I started off using a safety vest with a CO2 inflator. They came out with the manual inflate horse collar, that was great, it made diving a lot easier, they added an inflator from the tank that was great, easier still.
The jacket BC came out and I had to have one, what a difference. I dove with several over the years and they were all good. They still are-with the exception of one over engineered kluge.
I heard a lot about the backmount BCs and reluctantly tried one. I was prepared not to like it, it looked like it would float you face down. They kind of do that, but you just lean back and fin lightly and it isn't a problem. I do a lot of beach dives so I spend a lot of my time on the surface. They are great-underwater. The only thing I miss about the horse collar and the jacket are the high flotation, effortless heads up that you get on the surface. Notice I said miss.
I now have a transpac with a travel wing and an aluminum plate with rec wings. I dive an AL 80 with the transpac and use the AL backplate rig for an E-8 130 or double 80s. I gave my almost new scubapro BC to my brother a couple of years ago. It was a good safe BC, I liked it, but as far as I was concerned wings were the way to go.
I dove the springs and caverns about 30 years ago and haven't done any fresh water diving since then. The BP/Wing works just fine in the ocean.
I never got chafed from any of the rigs I've worn including the ol "working harness" on twin 72s with a horse collar.
Tell you LDS there are people on here that have experience diving in the ocean.
