New diver looking to purchase first BC, lots of questions...

[rivers]

I also suggest trying a bp/w. I'm not a tech diver, just a single tank, recreational diver. It took me a couple a couple of dives to get my harness adjusted correctly, but nothing dangerous. It was just a bit tight in the shoulder straps and not tight enough on the crotch strap. Once I got that figured out, it was fine. Then when I switched to a drysuit, I just had to let the straps out a little bit and it was all set to go.
The great thing about a bp/w, as others including yourself have mentioned, is it's minimalist and modular. I don't drive/have a car and end up either taking the train to the dive site or to meet for rides, and it's handy because i can split my bp/w into parts for travel (wing goes into drysuit bag so it doesn't get punctured). Once I get to the site, it takes me about 2 minutes to attach my plate to my wing. Also, you'll end up using less lead (2 reasons, a wing is less buoyant than a jacket, and a backplate is additional weight).
As others have mentioned, there are no weight pockets, but you can always add some, or wear a belt. If I'm diving fresh water, I only need a couple of kilos on the trim pocket of one of my cam bands. If I'm in the sea (cold water and drysuit), i add another kilo to my cam band and use a weight belt with 2 kilos. no issues. There are other ways to distribute weight as well, such as v-weights, additional bolt-on back plate weights (i think it's only DSS that has those), weighted STAs etc.
If you want to try before you buy, see if someone in your area has one that they are willing to let you test in the pool one night.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Get the BP/W.

You've already informed yourself about them and know they are out there and see the merits so you're already half way there.
You're not going to be disappointed.

Here are some other good reasons. Some of these may have already been discussed but I just breezed through the posts so forgive me if I repeat something

Jacket vs BP/W units: The end result is they both just attach the tank to your body and provide air balast, that's all they do.

A jacket BC:
Will usually have an integrated weight system and it's a complete sewn together unit in which you are stuck with factory D-ring placement and a fairly complicated system of fastening the unit to yourself, I.E. plastic clips on both shoulders, chest strap, cumberbun, another plastic clip over the cumberbun, etc. Almost all of them only have one cam band with a plastic buckle for even the biggest tanks. The weighting system release clips are usually plastic and if you lose a pouch they are pricey to replace.
The plastic does eventually wear out on the weight clips and so losing a pouch becomes easier with time and wear and tear.

The BP/W:
Consists of a metal or composite plate, a continuous piece of 2" weight belt webbing, two cam bands with the option to have ones with stainless buckles, as many or as few D-rings as you like with infinite placement options, one single stainless waist buckle, and a wing which there are many options from bargain wings from $200 to really nice wings up to over $340.
Most all wings can be used on different brand plates and any 2" webbing will work. Also, you can add a crotch strap very easily onto a plate which makes the unit more stable, especially if you get inverted to look under something.
BP/W also don't have a bunch of padding and stuff around your sides. They leave your front side totally clean and slick.
A BP/W is the simplest and most reliable option and the cheapest in the long run because there really isn't much that can go wrong with them and there isn't going to be a seam or stitching that is going to start freying or threads coming appart. If different components wear out eventually like a wing or the webbing, you simply change that component out instead of the whole unit.
You can get weight pockets that go onto the waist strap but most people here just use the appropriate weightbelt for their diving environment because it's better, at least to me, to break up your weighting and not have everything on your bc unit.

If you want to use it for travel I'd get an aluminum because they are light enough for travel and can still be used in cold water. You just need to add a few pounds to your weightbelt over a heavier stainless one, but the difference is negligable.

It doesn't get any simpler that a BP/W.
Your dive shop just wants to sell you a jacket because they want your money, no other reason.

 

[gbf]

ok, I'll be the first to say it...

Make it easy on yourself. Go to www.deepseasupply.com and watch the videos. The engineer/fabricator in you will enjoy it. While there, take a look at some of the clever devices DSS sells.

As an aside, I use a SS plate, even for travel. I'm willing to pack the extra 4 lbs in exchange for requiring no additional weight when diving.

In so far as BPW being a "tech" oriented rig (another aside: any rig that uses the words "tech", "tek", "tec" or the like is one I look askance at)... I put my two children in bpw when they were certified at age 13. They're both "fully formed" young ladies now and are still using (almost) the same rigs. One is going down the cave path, the other doesn't like water in her face.

 

[vladimir]

and Buy it From a Dive Shop not online ,Ebay or Creigs List . Support your local businesses Dive Shops dont stay open by classes,Rentals and Air sales only.

Maybe they should charge more for classes, rentals, and air sales.

The scuba industry is always fretting about the large number of participants who abandon the sport, often after very few dives. This creates a surfeit of barely used gear offered at a steep discount. Take advantage of that--you'll probably be changing your gear preferences in the years ahead anyway.

I concur with the Deep Sea Supply recommendations. That is my first choice.

If you decide on a vest, bargain with the guys at LeisurePro (that's not their best price):
Scubapro Classic Sport BC

 

[fnfalman]

For some reason I find the BP&W the most appealing as it appears as if it can "grow" as I do while being able to maintain a minimalist configuration for air travel. My LDS recommends against it and is steering me more toward a jacket style setup. They say that a BP&W wouldn't be the best setup for a new diver.

If you like BPW then buy BPW. There's no "magic" to use the BPW, so it's utterly ludicrous for your LDS to claim that it's not suitable for new divers. Plenty of new divers; myself included, used BPWs right out of OW diving. Since that you plan on packing it for air travel, make sure to give some thoughts on what backplate material to be used: steel, aluminum or plastic.

I am also intrigued by the SeaQuest Dimension i3. Of all of the BC's it seems to be the slickest, however I am aware that (looks) gimmicks don't always translate into greater function.

Next I find myself looking at many of the Zeagles and lastly the Scubapro Knighthawk.

Weigh your decision carefully and buy what you like. Neither those brands are my personal preferences but then that's why it's called "personal" preference.

Finally, what is the merit of integrating the octo into the BC, i.e. Air II? If I already have a reg set with an octo is it worth "upgrading" to an Air II?

If you already have an octo then don't waist your money switching over to inline octo. I like inline octo, but then I don't have a regular octo either. Well, I do, but I don't use it very often and I am not the type that spends my money very wisely either.

Another finally, New vs Ebay, Craigslist or here?

Any thoughts?

I don't do online purchase on large/important scuba tools. I want to be able to eyeball the equipment; new or used, before making purchases. I do buy some minor stuff at various online dealers but neve eBay or Craiglist. Once gain that's just my personal preference.

 

[Maynerd]

Thanks for all of the responses. Looks like a BP&W may be the way to go after all.

 

[fnfalman]

Very seldom does a person regret purchasing a BPW. It happens, but not often.

 

[pcheney]

I got a Halcyon Infinity with a 30-lb wing, stainless steel single-tank adapter, integrated weights, and the Cinch system. Fantastic. Don't get a BC. The BPW locks everything into position, has less drag, and is completely modular. The Halcyon Infinity lists for about $850. You get what you pay for. My buddy bought a Zeagle jacket. Now he wishes be bought a Halcyon too.
Only things to watch for: if you have broad shoulders, the standard Hogarthian harness is tough to slip in and out of. That's why I got the Cinch.... it's a single loop, and DIR-compliant, but it's easy to get on and off. Also - the standard-length corrugated house (about 12") is too short for some people (like me.) You can put on any length you want and customize it.
There are other BPW brands - like DSS.... they're all very similar. I went with Halcyon, and I still like it. The thing is bulletproof industrial art. Thank God I didn't buy a jacket BCD.

 

[LowDrag]

Here is a thread I found that might give you some extra info. Good luck in your search. Your thread has raised some questions for me now to.


http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bu...ht-systems/370866-aqua-lung-dimension-i3.html

 

[Splitlip]

Try as many as you can would be my recommendation. I dive a BPW because it is "clean", puts most of my ballast across my lungs (helps me trim out better for my body type) and I learned to dive without a BC..so the BPW feels more natural to me. My daughter OTOH, hates them.

Having said that, I suspect that you as an engineer will thoroughly enjoy setting up and fine tuning the BPW to your diving style and other needs. I don't know where you are located, but you will likely wind up with 2 plates down the road and any number of wings. I live in SE Florida and dive steel tanks. I use an aluminum plate and 18 # wing in the summer and a steel plate with 30# wing in the winter. (we only have 2 seasons ). I could easily get by year round with the AL plate and 30 # wing and still be ahead of the BCD game. Where a typical BCD is usually positively buoyant, BPW's are almost always negative, so you won't need to add weight to off set the buoyancy of a typical BCD. My aluminum BPW set up weighs less than my daughter's Bella BC. I have a heck of a lot less weight at the surface even before the added ballast my daughter needs. (I don't dive with much ditchable weight, if any. That may be a consideration for you.)

(You'll enjoy doing the math)