Hi I am new to the technical diving world and would like to purchase my own bcd. Any advise out there to help me in making this decision. I believe with proper care a bcd can and should last for years thus I am asking for advises I am looking to technical bcds. Do let me know your two cents worth. Thanks!
I speak with many new divers or divers making the move to technical diving every week. All too often they have been sold a "Technical" BC that is unsuited to the task. Huge lift, festooned with drings with "extreme" or similar in the name. While no doubt one could use one of these to conduct a technical dive a BP&W is a much better solution.
The modular nature of a BP&W allows the BC to be much better matched to a given application.
The height of the diver determines the size of the back plate.
The "ballast budget" determines if the ballast offered by a Stainless Steel plate is useful, or if a much less negative Aluminum or Kydex Plate is a better choice.
The buoyancy of the divers exposure suit and (for doubles) the weight of back gas determines the required lift capacity.
Keep in mind that technical diving is gear intensive. It's quite common for active tech divers to end up with more than one plate and several wings if they dive across a range of conditions.
A common mistake I see new tech divers make is to try and buy the "ultimate" setup, i.e. huge tanks, thick under garments and very high lift wing, figuring they won't ever have to buy anything again.
Then they have very burdensome gear for the numerous shallow skills dives they will be making while they learn their new skills.
To make a recommendation I need:
Height and weight
Exposure suit buoyancy
Cylinders to be used.
I might need a couple other details to refine the recommendation but those are the three main items.
Tobin
tobin@deepseasupply.com
