Newly Certified Diver - Back Inflated BCD or Wing?

[nicpub]

Just got my open water certification and loving it, looking forward to buying my first setup.

I'm undecided on whether to go for a back-inflated BCD or a wing.
I'd like to get something that I can use over the years, but not sure how my diving will progress. I think I'll progress to dry suit diving and perhaps wreck diving. Interested in side-mounts but never tried

For the next year or so I plan to dive 50/50 locally (10C) and by air travel (warm water), so both volume and weight are really important.


What attracts me about wings is the modularity - e.g. if I wanted more lift I could just replace the wing and keep the backplate/harness. (Can I switch between back and side mount by changing only the bladder? How "modular" are wings?)

Wings also seem to be lighter and easier to fold and pack. E.g. the back-inflated BCD Hydros Pro is about 5 KG and looks like it would take half of my hand luggage by itself.

I'd be inclined to go for wings but are they suitable for a beginner diver? Are they really upgradable/future proof?

What are good options for lightweight wings? Local shops here don't have many options for wings, what online stores have a good return policy?
I'm based in US.

Money isn't a huge concern but I'd rather not spend unnecessarily or buy things twice

 

[FishWatcher747]

Well for half the price of a hydros pro you could get a nice stainless steel backplate and wing. Throw in an aluminum plate for $100 for flying to warm water destinations.

 

[Marie13]

I got certified in a BP/W. Get what you want. Don’t let being a new diver interfere with that.

 

[Centrals]

DGX Custom - DGX Gears Singles Harness / Backplate / Wing Package

Take it from there.

You can always use the harness, plate and wing with most other brands in the future.

Versatile!

 

[FishWatcher747]

There are so many variables in buying a backplate and wing. So many makers. It is intimidating to think of assembling it yourself. Get what you want but if you want to educate yourself on how easy it is to go this route look at the HOG system. The link below has a bunch of videos about the components and setting it up. Yes you do need to do a little homework if you want to get a BPW. The education you get watching the HOG videos will help you know how to set up any BPW. That's what I got with the 32 pound wing but I could have gotten another brand and been equally happy.

HOG Total Buoyancy Control System Package

As I said half the price of the Hydros Pro.

 

[formernuke]

I think I'll progress to dry suit diving

Backplate wing with stainless plate.

 

[Centrals]

Educate yourself first on BP/W.
Some brand will require a single tank adapter(STA) while others don't.
Quick release harness.
Padding.
Aluminium and SS plate are the most common but there is "skeleton plate" specially for travelling.
Buoyancy of a single wing to choose from 10 - 20kg.
......

Quite a lot to learn. Take your time.

 

[Gone for diving]

For me.
Wish I got a Back plate right away.... just fits nice and so many options...

want a light weight rig...
get a simple side mount for traveling...

 

[rmssetc]

I'm feeling contrary today (what's new?), so here's a semi-contrary opinion.

Just got my open water certification and loving it, looking forward to buying my first setup.

I'm undecided on whether to go for a back-inflated BCD or a wing.
I'd like to get something that I can use over the years, but not sure how my diving will progress. I think I'll progress to dry suit diving and perhaps wreck diving. Interested in side-mounts but never tried

For the next year or so I plan to dive 50/50 locally (10C) and by air travel (warm water), so both volume and weight are really important.


What attracts me about wings is the modularity - e.g. if I wanted more lift I could just replace the wing and keep the backplate/harness. (Can I switch between back and side mount by changing only the bladder? How "modular" are wings?)

I don't own a wing and don't dive in cold water, so I'm certainly not the best person to speak up here, but that's never stopped me before.

From what I understand, sure, you can adjust the straps on a BP/W to accomodate a heavier wetsuit or drysuit, change the wing to provide more lift, remove the plate for travel, etc., etc.

As a new diver, that's adding a lot of variables that affect lift, trim, comfort, etc. How much time do you want to be spending getting the gear dialed in each time you reconfigure it from warm to cold? Your first dive on a vacation, when all the gear feels "weird", or will you be adjusting straps and tank placement over the next 3 or 4 dives everytime you reconfigure the rig?

I'm not saying it can't be done, or that it's too much to start with, but is that a complication to add right now?

Wings also seem to be lighter and easier to fold and pack. E.g. the back-inflated BCD Hydros Pro is about 5 KG and looks like it would take half of my hand luggage by itself.

It's not hard to find a compact back-inflate BCD. I've got an older Edge (HOG) BCD -- it's about 2.2KG and packs up quite small -- I've taken it in carryon luggage. If I was replacing it today, I might look at the Aqualung Zuma (2.2KG, rolls to pack small), Zeagle Wicked Lite or Covert (under 2KG), SEAC Modular, which is really a BP/W sold pre-assembled (at a premium)...3KG, or (if the sizing was right), the SEAC Mito BCDs on crazy closeout pricing from piranhadivemfg.com ($165). That's based on 15 minutes with my friend Google, not doing real research on currently available products, but it illustrates that these aren't that hard to find.

Why did I get that instead of a BP/W? I knew I'd only be doing warm water diving and don't need much weight or the lift from a larger BCD or wing and I could use "off-the-rack" sizing, without the adjustability of a wing. I wanted integrated weights and a couple of unobtrusive pockets for flashlight, wetnotes, picking up trash, etc. I considered a BP/W, but it looked like there wouldn't be big benefit once I added weight and convenience pockets.

Money isn't a huge concern but I'd rather not spend unnecessarily or buy things twice

I'd say prepare to buy some things twice, based on the combination of just starting plus aspiring to diving in two different environments with considerably different equipment needs.

Really, anything will work -- get something comfortable (and that may take a few purchases).

 

[Blackcrusader]

I've used BPW but I prefer my Scuba Pro Black BCD. I'm a large chap and actually like being cocooned in my BCD.

I carry a lot of gear on dive vacations and bringing the BCD doesn't make any difference overall. The airlines I fly will let you add another 20kg baggage for around US$10 or less if you pay that when buying your ticket.