Horse Collar BCs

[Nemrod]

I have dived for years in warm water with no BC. I need no weight at all. If I have a 1/8 suit I might carry about 6 lbs. Truely, if I am going to use a BC then I prefer a back inflate design for 90% of the stuff I do. I think the horsecollar is still good for my vintage ops where I feel the need for additional bouyancy control. N

 

[DiveGolfSki]

Was looking over some things and watching the tellie when a question occured to me. Does anone actively dive with horse collar style BCs anymore? It seems that there are some advantages and disadvantages to the design, but to me it seems that it has gone the way of the dodo in this BP/Wing and vest style world. Anyone on the board dive one, and if you do, what do you feel are the advantages to it? The disadvantages?

Thanks.

Call me old fashioned but I've been using a HC for quite some time. They're almost indestructible if you take care of them. However, they definitely have outlived their usefulness particularly with the advent of DIR/Tech diving. There's just to space for them. About the only benefit of a HC is that, in an emergency, you can dump all your gear and use it as a "life preserver" since it will float you in a head up position. However, the emergency that this benefit would occur would have to be extremely rare. How many things have to go wrong in order for the need to dump everything? If that emergency situation occurs ... well, a dive wasn't well planned.

It all comes down to what makes you comfortable. As for me, I'm moving to harness/SS backplate/wings ... much cleaner AND I'll be able to see my toes.