Choosing a BP/Wing Single vs Double (or sidemount)

[felixcurtiss]

So I'm a fairly new diver, having just finished my OW, AOW, and drysuit certs, and am looking towards what gear I plan on eventually getting. I plan on diving more local (though I also would like to dive when I travel where possible), typically in colder waters (given I live by the north atlantic). I would also like to get into wreck and later cave diving eventually (though I recognise it's a long road to cave). Regarding what BCD I should get, I'm planning on getting a BP/W or sidemount setup. I did my AOW with a BP/W and single cylinder and I definitely prefered it to the jacket style, though I heard that some prefer sidemount or backplate doubles for wreck/cave, as well as deeper dives. I'd rather wait to get one setup that will last me rather than get one sooner/cheaper and then replace it after a couple of years. Obviously I should rent the different setups to see which I prefer before eventually choosing one, but what advice would you give regarding picking one? I don't plan on getting the BCD for a little while, but I'd like to have a plan of action on how to decide which one to pursue.

 

[Mobulai]

I’m leaning more towards sidemount (personally) for various reasons (like caving, eventually) but that’s not a 1:1; it depends a bit on the sizes of cave you plan/want to go into
- big spacious caves with no tight passages/constrictions have been explored alot in backmount (doubles. Plus extra stages)
- some even have been explored (not just visited) in dual backmount rebreather

I personally like sidemount on its own, as it’s much more comfortable in and out of the water (also accounting for back and knee problems)
But not on boats— that’s tougher than BM

The type of caves I dream of are tight so obviously also sidemount is more apt here

My personal balance has been getting a single tank wing style BC that I used a while (esp on LOB) till I started my technical classes that’s when I moved to sidemount

If I go on an LOB (I doubt I’ll do any technical ones anytime soon, and my interest for wrecks is low anyways let alone deep ones) I’ll dust off my Hydros pro and go single tank; otherwise I take my Stealth2 (most of my dives are shore entry)

YMMV

 

[inquis]

Backplate with 30 lb singles wing and enjoy diving and work on buoyancy and propulsion. This can transition to tech by adding a doubles wing (same backplate). Wrecks with doubles is nice because doors/hallways are narrow/vertical on most wrecks, and it's typically done off of a boat (where SM is a bit of a pain until you get really good at it). I'd say stage handling is a bit easier with BM as well.

There are a lot of caves where BM works extremely well, so I'd suggest you wait until you want to get into tighter sections before switching to SM. By that point, buoyancy and trim should be second nature, and switching to SM won't be as difficult. Gear config matters a lot in SM, and it's nice not wondering if a trim issue is mostly gear-related or diver-related.

Each configuration is just a tool in the arsenal, pick the most appropriate for the task at hand.

 

[swimlikethefish]

Beginners Guide to BP/W

I'd start there. Once you have a general understanding of all the pieces and how it all works you could make an informed decision.

 

[Subcooled]

If you plan on undertaking more serious dives you will want two cylinders of gas. Cold water / drysuit might mean 12 litre 232 bar cylinders (Europe) or HP100 (USA) or something like that. Warm water and wetsuit might mean 2x AL80.

• Deep wreck dives at sea are typically done in backmount doubles and not in sidemount. Spacious cave and mine dives also. The choice is yours, though, as long as your team agrees.
• Speleological cave dives (sump dives) require sidemount and some search and recovery dives requiring climbing would benefit from sidemount (easier to climb).
• Backmount is narrow, sidemount is flat (yes, yes, we can do no-mount stuff (=narrow) with sidemount kit but that's an advanced skill)

Given your dreams, forget jacket BCD:s.

Some people hate metal backplates and choose sidemout even if that means a lot of hassle sometimes.

 

[DiveLikeAMuppet]

First I would go diving for fun, with some local dive shops or clubs. Then I would buy a simple backplate & wing for a single cylinder and the rest of the kit that you need to be an independent diver - two masks, a simple computer, drysuit, fins, regs, spool and DSMB, maybe a cylinder or two - not necessarily in this order. Find a local group and just go diving with friends, not on an organised trip with a diveshop. That will probably keep you busy for a season or two. And it is really important to first become an independent diver who doesn't need a DM babysitter.

If you managed to get in at least 50 - 80 dives per year and still plan to dive more, swap the single wing for a doubles wing, get some training and see if you like more involved local diving.

It's a really long way to get to dive caves that actually demand sidemount, vast majority of people never get there. Even most of people who sell or dive sidemount, dive it as a warm water lifestyle. A lot of cold water (especially boat) diving is doubles - for many reasons... it's just easier.

Technical diving in general is a massive time and money commitment. The cost of the kit that you bought when you were starting would be negligible compared to what you will be spending on diving anyway.

 

[inquis]

Technical diving in general is a massive time and money commitment.

Holy cow, this deserves repeating. I had but an inkling when I started. It's been worth every penny, but wow! (It'd have been easier if I lived closer to the wrecks or cave country. I'm not even counting travel expenses. )

 

[LFMarm]

Sidemount is great but is significantly more complex to master than BP/W. I would recommend to master the skills in the simplest configuration that gets the job done and then move on from there once you reach a learning plateau or the dives you want to do require SM.

 

[NothingClever]

@felixcurtiss

I sincerely applaud your ambitions.

When we first learned to drive and bought our first vehicle, did we jump right into buying a roll bar, a supercharger, alloy wheels and a GPS-based lap timer for track days?

Probably not, right?

We first learned to commute back and forth to school, work and the grocery store. After we gained confidence with that, we took a few simple road trips.

I’d recommend settling in to enjoy your self-development.

If your other skill-based life experiences and accomplishments have been supersized such that you absolutely know that you won’t be satisfied without the knowledge and skills to erase the recreational boundaries, then I’d get yourself to a GUE instructor.

 

[grantmac]

I dive in sidemount basically all the time, I made that shift shortly after deciding that a single tank wasn't for me. I don't find it as challenging to adapt to various environments (diving off boats etc) as other folks seem to. It's nice to be able to pack a single very light harness and wing for everything from a single tank tropical dive to multiple stages on a drysuit.
For me that versatility along with being able to take virtually any pair of tanks worldwide and dive them as doubles.

I had an excellent instructor who exclusively dives sidemount and I think that was important.