I recently got a dive rite classic bcd. It had the dual tank setup but I am putting the a single tank adapter on it. Does it matter if the BCD has more lift than you need? I think this BCD is rated for 50 lbs of lift. Will it still work okay if I only need say 30 lbs of lift? Also, how come the Tech inflator hoses are so big compared to other rec bcd's?
Tech Diving BCD questions
- Thread starter Seville
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It’ll be baggy, so not as streamlined. May be harder to trim as air moves around in it.
Nobody uses a BCD for doubles, almost everyone uses a backplate and wing. (I know this as I fell for the marketing nonsense for the Apeks Blackwotsit BCD — it doesn’t work for doubles)
For your first BCD, get something second hand and use it until you're feeling more comfortable diving. Then make your own decisions about your future diving once you have a little experience.
For "technical diving", it's pretty much always a backplate with wing. You really need two wings: a 30 lb one for a single tank which will be narrower and a 40 lb wider one for doubles. You'd use the same backplate and harness for both. Wings are preferred over BCDs as they have optimal shape with the buoyancy around the tank(s). The inflator hoses will be simple and there'll be a single dump on the left-hand hip.
BCDs are used for "recreational diving" as they have multiple uses; one thing to do buoyancy, hold the tank, weights, pockets and clips all over them. They're compromised because of this.
The "complicated" inflator sounds like some gimmicky alternative air source. These are not good; you should have a normal octopus.
Nobody uses a BCD for doubles, almost everyone uses a backplate and wing. (I know this as I fell for the marketing nonsense for the Apeks Blackwotsit BCD — it doesn’t work for doubles)
For your first BCD, get something second hand and use it until you're feeling more comfortable diving. Then make your own decisions about your future diving once you have a little experience.
For "technical diving", it's pretty much always a backplate with wing. You really need two wings: a 30 lb one for a single tank which will be narrower and a 40 lb wider one for doubles. You'd use the same backplate and harness for both. Wings are preferred over BCDs as they have optimal shape with the buoyancy around the tank(s). The inflator hoses will be simple and there'll be a single dump on the left-hand hip.
BCDs are used for "recreational diving" as they have multiple uses; one thing to do buoyancy, hold the tank, weights, pockets and clips all over them. They're compromised because of this.
The "complicated" inflator sounds like some gimmicky alternative air source. These are not good; you should have a normal octopus.
Looking at an image of the Classic, it may do the taco thing around your single tank.
As for lift, a bit more doesn't hurt unless it's trapped in one half of the wing. The taco effect possibly wouldn't help in that situation.
As for lift, a bit more doesn't hurt unless it's trapped in one half of the wing. The taco effect possibly wouldn't help in that situation.
As far as I know, Dive Rite doesn’t make a “BCD”, they have harnesses and wings. For harness it will be either Transpac (soft plate) or Transplate (hard steel or aluminum) plate. They also sell just the harness.
Classic refers to a particular wing, if it is indeed the classic and not classic XT, it is a horseshoe design with 55lb of lift. I would not recommend this wing for a single tank - others mentioned the taco effect trapping air which will be amplified by the horseshoe design (meaning there is no air channel on the bottom of the wing).
If you like the setup concept and want to dive a single tank with it, change the wing for a reasonable lift and shape. I used Dive Rite 25 lb for warm water and 35 for cold water. You can keep the classic wing for a day you might consider using doubles, nothing wrong with this wing for that use.
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you REALLY shouldn't be using a classic wing with singles. The Classic was the first wing made specifically for doubles, and most specifically for double LP104's which are 8" in diameter and very heavy. You are setting yourself up for all sorts of problems if you try to use that wing with a single tank. "Can you", obviously you can do whatever you want, but the wing is going to be above the tank and you will struggle to get it to dump properly and you'll have trapped air problems. It's not safe or smart.
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Agreed....
@Seville
Just wondering your thinking behind getting this large of a wing. Good deal used?
You would be much better off with this one - 35lbs lift.
Dive Rite Voyager XT Armored Wing
Just wondering your thinking behind getting this large of a wing. Good deal used?
You would be much better off with this one - 35lbs lift.
Dive Rite Voyager XT Armored Wing
And just to add on to what @tbone1004 said, it will also suck the fun out of your dives. Trying to manage buoyancy with a taco shaped, oversize wing is really irritating.
I don't think OMS makes wings with bungee cords, but beware of those as well - bungeed wings are no solution either. They can trap air in your wing, and are an entanglement hazard.
Thanks for all the info! I picked up a dive rite classic with a Ss back plate for &100. It had the back pad, weight pockets, I just had to buy about $130 of things like new webbing and shoulder pads. For a single tank would you recommend getting a horseshoe or donut? Why do tech wings not have as many dump valves than normal rec BCD’s?
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