Newbie...what kind of BC to learn on?

[Trianii]

I am signing up for my OW class very soon. Should I get a BC vest or should I learn on a BP/W? Obviously I can go with rental gear, but what is the best way to learn?

 

[ZzzKing]

You should rent gear for awhile until you figure out what you like best. Try different configurations and see what fits and works best for you. Don't let anyone sell you $2000 worth of stuff you may never need again.

 

[GA Under Water]

What King said, Rent Rent Rent, it is all about what works for you. Not what someone can sell you.

E.G. my LDS told me that their favorite BC of all time was the "Brand new, TOP OF THE LINE, Mares Dragon. Well, I tried it, and didn't enjoy the dive as well as I do with other BCs.

Some LDS will even let you use different Fins while in Confined water to check them out. Let them know that you are searching for the Right for you items and would like to test things out before you buy. My LDS was all for it.

 

[rongoodman]

The last time I wore a BC was in my OW class. Starting off with my Eclipse has worked for me. I have yet to hear a compelling reason to choose a traditional BC over a BP/W.

 

[Scuba-Jay]

my opinion.....stick with a jacket style BC unless you plan on getting into tech diving, in which case it might save you some time and money to just buy a bp/w. If you just plan on recreational diving Id stick with the jacket style...


J

 

[morayp]

I bought a BC very similar to the one I trained with. It was high quality and I was familiar with it. Bottom line, don't buy it til you've tried it. A jacket style is the best for most divers, I think. Good luck.

 

[dschulte]

I learned on a rental BC and weight belt; this get you the basics so you can dive anywhere anytime regardless if you have your gear with you or not (think island vacation traveling light). I started out with a vest style and then moved to a back inflate, wing style, which I prefer. Try some out, is the best suggestion. One other suggestion is to first focus on investing in your regulator/computer before putting $ out for a BC. The regulator system is something you can easily take with you and is your life underwater; a BC is just for buoyancy control and you will get proficient enough to use any BC you take off the shelf.
:monkeydan

 

[scarefaceDM]

rental BC...there is too much to learn in the OW course...get that done..then consider gear..

for now. Use the rental gear.

Aside from your own mask snorkel( eek )..and fins plus maybe a wetsuit and booties, hood....use what they have.

 

[Mafor]

You should rent. Then after a few times in the water, decide what you want and what are your needs to continue diving. Don't rush the purchasing of equipment...

my 2 cents

 

[nolatom]

Any BC will work. All you want to do in OW is learn the princlples of when to inflate, when to dump, and when to stand pat. Any BC will serve for this purpose. Later on, you can judge whether, and when, you want to convert to Backplate and wings. Some do it from the get-go. Some never do.