Hybrid vs. BP/W vs. Jacket

[Westcoastsaucey]

Given the idea its better to buy once and have quality equipment, rather than cheap out and spend more getting better things later, what say the masses on hybrid bladder BCD's as opposed to jackets or BP/W for new divers?

I want my own equipment, because I'm of the opinion that with anything you do, having your own familiar equipment makes you perform better, more consistently, and comfortably. With that said, I don't want to buy a jacket style BCD and regret it later wishing I had something else. It seems the majority of discussion hinge on back inflate BCD's rather than jacket style. I understand back inflate BCD's allow better trim in the water and a more ideal body position, but make surface floatation more complicated. How much more though? Is a hybrid BCD a good option?

I realize it's been asked several times, but I will ask it again. With the questions I posed, what brand/model BCD is ideal for someone looking for the best performance right off the bat? Not looking for top end, but not looking for cheap either.

Thanks!

 

[Tribal]

The simple answer is something like a hybrid is more a jacket then a wing.

If you want bp/w then go for it, you won’t regret it. It floats lovely at the surface as well.

 

[Westcoastsaucey]

The simple answer is something like a hybrid is more a jacket then a wing.

If you want bp/w then go for it, you won’t regret it. It floats lovely at the surface as well.

Well I guess I should also ask about back inflate BCD's vs. true modular BP/W. There seems to be a difference to an untrained eye, no?

 

[RIHappyDiver]

Well I guess I should also ask about back inflate BCD's vs. true modular BP/W. There seems to be a difference to an untrained eye, no?

I will preface this with I have a back inflate (Litehawk), not a BP/W, but I dive with people who dive BP/W. Depending on which back inflate you want to compare, the biggest differences seem to be options, both in how to set the harness up with accessories (d-rings, pockets, etc) and if you want multiple wings for one plate, ie. a wing for singles and a wing for doubles. I purchased a ‘14 model Litehawk in ‘16 because it was inexpensive and I was on a tight budget. I added 2 Hog weight pockets and was still under $275 for it. Now you can go full boat into what are deemed good BP/W setups from Deep6, DGX, VDH, and others, for less than any (as far as I can find) back inflates on the market. With most back inflates you are limited to the number of attachments you can add, and attachment points you have, unless you want to spend a lot on the back inflate. This means that your financial better of with a BP/W setup.
One other difference. If my Litehawk gives out on me I’ll need to replace the whole thing as opposed to just replacing, say, a wing.

I probably missed other critical differences that a BP/W user can fill in, but I hope I hit the highlights.

Erik

 

[drrich2]

If you go the BP/W route, you've potentially got a lot of choices to make. Travel weight, hard plate vs. soft, stainless steel vs. aluminum if you go hard, 1 piece webbing or not, etc... In case it may help, here's the thread Mulling over BP/W options... where people here helped me go over the options and arrive at a configuration.

When I went for BP/W, it was an opportune time as my old Jacket BCD had a serious issue basically put it out of commission, and I'd long been curious to see if the BP/W pasture really was that much greener, so to speak. The answer depends on what you do with it. I like mine fine; can't say it's a night-and-day difference, but I like it.

I was very tempted by the ScubaPro Hydros, but discussion in other threads about a strap tearing loose issue and concerns about long-term durability put me off.

If you're in San Diego, then you have access to some good local cold water diving. Even if you prefer warm water trips, the low cost and convenience of local diving will likely make it a part of your diving. When you look at gear, be mindful there's a good chance you'll be diving a steel 95-cf tank, 7 mm wetsuit/hood/gloves (maybe even a dry suit), and the lead to sink that neoprene from the surface to depth, so I imagine you'll want a wing with enough lift to handle those duties.

Before I got my BP/W, I'd figured if need be I could someday but a different capacity wing and swap them out if I wanted a different type of diving. You know, back and forth? Then I watched the guy do all the work to thread the webbing and get my setup ready at the dive shop. Nope. I think if I needed a different system, I'd get a 2nd setup. Others may vary; it just looked awfully involved for me.

If you ultimately go into tech. diving, there's a good chance you'll want a BP/W system then, whether it's the one you start out with or not. I just do rec. diving.

Bottom Line: If you're willing to explore the issues, do the mental leg work to make the choices, and go through the growing pains of getting the rig adjusted to you as an individual, I do not think you will regret going the BP/W route.

Richard.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

For me, the best feature of a backplate is stability. Properly adjusted, you won't have a tank shifting the way it does with a jacket BC. I noticed the difference the first time I had to walk in my gear for a shore dive. Under water, I don't even notice I have a tank on.

I have a Freedom Plate with two tank straps. Swapping wings is as easy as unthreading the tank straps. It only takes a few minutes. The one-piece webbing stays in place. I've replaced the webbing once in a dozen years. the backplate will last a lifetime.

Travel is not an issue. I wear the BP/W with a drysuit or tropical wetsuit with no issues. I simply tighten the waist strap a little more in warm water. I will never wear a jacket BC again.

 

[loosenit2]

Given the idea its better to buy once and have quality equipment, rather than cheap out and spend more getting better things later, what say the masses on hybrid bladder BCD's as opposed to jackets or BP/W for new divers?

I want my own equipment, because I'm of the opinion that with anything you do, having your own familiar equipment makes you perform better, more consistently, and comfortably. With that said, I don't want to buy a jacket style BCD and regret it later wishing I had something else. It seems the majority of discussion hinge on back inflate BCD's rather than jacket style. I understand back inflate BCD's allow better trim in the water and a more ideal body position, but make surface floatation more complicated. How much more though? Is a hybrid BCD a good option?

I realize it's been asked several times, but I will ask it again. With the questions I posed, what brand/model BCD is ideal for someone looking for the best performance right off the bat? Not looking for top end, but not looking for cheap either.

Thanks!

A BCD is a tool, the most important question you must answer is what do you want to do? Once you answer that then you will know what kind of tool you want.

Are you going to be an occasional warm water rec diver, a technical diver or a dive professional. The answer will determine what tool you will need to do The job.

 

[Centrals]

There is NO simple answer for the OP's question.
We are all individual and have different requirement even for a simple BC.
Integrated weight, attached pocket, quick release, light weight, tough and sturdy, module etc etc.

 

[rongoodman]

I purchased a Halcyon plate and 30# wing immediately following my OW class 13 years ago and except for cave and some tech diving, have never used anything else. It's been packed up for trips all over the world without incident. It isn't rocket science to put one together either, especially with all the resources available now. I showed up at a Fundies class with it and the only thing they did was tweak the placement of the chest D-rings a little.

 

[Esprise Me]

Call around and see if there's a place where you can rent a bp/w. My local dive shop does, and that's how I decided to buy one .