First BCD purchase... seller is offering ScubaPro Knighthawk BCD for...

[RJP]

Whenever I see someone say "This will be my first BCD..." I always advise that they should start out buying their SECOND BCD.

 

[scubafanatic]

$ 900 for a Halcyon system isn't overpriced if it includes the 'automatic cave nav' feature........

 

[TSandM]

Surf n Scuba, I did some looking around, and it doesn't even appear that Hollywood Divers rents backplate setups, or at least they don't indicate that on their website. But I'm QUITE sure that, if you post in the SoCal forum, you can find someone who would meet up with you and let you borrow a backplate setup. There are a lot of backplate divers in SoCal, and quite a few on ScubaBoard.

There are a number of reasons why we cold water divers like backplates, but a big one is that, instead of having to carry three pounds to sink your BC, your BC actually becomes five pounds of your ballast! That helps your balance in the water and reduces the total weight you have to walk into the water.

Do go up to DSS, though, if it's something you can do. Tobin George, the owner of the company, is a GREAT guy, and the place is fascinating. They make very good gear. I dive it myself

 

[Colliam7]

There are a number of reasons why we cold water divers like backplates, but a big one is that, instead of having to carry three pounds to sink your BC, your BC actually becomes five pounds of your ballast! That helps your balance in the water and reduces the total weight you have to walk into the water.

YES!! What Lynne says! Unfortunately, there seem to be two extremes in the BP/W discussion, which together may obscure the larger middle ground of useful information exchange. One extreme is that a BP/W is right for absolutely everyone (which is probably not true, for a variety of reasons) while the other is essentially an antibody response to any post recommending a BP/W. In reality a BP/W rig may offer certain advantages, including back-inflation, modularity, AND weight / bouyancy / trim characteristics, depending on the diver's needs.

I can dive my jacket BCD with an AL80 and a 3 mm wetsuit in warm fresh water and be happy as a clam. Of course, I have to wear some lead on my waist, because that jacket BCD is positively bouyant (as is the wetsuit, and the diver, and the tank at the end of the dive). Not a problem, just acceptance of the need to add lead.

But, if I need exposure protection for colder water (a drysuit, or even a 5mm wetsuit) I will need (a lot) more lead. And, I don't want to add to that lead buden by also diving a positively bouyant BCD, be it a jacket BCD or a 'soft' (bouyant) back-inflate BCD. So, I use a steel BP. (And, I also don't want a weight-integrated unit where the weight pockets are forward of my vertical midline, because that is one reason that some people feel a back-inflate BCD pulls them a bit face-down in the water.)

I also agree that there must be a number of Socal divers who would be willing to let you try a BP/W to see how it feels. Certainly, if you were in NC that would be the case and I can't imagine that CA is any different in that regard.

As for the BP/W if all your going to do is camera and stuff like that at the recreational level stay with the recreational type BCD.

Absolutely. Now, that also begs the question as to what is a 'recreational type BCD'? If the inference is that a BP/W is NOT a recreational BCD, then I would disagree. A 'recreational type BCD' is any BCD that a recreational diver can use effectively, safely and comfortably for a recreational dive, and that would include a jacket BCD, a 'soft' back-inflate BCD, and a 'hard' back-inflate BCD (e.g. a BP). Certainly, a BP/W is not the only recreational BCD. But, it is definitely one type of recreational BCD available.

The pockets on a jacket BCD are generally going to be larger than those on a weight-integrated, back-inflate unit, and that can be nice - I can put my instructor slates, and Wet Notes, and extra mask (as well as my car keys, lunch, a regulator service kit, universal scuba tool, ziploc bag with 10 extra tie-wraps, and a martini shaker) into the pockets on my Seaquest jacket (OK, the martini shaker pushes the capacity just a bit.) And, that is probably better than clipping all that 'stuff' to my BCD and swimming around looking like a Christmas tree laden with ornaments. But, I have also found that having big pockets is unnecessary, and not altogether functional. A big pocket may encourage divers to carry more 'stuff' (than they usually need), and the pockets may be high enough on the diver that they are not easily accessible (and, zippers are nice but velcro flaps may be easier to manipulate U/W). An alternative would be thigh pockets, lower on the body, attached to the exposure suit, or waist pockets, also lower on the body, which fit nicely on the waist strap of a BP harness. The point is, there are many options available, even when considering pockets.

 

[beaverdivers]

the KnightHawk is neutrally buoyant!

 

[vladimir]

the KnightHawk is neutrally buoyant!

Where do we draw the line on the marketing? I honestly don't know. I do know that Beaverdivers' posts annoy me, perhaps because he contributes nothing else (as far as I've seen). On the other hand, I have always appreciated the input of Tobin, for example, who contributes much more. There are others who do it right, in my opinion: LeisureProBrett, and now Newscubamarketing, have participated as divers and served as representatives of LP without heavy-handed marketing efforts. Joel of TDL and ScottZeagle are two others who come to mind. I'm curious what others think.

 

[beaverdivers]

Looking to purchase my first BCD. A seller off CL is selling his ScubaPro Knighthawk BCD for $395 (obo). Claimed to have only used it once. Would you buy this BCD at this price or offer lower?

Beaver Divers is simply replying to a specific question posted by the OP.

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

Your post did not answer the question.

It was unsolicited advertising in that it provided information that the OP had not requested, nor fitted the general discussion in the thread

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[Pullmyfinger]

Would you buy this BCD at this price or offer lower?

You mean THIS specific question?

 

[cwhite6]

San Diego Divers rents BP/W combos. I am renting one from them next weekend to dive La Jolla.

 

[BDSC]

I was considering a Knighthawk until the owner of my LDS suggested the Scubapro Seahawk because of the better pocket design. I ended up going with the Seahawk and love it. And despite what some folks will say, you can dive doubles with a Knighthawk, Seahawk, or the Classic BC. Folks have been doing it for years.