The OP specifically was asking for advice about the one system compared to a bp/w system. "I'm looking to buy my first BC or BP/W..." How is it inappropriate in any way to give him advice?Jarrett:
Can BP/W be better than this backinflated BC?
- Thread starter Torontonian
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H2Andy
Contributor
Jarrett:
dude, he specifically asked about BP/Wings, read his question
i think you are looking for evidence for a pre-conceived idea, and that's not good
djanni
Contributor
Jarrett:
I'm glad you said MOST.
Outside the various TECH diving circles and cold water diving evironments BP/W's are about as rare as Hen's Teeth.
There are an awful lot of cold water divers out there...Don Janni:
OP
Torontonian
Contributor
Thanks for all the advise. Diving is expensive, and so are diving gears.
For the amount of diving I do, it'll actually be cheaper to continue renting BC and reg. But after some bad experience this summer I decided to look into buying my own. This board has a lot of BP/W enthusiasts, but not a lot of discussions on the more common BCs (aha, I didn't use the word "traditional", so can't get hit with that
).
Interestingly I posed a question about the BC two days ago and got no comment. So changing the question to compare to BP/W did illicit a lot of comments. That's good. I like to learn. So please keep the comments coming.
For the amount of diving I do, it'll actually be cheaper to continue renting BC and reg. But after some bad experience this summer I decided to look into buying my own. This board has a lot of BP/W enthusiasts, but not a lot of discussions on the more common BCs (aha, I didn't use the word "traditional", so can't get hit with that
).Interestingly I posed a question about the BC two days ago and got no comment. So changing the question to compare to BP/W did illicit a lot of comments. That's good. I like to learn. So please keep the comments coming.
You'll need to TRY them with someone who is experienced and do your OWN comparisons. What others use and like is just a start. You can't learn to swim by asking others how to do it. You have to get in the water. This board is just the beginning of your research. In answer to your question, The BC in question will probably work to your satisfaction. Is it the best? Only you can answer that question after using several. They ALL work to a degree and for someone who has lots of experience, they all work. Just some better than others. There is not a best. Many times it is determined by the application and generally there are from several to many that will work.
djanni
Contributor
CompuDude:
That's why I was careful to mention it and hopefully you noted I did so without any qualification or exception.
thomjinx
Contributor
I also do a lot of warm water diving. Living in Atlanta, I have to travel to get there.
I have tried jacket BCs, BP/Ws, and 'soft' modular systems like the DiveRite Transpac.
Even though I was expecting a BP/W setup to be best, I have found that (for me) a SeaQuest Passport Travel BC to be an excellent solution for this type of diving/traveling. My favorite so far. I imagine other 'travel' BCs like the Oceanic Islander would do as well.
Yes, I know this will sound like blasphemy to some, that anything other than a BP/W could ever be adequate, and I will probably die.:11:
But I have actually used all of these different setups to come to this decision.
I am not saying this would be the best setup for everyone, but here is what I have found....
By the time you add weight pockets (I prefer integrated weights), utility pockets (for SMBs, etc.), to even an AL BP/W or Transpac, it is usually a bit heavier than the Passport, and does not pack any smaller. This is not a guess. I have weighed them, with accurate scales. I have traveled with both types.
I know I have to add more weight when diving with a light rig. BUT I don't have to carry it through airports or pay baggage overweight charges on that weight. Many small regional airlines have a 15 kilo weight limit!
In warm tropical waters, if there are no jellies around I will sometimes enjoy a dive with no wetsuit. I enjoy the feeling of the warm water on my skin. Both the jacket BC and the Transpac are more comfortable to me than a hog harness BP/W. Not a huge difference, but noticeable. Maybe it is my harness webbing?
Whatever you do, make sure you get a good fit. Try on different sizes, dive with them if you can. A BP/W is infinitely adjustable, so if you are difficult to fit, there is some advantage there. But Zeagle's rear-inflate BCs are also very adaptable in terms of fit.
I like to tinker with things, so the modularity of a BP/W appeals to me. I am now trying a DSS Kydex BP with various small wings and pockets. I have hopes for this setup, especially with DSS's new Tropical Travel Wing 17.
But so far, for warm water, single tank diving that I have to travel to, the SQ Passport is hard to beat. It trims out well, has more than enough lift, has held up well over several years. Doesn't mean I won't keep trying, but I aim to be objective about it.
As always, YMMV,
Safe diving,
Thomjinx
I have tried jacket BCs, BP/Ws, and 'soft' modular systems like the DiveRite Transpac.
Even though I was expecting a BP/W setup to be best, I have found that (for me) a SeaQuest Passport Travel BC to be an excellent solution for this type of diving/traveling. My favorite so far. I imagine other 'travel' BCs like the Oceanic Islander would do as well.
Yes, I know this will sound like blasphemy to some, that anything other than a BP/W could ever be adequate, and I will probably die.:11:
But I have actually used all of these different setups to come to this decision.
I am not saying this would be the best setup for everyone, but here is what I have found....
By the time you add weight pockets (I prefer integrated weights), utility pockets (for SMBs, etc.), to even an AL BP/W or Transpac, it is usually a bit heavier than the Passport, and does not pack any smaller. This is not a guess. I have weighed them, with accurate scales. I have traveled with both types.
I know I have to add more weight when diving with a light rig. BUT I don't have to carry it through airports or pay baggage overweight charges on that weight. Many small regional airlines have a 15 kilo weight limit!
In warm tropical waters, if there are no jellies around I will sometimes enjoy a dive with no wetsuit. I enjoy the feeling of the warm water on my skin. Both the jacket BC and the Transpac are more comfortable to me than a hog harness BP/W. Not a huge difference, but noticeable. Maybe it is my harness webbing?
Whatever you do, make sure you get a good fit. Try on different sizes, dive with them if you can. A BP/W is infinitely adjustable, so if you are difficult to fit, there is some advantage there. But Zeagle's rear-inflate BCs are also very adaptable in terms of fit.
I like to tinker with things, so the modularity of a BP/W appeals to me. I am now trying a DSS Kydex BP with various small wings and pockets. I have hopes for this setup, especially with DSS's new Tropical Travel Wing 17.
But so far, for warm water, single tank diving that I have to travel to, the SQ Passport is hard to beat. It trims out well, has more than enough lift, has held up well over several years. Doesn't mean I won't keep trying, but I aim to be objective about it.
As always, YMMV,
Safe diving,
Thomjinx
Curious what that PassPort weighs?
My old home-made tropical BP/W setup uses a plastic back-plate and small wing, runs a hair over 5 pounds.
IMHO, a small DiveRite Single ZIpper mesh pocket on right waist belt is perfect for that setup. A space big enough for table, wetnotes, sausage, and a small folding knife. A giant pocket or multiple of them in past has just led me to carry a bunch of stuff I didn't need.
I am not in the religious BP/W group, if something better comes along I'll take it. However it hardly seems sensible to call the jacket BCD "traditional" as that form largely became popular in the 80's and 90's. SCUBA has been around a lot longer than that. Many jacket BCD use a hard backplate, I rescued my plastic back-plate from the wreckage of one.
No, the Earth will not crash into Mars. Get a rig of some kind and go diving.
My old home-made tropical BP/W setup uses a plastic back-plate and small wing, runs a hair over 5 pounds.
IMHO, a small DiveRite Single ZIpper mesh pocket on right waist belt is perfect for that setup. A space big enough for table, wetnotes, sausage, and a small folding knife. A giant pocket or multiple of them in past has just led me to carry a bunch of stuff I didn't need.
I am not in the religious BP/W group, if something better comes along I'll take it. However it hardly seems sensible to call the jacket BCD "traditional" as that form largely became popular in the 80's and 90's. SCUBA has been around a lot longer than that. Many jacket BCD use a hard backplate, I rescued my plastic back-plate from the wreckage of one.
No, the Earth will not crash into Mars. Get a rig of some kind and go diving.
O2BBubbleFree
Contributor
When I went looking for a cheap travel BC, I dismissed SS and AL backplates because I didn't want to carry the weight on the plane. I figured I could always get lead when I arrived where-ever I was going.
Even if I do someday travel to an exotic locale that doesn't have lead, I figure if 'all' my weight is in lead, I can take it with me only when I need it.
So, I started looking at ABS backplates.
Then I was surfing eBay one night and found something interesting...
A BC that is lighter and packs smaller than even an ABS bp/w.
Pardon me if you already know the evolution of the BC, but...
You know the plastic backpacks they used to use before BCs? Well, shortly after folks started using horse-collar BCs several manufacturers started selling wings that go on the cam band of the plastic backpack.
I bought a 70's era set (backpack, wing, nearly-hog harness, camband) that looks brand new for $30. It weighs next-to-nothing in air, is neutral in water, and packs in a space the size of a boot box. If it had soft harness webbing, I could probably pack it in a shoebox.
I originally bought it just to try as a travel BC, but now that I've used it a few times I eBayed my Ranger. Never dreamed I'd do that...
This is the closest I've seen in a modern production model, and would cost about as much as the DUI one you are looking at if you can get it without that silly inflator/noisemaker thing. I priced this one through the local retailer and they wanted $230 for it with the silly thing.
and here's a wing like mine currently on eBay, but without the backpack (and you could probably get someone to give you a backpack).
Note: I'm not promoting either of these two items, just giving examples.
As others will be quick to point out, the bp/w approach is more versatile (you can bolt things to it, for instance), but for a lightweight, cheap, travel BC, I think mine is hard to beat.
Just wanted to present something else for your consideration.
Even if I do someday travel to an exotic locale that doesn't have lead, I figure if 'all' my weight is in lead, I can take it with me only when I need it.
So, I started looking at ABS backplates.
Then I was surfing eBay one night and found something interesting...
A BC that is lighter and packs smaller than even an ABS bp/w.
Pardon me if you already know the evolution of the BC, but...
You know the plastic backpacks they used to use before BCs? Well, shortly after folks started using horse-collar BCs several manufacturers started selling wings that go on the cam band of the plastic backpack.
I bought a 70's era set (backpack, wing, nearly-hog harness, camband) that looks brand new for $30. It weighs next-to-nothing in air, is neutral in water, and packs in a space the size of a boot box. If it had soft harness webbing, I could probably pack it in a shoebox.
I originally bought it just to try as a travel BC, but now that I've used it a few times I eBayed my Ranger. Never dreamed I'd do that...
This is the closest I've seen in a modern production model, and would cost about as much as the DUI one you are looking at if you can get it without that silly inflator/noisemaker thing. I priced this one through the local retailer and they wanted $230 for it with the silly thing.
and here's a wing like mine currently on eBay, but without the backpack (and you could probably get someone to give you a backpack).
Note: I'm not promoting either of these two items, just giving examples.
As others will be quick to point out, the bp/w approach is more versatile (you can bolt things to it, for instance), but for a lightweight, cheap, travel BC, I think mine is hard to beat.
Just wanted to present something else for your consideration.
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