new gear decisions

[scubajim311]

So i've only done 10 dives mostly nor cal. I'm saving up some money to buy gear, i have some questions. I've noticed most people on here say they hate the jacket style bc's. Why is this? i would like to get a back inflate bc but if i buy it from my local dive shop they will give me a good deal if i buy reg, computer and bc. But they don't sell back inflate. So does anyone enjoy diving back inflate bc's? and would this be a good choice for me? i'll prob do most diving in california with occasional trips to hawaii or carribean, and i'm not planning on doing any tech diving. Any advice or oppionions greatly appreciated. Thanks, james

 

[AndrewJD]

A buoyancy compensator has two primary functions.

1. Physically secure your breathing gas to your body.

2. Compensate for negative buoyancy at depth due to the weight of gas and the compression of exposure protection and to provide adequate buoyancy on the surface to keep you afloat.

Additionally, a BC should facilitate stability in the water and should be streamlined.

Jacket BCs are poor at securing the tank to your body (cummerbund), are unstable in the water (center of mass above center of buoyancy) and are not streamlined (increase cross section of diver when inflated).

The back inflate BC does a better job with stability by lining up the center of buoyancy with the center of mass, however, most still make use of a cummerbund.

No jacket or back inflate BC that I have seen has ever had a crotch strap. A crotch strap vastly increases how well your BC is secured to you.

IMO, I think you should get a back plate and wing system.

1. It best satisfies all of the requirements above.

2. It is forward compatible with all diving you might find your self doing in the future.

3. It is durable.

4. It is usually less volume and weight to pack than a traditional BC. Think travel.

5. It is versatile and modular.

For example, I have an aluminum plate that I use with my doubles here in MoCal (Monterey, CA) that I also used when I went to Bonaire. I could also use it to dive singles.

If you're interested in diving a back plate and wing and are in MoCal let me know and we could set something up.

As for getting a good deal from the shop, I would recommend getting some independent gear advice (i.e., not from the guy who is going to sell it to you) and remember that the acquisition of gear is a small part of the life cycle cost of your diving. Paying for fills and flying to warm locations will ultimately cost you more if you buy the right gear now.

Jonathan

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Eric Sedletsky lives in Santa Rosa and makes the Freedom Plate. I believe it's the best single-tank backplate on the market. You can get a backplate/wing from him for probably a lot less than a new BC and it will last forever. You can PM him at http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=40028

 

[--tom--]

BTW, welcome to the Scubaboard.

Many back inflates can be modified (jack style also) with a crotch strap, however I kind of think of it as an after thought rather than a stock product. That said, you might want to re-read Andrew's post again, he is pretty much spot on.

If you provide a little more detail on your profile, we may even be able to point to some retailers/outlets that stock B/P and wings.

BTW, I go with my SS BP when I travel, less weight on the belt but I am fluffier than most

 

[Nismo]

The back plate and wing is very simple and will not cost you any more than a BC. Although they are predominately used by tech divers they are good for everyone.

I use a back inflate BC because I don't like how the jacket style squeeze my ribs. The whole jacket is the bladder so it ends up squeezing at higher points of inflation. There are a lot of people that do like them however. A good BC should feel snug and secure. Mine fits like a glove and the tank is very well secured to my back. It has an optional crotch strap but I have not felt the need to buy it.

 

[scubajim311]

thanks for all the replys. andrew you were very informative and i think i'll definetley go with a back inflate w/ wings. Does anyone have any suggestions. I've heard a lot of good things about the zeagle ranger. I would like to try it out before i buy it though. I'm located in citrus heights about 20 minutes north of sac. And thanks for the offer andrew i might have to take you up on trying out a back inflate. I will be diving in monterey sometime soon hopefully in a month or two.

 

[bfw]

and i'm not planning on doing any tech diving. Any advice or oppionions greatly appreciated. Thanks, james

Optimized equipment is not just for tech diving. Would you buy a car with all drum brakes just because you don't race? The difference between tech divers is they can't afford to sacrifice function to be stylish or to get this year's bold new graphics. There's this false dichotomy between "tech" and "recreational" divers that people take to mean that so-called recreational divers don't need to make rational, functional gear choices.

Find someone your size who will let you try out their back plate and wing, and for more than just a couple dives, THEN determine what you want, and find a shop that will sell it to you, or get your shop to order it. NEVER have anything to do with a salesman who tries to tell you that you really want what he has, rather than trying to get you what you want.

 

[redrover]

So i've only done 10 dives mostly nor cal. I'm saving up some money to buy gear, i have some questions. I've noticed most people on here say they hate the jacket style bc's. Why is this? i would like to get a back inflate bc but if i buy it from my local dive shop they will give me a good deal if i buy reg, computer and bc. But they don't sell back inflate. So does anyone enjoy diving back inflate bc's? and would this be a good choice for me? i'll prob do most diving in california with occasional trips to hawaii or carribean, and i'm not planning on doing any tech diving. Any advice or oppionions greatly appreciated. Thanks, james

No, most people do not dislike a jacket BC, they just aren’t as vocal about it. Each style has good points and those less desirable. It is a matter of personal choice.

Yes to a back inflate.

 

[Mr Carcharodon]

I've heard a lot of good things about the zeagle ranger. I would like to try it out before i buy it though. .

I had a Ranger prior to a BP/W and would not consider going back. And I am far from being alone.

You will find that the Ranger will require about 3 pounds more weight than a BP/W to offset the buoyancy of all the padding. That means you have to add about an extra liter of air to the bladder that will expand and contract as you move in the water column making you relatively unstable. Also the Ranger while adjustable went out of adjustment fairly often. I would frequently feel the tank shifting around with the Ranger. With the BP/W once you get the adjustment right it is locked in for good. I think Zeagle makes a good durable product. But a Ranger will typically be more expensive than a BP/W, maybe not by much, but why go with a product that is dynamically and statically less stable and pay extra for it? OMS, Halcyon, Oxycheq and Deep Sea Supply all make excellent products. I like the latter two, but there is an element of personnel preference that you will have to address for yourself. Taking the products that are immediately available to you will not be the best long term choice. Especially for a diver in NorCal with the exposure protection you will need a BP/W with a steel plate is the way to go. Oh and also the BP/W puts weight in the right place to trim you out in the water. Getting good trim in a conventional BC is not impossible, but it will be harder. But again why bother when there is a better alternative.

 

[Nismo]

I disagree, I feel the Ranger is a great BC. Compared to the rentals I've used it felt very secure with no shifting of any kind. It always felt stable and secured. Took it on a trip this past fall and did not need any more weight than what I used previously with rentals.

If you decide to get a Ranger, I recommend trying it on with different sizes swapped in and out. The cumberband and shoulder harness are two pieces allowing you to have two different sizes for a better fit. I'd try different combinations instead of trying a medium then large. That way you can see how it feels with the two different sizes connected together.