Confused with what my LDS is directing me towards?

[Geobound]

@MichaelMc That is a brilliant detailed explanation that even I could understand. LOL.... I know that's a lot of writing, but I do appreciate it. I was going with a jacket style because 1) that's what I was trained with 2) I'm just the type of guy that likes to carry stuff. Perhaps this could be the good phycological training I need to break that habit. Hahahaha.....

I have several underwater chores that need to be done soon (nothing too difficult or risky) in about 8' - 12' of water, and pocket just seemed like a logical idea. I'm sure those litter bags would serve the same purpose, so again more research will need to be done.

I know that this seems crazy, but do people use both type of BCD's or do they just pick one style and run with it?

@Ghosty Shorty story, but about 10 years ago when I first wanted to do this the I3 style BCD was the one thing that I was 100% positive I was going to get. Mainly because it was new and different and I figured all BCD's would go that way. I guess I was wrong, but it still looks like a simple thing to use........from an owners perspective, perhaps not a dive buddy's perspective.

I guess Google and Youtube are my best friends right now, so perhaps I will just watch some videos on the BP/W systems and try and get a better feel for them.

@rsingler Brilliant tip, thanks so much!

 

[MichaelMc]

@Geobound, It might be hard to answer how prevalent it is for people to use several BC types - jacket, all-in-one back inflate, and BP/W -- past 'among my friends'.... Among mine, I do not think any use multiple of those types.

From reading ScubaBoard, a large class of multi type users are instructors who might use BP/W for their own diving but use jacket or back inflate while teaching open water classes in the pool, or possibly open water, for closer similarly to their students. Either to not distract students by seeing multiple types, or because of shop policy to only use what the shop sells.

At least one on the board, stuartv, has written about going from BP/W to the Hydros Pro all-in-one back inflate as it fits very well and is very snug to his body. I believe he using that and sometimes BP/W. scubapro Hydros Pro BCD

Some of my dive friends do use multiple BC types, but only when we consider more advanced types: BP/W with doubles, rebreathers, or sidemount. All of my dive friends using advanced types use BP/W for their 'simple' back mount diving, and teaching, which is all post OW. I use single tank BP/W and have started using sidemount; in the distant past I used rental jacket BCs.

On carrying stuff, there is no constrain against sticking a huge pocket on each BP/W hip strap. But that ties you and all the included gear a bit tightly together, should you ever feel the need to ditch that gear. More common, and safer for large gear packages, might be using line, that can be cut, to attach a bolt snap to the gear and then clipping it to a D ring on your BP/W webbing. Many videos of scientist's doing collections show them looking like garage sales with all the stuff clipped off to them. That is an extreme, but more flexible and ditchable than sticking such in pockets on you. Pockets might be limited to carrying personal safety gear, cutters, signal markers, etc; some of which is often clipped of to D rings, or cutters are added to harness straps.

 

[Centrals]

visibility in low/poor vis situations, self illumination in low light without need to activate a backlight, handles trimix,ccr, and air integration on perdix ai/nerd 2/teric. Just because you don't use those features doesn't mean they aren't useful to others.

How many times do I have to tell you that I really don't care what others used.
I have been diving well over 20yrs in both rec and tec and do know what I need! There is NO backlight in my Aladin and it doesn't bother me a bit. It will take more or less similar time to activate a light or shin the torch on the computer during night dive. I am not CCR certified so that option is meaningless. As for tec dive including trimix, what is wrong with pre dive plan? I was taught like that 20yrs ago and plenty tec divers are still doing this way.

As far as I am concern, Shearwater in whatever form is absolutely waste of money for me! Period.

 

[runsongas]

whatever you say, oyaji. the rest of the world will just keep moving on.

 

[soggybadger]

Hi. I just wanted to say that I use any bcd . I haven't really found much difference between them. They all seem to have crap pockets that you can't get anything in when diving dry and using integrated weights. When I am working on my boat hull in shallow water i use an old travel bcd that I got for £5 on eBay and sling a bottle on the d rings then just a pair of cargo shorts for storage. Why pay lots of money for an item that could get ruined doing chores in shallow water? Will an expensive bcd work better than a cheap one in shallow water? A lot of divers seem to be trying to keep up with the trends with regards to equipment .buy quality used equipment that some other fool has spent a fortune on cheap and then you have more money left to spend on diving.

 

[Hoag]

I know that this seems crazy, but do people use both type of BCD's or do they just pick one style and run with it?

For me, it was a progression. I started with a Jacket style BCD because that is what I used on my course, so that was what I knew. About halfway through the first trip I did, I decided that I didn't like the way that it closed in on me when I added air and I sold it soon after I got home and moved to a Back Inflate BCD. I had a series of those, eventually settling on a very light (and extremely buoyant) travel BCD. I still have my travel BCD hanging up at home, but I have now made the switch to an aluminum BP/W with a 23lb wing. It is a little (about a pound) heavier than my travel BCD, but is almost neutral in the water.

So yes, for me, I have used most types of BCDs over the years, but it was an evolution from one type to another as my needs (and wants) changed, not a matter of using several types at the same time.

 

[helgo]

My AL dimension i3 has 500 dives on it. Mostly tropical diving. Yes, once the lever bolt and nut came off at safety stop in Galapagos, we fixed it in the boat with some extra washers. Otherwise is it's been a great system for me.
Moved on to backplate and wing now.
My advice to OP is consider backplate from the start.
I use Apeks 200, after 500 dives it's bullet proof and still looks great.

 

[helgo]

PS: I wanted to add...
My Dimension i3 back inflate required a little but of balancing NOT to tip me forward. A skill I learned in about 2 dives. Wasn't a big deal at all.

My Halcyon Eclipse with STAINLESS backplate tips me BACKWARDS into a nice sitting position, which is great. It weighs 6lbs. I suspect the aluminum plate might be different.

And to those who mentioned the i3 lever getting stuck in kelp / gloves etc. Sure, I can accept this happens. But yesterday I dove with a guy whose inflator hose got entangled somehow between 2 other hoses he had on his left side. He freaked out and had to cut his dive short, because he couldn't figure out how to let air out. Just saying, even the 'bullet proof' inflator hose can fail!

 

[Marie13]

The i3 is a gimmick that makes a BC about $100 more than the same model without it. If you like gimmicks, go for it. But if you even think you’d eventually like to go tech, don’t bother wasting your money. Use that $100 for something else.

 

[Marie13]

And to those who mentioned the i3 lever getting stuck in kelp / gloves etc. Sure, I can accept this happens. But yesterday I dove with a guy whose inflator hose got entangled somehow between 2 other hoses he had on his left side. He freaked out and had to cut his dive short, because he couldn't figure out how to let air out. Just saying, even the 'bullet proof' inflator hose can fail!

That was a massive user error, not equipment failure.