Newbie looking for a good BC for cold water diving

[rfrench]

Hi Gang,
I'm a new diver who primarily dives in the (chilly) Pacific Northwest. I'm looking to purchase my first BC and I'm not sure what to get. Is the integrated weights worth the extra $$? What features should I be looking for? Any models you might suggest? I don't have a fortune to spend.... Thanks for the help!

 

[cool_hardware52]

Hi Gang,
I'm a new diver who primarily dives in the (chilly) Pacific Northwest. I'm looking to purchase my first BC and I'm not sure what to get. Is the integrated weights worth the extra $$? What features should I be looking for? Any models you might suggest? I don't have a fortune to spend.... Thanks for the help!

r,

Consider a Back Plate and Wing. In the interest full disclosure I design and manufacture BP&W's.

Advantages of a BP&W, in no particular order:

Modular, allows you to select the plate and wing you need for you specific application, and by changing wings this "BC" can grow with you as your diving needs change.

Infinitely adjustable.

Streamlined.

No inherent buoyancy, no pads or other foam elements that require extra lead to sink.

Built in ballast, positioned over you lungs, the "plate" portion of a BP&W puts about 6 lbs up over your buoyant lungs.

Good resale value.

Complete BP&W's can be purchased new from about $450 and up.


The PNW is backplate country.

Any questions? Let me know.

Tobin

 

[TSandM]

If you come up to the Seattle area, you're going to see a lot of BP/W setups, for the reasons Tobin enumerates.

The biggest one is that cold water diving involves a LOT of ballast. Traditional BCs, whether back-inflate or jacket, have intrinsic buoyancy that you have to carry weight to sink -- so 2 to3 lbs of the lead you have to haul around is just to sink your gear! A backplate gets rid of that, as well as incorporating five or more pounds of ballast into your BC, and distributing it over your back, so you find it easier to get horizontal. Tobin's setups also offer you the option of buying weight plates that bolt onto the backplate, allowing you to incorporate up to 13 lbs of ballast into the rig. (Most of us will still need more weight than that, which can be put on a belt, or a DUI-type weight harness, and will be ditchable, in case you're worrying about that.)

The disadvantage of the BP/W setup is the lack of pockets, but you can either put pockets on your drysuit (as many of us do) or, if you are diving wet, you can use X-shorts, which are neoprene shorts with pockets pre-sewn onto them. (You can use X-shorts over a drysuit, too.)

Anyway, it seems to me to make a lot of sense not to buy a BC that you have to wear extra weight to sink.

 

[fnfalman]

The beauty of backplate/wing is that it will fit your body regardless of size or shape. Men, women, kids, young, old, fat, skinny, et al. And the freedom of movement is awesome. I hate the constraints of the jacket BC.

As far as pockets go, you can get a small cargo pocket and put on your waist belt. I have a small one on the belt that I keep my folding knife in for just in case I need a different sort of cutting power than my shears and for picking up knick knacks like shells and such.

 

[Colliam7]

I'm a new diver who primarily dives in the (chilly) Pacific Northwest. I'm looking to purchase my first BC and I'm not sure what to get.

I strongly endorse the recommendations made by Tobin and Lynne. Consider a (SS) BP. You are diving colder water, and will be wearing thicker neoprene, and possibly a drysuit in the future if you continue to enjoy diving. Traditional BCDs, whether jacket or back-inflate, are associated with a lot of (unecessary) ballast, which adds to what will already be a not insignificant weight burden. I started with a (weight-integrated) Ranger - great BC but too positive. Trying to dive cold water with thick neoprene or a drysuit (winter quarry diving) was a challenge, and I lost some of my enthusiasm for diving simply because it was such a PITA. There was no way to carry all the lead I needed in the integrated weight pockets so I ended up with a belt anyway. Moving to a BP was the best thing I ever did.

 

[rstofer]

Integrated weights are evil! Well, in my opinion...

Many of the BCs with integrated weights use some form of velcro to hold them in place. This isn't a reliable long term approach. Worse, they dump out the front of the BC - perfect when you are swimming face down. Which you do a lot while diving. Losing the integrated weights is a SERIOUS problem in cold water.

Then there is the problem of the BC weight (lifting it) when you have the weight pockets installed. Consider a 35# tank, 26# of lead and a couple of # for the regulator. That's 63# to lift. Sure, you can put the weight pockets in later. A bigger problem is whether the BC can float that much weight without the diver's wetsuit providing buoyancy.

The weight harness is a better place for the weight. If you do buy a BC with weight integration (as opposed to a BP/W), consider putting the majority of the weight in the harness and some in the BC. For 26#, I might put 16# in the harness and 10# in the BC. That way I can float on the surface wearing the harness without a BC and the BC can float without me and my wetsuit. You may have to jiggle the numbers a bit.

If you buy a BP/W, you will usually buy a stainless steel plate for cold water diving. That will add 6# to the rig and remove 6# from the harness. Now your harness might be 20# maybe even less depending on the wetsuit and tank.

A harness is a comfortable way to wear the weights - particularly if you have no hips. There's a reason I know this...

FWIW, I bought two of Tobin's Deep Sea Supply BP/W's. Sure, I like them!

Richard

 

[DUTS51]

Hi Gang,
I'm a new diver who primarily dives in the (chilly) Pacific Northwest. I'm looking to purchase my first BC and I'm not sure what to get. Is the integrated weights worth the extra $$? What features should I be looking for? Any models you might suggest? I don't have a fortune to spend.... Thanks for the help!

I have two BCD's that only need a qualified diver to use them.Are you wanting a full float or a rear float package.Both of these are intergrated.

 

[DUTS51]

My Son and Daughter both live in the Tri-Cities.Hey Neighbor