet.

When you teach for a store, they will normally tell you in their ITC what you will wear, when you teach for them, or they will have you re-gear to anything they have for sale. Stores live on gear sales, not on what your idea of the best gear is.

If you are lucky enough to teach for a university, then you can use whatever gear you want. There is no sales pressure then.

If you teach independently, then you won't be teaching a lot.

GJ62 probably gave you the most realistic answer.

I can see SeaCobra's point, if the store also sells his gear as well. Either way, the store will normally decide for you.

 

[archman]

SeaCobra, you've got it made! Wish there were more shops like yours around.

 

[Mortlock]

Thanks for the info so far everyone.

I think Gator's got a point there. Surely it's good to get the students used to different equipment as early as possible? I didn't even know that bp/w setups existed when I started learning to dive! Of course this all depends on wether the employer allows it or not.

Another thing that was brought up was that you can gain extra height in the water with a jacket style BC. My new question is:

How significant is this extra height compared to when you use a bp/w?

Thanks,

Morty

 

[OneBrightGator]

Well, the only thing that gained extra height when I dove a traditional BC was the BC, it usually rode up nice and high above my shoulders.

I don't have any problems on the surface with my BP/wings, I am better suited to react to an emergency because it fits better.

Ben

 

[fdog]

Weighted for coldwater, I float vertically with about 6" between my chin and the water. Of course there is more clearance if I lean backwards.

Can't compare w/ single tank on a backplate, as I said, it has been forever.

As a diving professional, the gear is your choice. Just turn over the choice a few times to look at it from all the angles.

All the best, James

 

[ElectricZombie]

I teach using a BP/Wing setup. In a perfect world, the students would also be using a BP/Wing setup. This probably won't happen unless you're teaching privately because a dive shop doesn't make any money from selling a BP/wing setup to students.

When the student is eventually certified and starts diving on their own, they will encounter all manners of gear configurations. They need to get used to seeing different types of gear. Even if they are not diving a BP/Wing, they will at least become familiar with it by me teaching in it. I suggest the BP/Wing setup to all my students so, I think it's important they they know about it. I don't like the idea of teaching in anything other than my BP/Wing because I think it sets a bad example for students.

 

[jagfish]

...because a dive shop doesn't make any money from selling a BP/wing setup to students.

I've seen this written a lot in threads. Is this really the case? The total sale seems like it would be of comparable amount. Perhaps are the margins that much higher on traditional BCs? But then there is all the other stuff like fins, mask, suit, accessories, etc...

JAG

 

[OneBrightGator]

No, it's total BS. Dive shops make money selling bp/wings just like they make money selling everything else, in my experience it's more difficult to sell them to your average diver, they aren't as flashy, plus only a few mainstream manufacturers make them so shops just don't sell 'em.

Ben

 

[ElectricZombie]

Not so...depending on how you look at it. The LDS depends on repeat sales from their customer base. Each year BCs come out with a new gimmick and that's what the LDS promotes. They sell the idea of constantly upgrading your gear to follow marketing trends, etc. People feel the need to have the "latest and greatest" and this is what the LDS counts on. If a student buys a BP/Wing as their initial purchase, they will likely realize that they do not need this years new gimmick BC. The customer will stick with their BP/Wing setup and the LDS misses future sales. In the long run, the LDS looses those repeat sales because the customer realizes that he doesn't need or want whatever "flavor of the week" gear the LDS is hawking. The LDS makes a small amount on the inital BP/Wing purchase, but that's it. Depending on their dealer level and markup, the LDS probably isn't making enough money off the deal to be relevent. In the long run, the LDS doesn't make any money by selling the correct gear the first time around.