Considerations around switching to a BP/W

[rombre]

This is for backup lights, you are supposed to have a proper umbilical primary with a goodman handle in your left hand. Only when that dies do you need the backup.

For my diving I don't need a corded light. Am probably getting a goodman handle for night diving (one light in goodman handle + second on harness). For a normal tropical day dive, I don't think the goodman handle makes sense - I won't use the lights most of the time anyway.

A more useful tip than buying a grands worth of torch, is to have a bungeed compass or dive computer on your wrist. The bolt snap then attaches the torch to the bungee and so your wrist when in use. Now you don't lose it so easily.

Thanks, that's a good idea.

 

[Neilwood]

This is for backup lights, you are supposed to have a proper umbilical primary with a goodman handle in your left hand. Only when that dies do you need the backup.

A more useful tip than buying a grands worth of torch, is to have a bungeed compass or dive computer on your wrist. The bolt snap then attaches the torch to the bungee and so your wrist when in use. Now you don't lose it so easily. When not in use it goes on the harness. Really though you will see them dangling.

Never thought of this tbh.

I dive both my torches on the harness all the time (just in case) without lanyards so this would be perfect for keeping the torch that is in use in place (simple process to clip it onto my wrist). I guess as well that even without a compass a simple bungee on the wrist would be a good fall back. Both my torches are "backup" types ie small with limited capacity.

 

[halocline]

There are lots of small back up lights that put out enough light for use as a primary in OW. It's not like the old days when you needed a 4C or bigger light.

 

[rombre]

So today was the big day where my new BP/W got in touch with water for the first time
I used it in a pool for a long training session (including underwater kit removal and all this stuff). I must say, I absolutely loved it! You basically don't feel it at all underwater, the trim was amazing, the deflation works so much nicer than with a jacket BCD - and that all even being naturally significantly overweighted (SS BP, full tank with rash guard in fresh water).

Can't wait to dive it in Australia in a couple of weeks. Thanks everyone here for convincing me to go for one and to @cool_hardware52 for a really fine rig!

 

[admikar]

I used it in a pool for a long training session (including underwater kit removal and all this stuff). I must say, I absolutely loved it! You basically don't feel it at all underwater, the trim was amazing, the deflation works so much nicer than with a jacket BCD - and that all even being naturally significantly overweighted (SS BP, full tank with rash guard in fresh water).

I could've told you all that, if you asked nicely!

 

[cool_hardware52]

So today was the big day where my new BP/W got in touch with water for the first time
I used it in a pool for a long training session (including underwater kit removal and all this stuff). I must say, I absolutely loved it! You basically don't feel it at all underwater, the trim was amazing, the deflation works so much nicer than with a jacket BCD - and that all even being naturally significantly overweighted (SS BP, full tank with rash guard in fresh water).

Can't wait to dive it in Australia in a couple of weeks. Thanks everyone here for convincing me to go for one and to @cool_hardware52 for a really fine rig!

Thanks for the kind words. I do appreciate it.

Tobin

 

[Neilwood]

So today was the big day where my new BP/W got in touch with water for the first time
I used it in a pool for a long training session (including underwater kit removal and all this stuff). I must say, I absolutely loved it! You basically don't feel it at all underwater, the trim was amazing, the deflation works so much nicer than with a jacket BCD - and that all even being naturally significantly overweighted (SS BP, full tank with rash guard in fresh water).

Can't wait to dive it in Australia in a couple of weeks. Thanks everyone here for convincing me to go for one and to @cool_hardware52 for a really fine rig!

So glad to hear you went for one and love it.

It is often hard to describe the difference it can make unless you actually dive it. It does look ungainly above water but underwater it comes in to its own.

 

[Marie13]

So glad to hear you went for one and love it.

It is often hard to describe the difference it can make unless you actually dive it. It does look ungainly above water but underwater it comes in to its own.

Yes, it is hard to describe it. A friend has been diving a back inflate and recently tried my original BP/W. The harness was apparently what made it feel different.

 

[rombre]

26 GBR / Coral Sea dives later, I can confirm that I absolutely love the rig! So happy you guys convinced me to go for a BP/W.

 

[Colliam7]

Hmm. I think this might be described as a textbook example of a 'satisfied customer'!