my contribution to back/jacket comparison

[Raven8020]

Hey all, just got done with my pool dives and tried a back inflate for the first time. Let me tell you, as everyone on here has said, they are different then the jacket, duh. I just thought I'd put in my 2 cents regarding them. I did find that with the back inflate there was a tendency at the surface to push my face down. To counter this tendency I had to lean back and kick a bit more, not bad but some. After a little bit I removed my weight belt, all 6 lbs of it, and things got way easier. It seems to me that if you over inflate you bcd to compensate for too much weight it tends to force you into a face down position, bid surprise considering where the air bladder is. However, if you have the right weight and therefore need less air to stay buoyant, the effect is markedly less. Underwater I much preferred the back inflate as it kept me streamlined and was easier to hover with. If anyone has any thoughts please leave them and we can start another jacket vs back inflate thread.

 

[InkDiver]

If anyone has any thoughts please leave them and we can start another jacket vs back inflate thread.

Yes, god knows there haven't been nearly enough of those

 

[1_T_Submariner]

I agree don't over inflate. It shouldn't matter how much weight you have just don't over compensate for the weight you are carrying. I dive with any a wide variety of weight (8 lbs to 28lbs and a steel 119) and don't have an issue with my back inflate.

 

[Colliam7]

Let me tell you, as everyone on here has said, they are different then the jacket, duh. ... I did find that with the back inflate there was a tendency at the surface to push my face down. To counter this tendency I had to lean back and kick a bit more, not bad but some. ... It seems to me that if you over inflate you bcd to compensate for too much weight it tends to force you into a face down position, ... Underwater I much preferred the back inflate as it kept me streamlined and was easier to hover with.

While I won't suggest another thread on this topic, I appreciate your post. Too often discussions of jacket, vs back-inflate BCDs, vs backplate and wing devolve into, 'I've used a jacket for 20 years and it works fine.' or 'The posters on SB who advocate BP/W don't represent the diving community at large.' or 'BP/W is the ONLY way to dive.', etc. Your post merits complimets for 3 things: 1. You have intelligently and insightfully analyzed certain aspects of your bouyancy compensator's performance profile, and experimented with factors that affect it; 2. As a relatively new diver, you have already demonstrated an interest in understanding your equipment, not just putting it on and jumping in; and 3. you have posted your observations for what they are, without an attempt to extrapolate beyond what you experienced. Good for you. Keep experimenting and learning!