OW Training with Backplate/Wing

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I teach all my students in bp/w and primary donate unless they bring their own gear. They do not struggle with skills or have any difficulty getting weighted correctly compared to traditional bc’s. I teach through RAID and a tec foundation is encouraged. UTD and GUE are other good organizations for the same reasons. @Jim Lapenta is PA, not sure what his schedule is like but he may be a close option. If you make it to western ohio id be happy to get you squared away :)
 
You all provided a lot of information. I found a dive shop close to the other one that was WAY more receptive and open about teaching any I wanted to learn! I will be doing a 5 day OW with NiTrox certification training in 3 weeks. The 5 day will be one-on-one and I’m good with that!

Thank you for all of your valued opinions!
 
A BPW is no more "tech" equipment than an SPG is. Is it a vastly superior BCD, yes. Is it "tech", no.
But that belief is common, and it is especially common among dive shop employees who don't know any better and steer all their customers to jacket BCDs.
 
But that belief is common, and it is especially common among dive shop employees who don't know any better and steer all their customers to jacket BCDs.
All though it is common, it doesn't make it true. Wearing a BPW no more makes you a "tech" diver than driving a car to work makes you a "race car" driver.
 
All though it is common, it doesn't make it true. Wearing a BPW no more makes you a "tech" diver than driving a car to work makes you a "race car" driver.
I was very much agreeing with you. It is definitely not true.

Sadly, in both dive shops for which I worked, absolutely no one working the retail floor had any experience or knowledge in this area, and they all saw BP/Ws as tech equipment that was not suitable for recreational divers. The second shop would not even have any such equipment in the shop, ready for sale, even though they were offering tech instruction (through me). If one of my students wanted to get a BP/W, they would have to order it, and those orders took forever to be filled. Students learned to order through online shops so they could get it in a couple of days. Then the shop was mad, telling me that all my students were buying their gear online instead of through the shop.
 
in both dive shops for which I worked, absolutely no one working the retail floor had any experience or knowledge in this area, and they all saw BP/Ws as tech equipment that was not suitable for recreational divers.
The Freedom plate can serve as a clear visual example of BP/W being recreational. It is a backplate, it does not look tech, and doesn't support doubles. A very clear case that PB/W does not imply tech.

It's unlikely to change the larger world, but pictures or examples of it could help in discussions with shop personal, for those who know about it.


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Freedom Plate Divers Roll Call: show us your rig!
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A hot pink setup, though the wing name is not helping the non-tech argument. #3
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I was very much agreeing with you. It is definitely not true.

Sadly, in both dive shops for which I worked, absolutely no one working the retail floor had any experience or knowledge in this area, and they all saw BP/Ws as tech equipment that was not suitable for recreational divers. The second shop would not even have any such equipment in the shop, ready for sale, even though they were offering tech instruction (through me). If one of my students wanted to get a BP/W, they would have to order it, and those orders took forever to be filled. Students learned to order through online shops so they could get it in a couple of days. Then the shop was mad, telling me that all my students were buying their gear online instead of through the shop.
if the profit margins of BP/W were higher and they needed to be replaced more often jacket style BCDs, those shop monkeys would be well informed about BP/Ws.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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