Buoyancy Compensation Preference

[The Kraken]

One day left to cast your ballot, fellow bubble makers!
And the voting line isn't nearly as long . . .

 

[BigJetDriver]

I had given up the back plate for single tanks... they are not comfortable enough... at least until I tried the Deep Sea Supply's Kydex backplate. What an awesome set up! I liked their steel back plate, but it made me way over weighted with an HP 120 steel tank.

I did the final dives for my cavern class in it, and bouyancy, trim and stability were spot on. I had actually put it on just for a test and was going to don my doubles for the rest of the class... nope! This was just way too comfy. The only problem was not wanting to take it off!

I can only echo Pete's comments. My kydex back-plate from Deep Sea Supply is the finest thing since sliced bread!!! :yelclap:

The harness that goes along with it is the best that I have EVER found!!!! :multi:

 

[Pez de Diablo]

I use a BP/Wing for 90% of my dives. For the balance I use a Zeagle ranger back inflate style BCD.

Now 90% of my dives are in doubles or CCR, hence the BP/wing. I love diving a BP/wing.

For the other 10% of my dives I use a single tank and though I could use one of the many BP/wing setups I own, I prefer my Zeagle.

So I am not voting, because the multi option dive specific choice isn't an option.

 

[ae3753]

How did people with softpacks like the TransPac, O-Pac, IQ Backpack, and S-TEK answer? I went with "Back Inflation Style".

 

[Viscya]

I use a wing myself, but know a few folks that still dive with the drysuit as the only buoyancy device. You may want to add that to the options.

 

[Web Monkey]

Assuming you're already using a BC that fits and allows for neutral buoyancy and good trim with a minimum amount of effort, what makes a BP easier/better/whatever?

Terry

I got the OMS SS BP with a 45# bungied wing. I love this rig and made sustancial research before buying, after checking all the options available, I decicided for this rig. My only complain is why I didn't switched 250 dives before, I'll never go back to anything else other than another BP/W, maybe other brand, diferent lift, diferent BP material, but definetely BP/W setup.

 

[idratherbediving]

i was diving a scubapro classic nt for my first 30 dives ,the last 10 of which were with doubles, and then upgraded to a dui delta with a ss backplate, now i dive a hogarthian style bp/wing setup. i love the bp/wing with the hog harness. i cant see a reason to go to anything else except maybe a different brand or different lift. this setup allows for just about any style of diving, doubles or single,rec or tech, ocean or quarries.

 

[MikeC]

Never used a jacket BC, learned on a IDI (??) back inflate, then moved to the Zeagle Ranger. I tried on a ScubaPro Classic at shop once and it didn't feel right to me. Might try a BP & wing someday.

 

[Mandy3206]

Assuming you're already using a BC that fits and allows for neutral buoyancy and good trim with a minimum amount of effort, what makes a BP easier/better/whatever?

Terry

Well Terry, IMHO, I find the BP/W more confortable and the ability to use it with single or doubles is great, as many will tell you, the choices for configurations (attachements) to the rig are endless, in a regular BC (jacket style) the attachements points are very limited.

I also like the feeling of not having anything in front of me, the squeeze from an inflated BC is gone for ever, no matter how much I inflate my wing, I'll never feel traped inside of it.

Most of the features described before can be achieved with a soft pack like the Transpack II or IQ Pack, but I chose the SS BP so I could shave some weight from my belt, as a caribbean diver, I used 12# before, now I use 6# in a DR integrated system which by the way, I use the remaining space in them as pockets (they have an internal Dring that you can secure your items inside the pockets)

The freedom of movement provided by the harness system is the biggest inproovement of all and you can change wings if a bigger lift is needed without buying a new BC.

Once your rig is setted to your liking, you don't need anything else.

For travel, I may consider a soft pack in the future, 'cause packing a BP can be harder than a soft pack.

As said before, a soft pack may be in the future, but definetely I'll never go back to a jacket style BC.

Hope this helps

Mandy

 

[StSomewhere]

I also like the feeling of not having anything in front of me, the squeeze from an inflated BC is gone for ever, no matter how much I inflate my wing, I'll never feel traped inside of it.

:06:

You guys are obviously the experts, but...

I can't imagine ever having enough air in *any* vest BC to notice *any* squeeze except possibly on the surface. FWIW, the current crop of vest BCs that I've tried pretty much are designed to expand outward. Not like the older BCs that we used for training, IMO. I suppose that, like anything, BC inflation could be overdone. YMMV.