Travel BC owners, why?

[boulderjohn]

Actually no.
STA’s came about because those doubles style were originally set up for doubles exclusively.

I know. My tongue was firmly in my cheek when I wrote that.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I know. My tongue was firmly in my cheek when I wrote that.

Ok, well then for the benefit of others reading.
You know how it is around here.

 

[OctopusSneakers]

I would guess a large # of people with travel BC's have that as there only BC rather than one of 2+. In that context you get a BC that fits the diving you do, which means that if all (or the vast majority) of your diving is warm water that you have to travel for, the lightweight compact nature of a travel BC is appealing.

 

[boulderjohn]

That's why STAs were invented.

Actually no.
STA’s came about because those doubles style were originally set up for doubles exclusivel

I know. My tongue was firmly in my cheek when I wrote that.

Although my original comment was indeed tongue in cheek, like most tongue in cheek comments, it made a serious point. If you sometimes use doubles and sometimes use singles, the Single Tank Adaptor (STA) makes life so much easier for you--you can go from one to the other in minutes. That is, indeed why they were created.

On the other hand, they make switching backplates from one wing to another extremely easy--no rethreading to be done (assuming you have cam bands on your STA).

In my case, none of my singles wings line up with my backplate slots anyway, so I have no choice.

 

[boulderjohn]

I would guess a large # of people with travel BC's have that as there only BC rather than one of 2+. In that context you get a BC that fits the diving you do, which means that if all (or the vast majority) of your diving is warm water that you have to travel for, the lightweight compact nature of a travel BC is appealing.

Very much so.

A couple years ago I was diving for two weeks in Roatan with two friends, and I foolishly left my STA behind, so I could not use my BPW. (If you find the thread on this in the Roatan forum, you will see the Herculean measures I used to try to get a replacement STA or a replacement BPW on that island--they apparently do not exist there.) I had no choice but to rent BCDs, first at CocoView and then on the Aggressor. Each one carried a different brand of the standard enormous jacket-style BCD that apparently makes up the bulk of the retail market these days.

I felt like I was swimming with an inner tube around my waist. I had to use 6-8 more pounds of lead than normal because of the increased buoyancy of all that bulk. As we dived, I frequently looked with envy at my two streamlined friends, with their barely-filled wings peaking out from the sides of their backplates.

I would agree that someone who owns one of those huge BCDs and then buys a smaller one for travel might well use it and think, "You know, I really don't need all that."

 

[Nemrod]

I would do a picture but it would not do justice. As small and sleek as is my Oxy Mach V 18 on a Oxy soft plate the VDH 18 wing is even smaller on yet another Oxy soft plate. It is freaking tiny. This is mostly thanks to the internal perimeter bungee that shrinks it up and yet allows it to expand to a full 18 pounds of lift. And it is just so light and packable. It is Hog rigged save for being weight integrated using various XS weight pockets on medium stiff one piece webbing for easy in and out. I will probably spring for a set of the DiveRite pockets as soon as I can find $75 I have not already spent on other dive gear .

Just now a week and three days ago I was diving in Cozumel, water temperature was 86F. I wore neoprene shorts over swimsuit and a rash guard. Once I wore my long sleeve shorty but it was just too much for the temperature and I found myself unzipping it in the water to cool off. I was diving 8 pounds of lead, two in each cam band slot, two in each of the dump pockets on the waist strap. With the shorty I need to go 3/3/2/2. And I would not want a metal doubles plate rubbing on my back, the Oxy soft plate is comfortable, light and more than adequate for this type of diving.

It is a shame the VDH wings are unfortunately gone forever, they are great pieces of kit. They were all pretty unique designs, 18/23/30. I have the 23 also, smaller even than my Oxy 18, on a VDH metal plate which I use for solo single tank diving because it supports a slung auxiliary bottle better than a soft plate though they can also without much fuss.

 

[OctopusSneakers]

Very much so.

A couple years ago I was diving for two weeks in Roatan with two friends, and I foolishly left my STA behind, so I could not use my BPW. (If you find the thread on this in the Roatan forum, you will see the Herculean measures I used to try to get a replacement STA or a replacement BPW on that island--they apparently do not exist there.) I had no choice but to rent BCDs, first at CocoView and then on the Aggressor. Each one caried a different brand of the standard enormous jacket-style BCD that apparently makes up the bulk of the retail market these days.

I felt like I was swimming with an inner tube around my waist. I had to use 6-8 more pounds of lead than normal because of the increased buoyancy of all that bulk. As we dived, I frequently looked with envy at my two streamlined friends, with their barely-filled wings peaking out from the sides of their backplates.

I would agree that someone who owns one of those huge BCDs and then buys a smaller one for travel might well use it and think, "You know, I really don't need all that."

I'm thinking of this even as the first one to ever buy vs your scenario. If I'm looking to buy my gear for the first time, and I know I'm only going to dive warm water and will need to travel for that, things that are marketed as travel friendly (and are lighter/less bulky) are going to be appealing.

 

[mcohen1021]

I had to get a new BC after I dropped 34# in 2017, went back to a medium from a large. Plus, after 10 yeqars of trying to like it, I couldn't stand the back inflate BC I had. I only pleasure dive on vacation, and I went back to a jacket style and bought a Cressi travel BC. A few weeks ago, I bought a Cressi MC9 Pro reg.

Now, I have my old 34 yr old Conshelf SE2 reg (repaired w new LP hose and 7/8" to 3/8" adapter) and US Divers BC stored and ready for doing that 1-2x a year local work dive at the ski lake when they need anchor / slalom course work done.

So I guess for me, I like having a nice set of gear that's not meant for getting ruined while I dig around in the muck at the lake.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Although my original comment was indeed tongue in cheek, like most tongue in cheek comments, it made a serious point. If you sometimes use doubles and sometimes use singles, the Single Tank Adaptor (STA) makes life so much easier for you--you can go from one to the other in minutes. That is, indeed why they were created.

On the other hand, they make switching backplates from one wing to another extremely easy--no rethreading to be done (assuming you have cam bands on your STA).

In my case, none of my singles wings line up with my backplate slots anyway, so I have no choice.

They also move the tank further away from your back, and they’re another part or component to have to deal with that begins to move the system away from it’s original intention if being dirt simple with very few or no attached parts. STA’s also require hardware that can be lost or it can foul (galled up threads, etc.)
So there are plenty of reasons why people don’t like them including me.
In some ways this is where conventional poodle jackets win because you simply strap on the tank, pull a few straps to set your adjustment, and go diving. But then you are stuck with whatever the manufacturer thinks you need and where it is placed and the massive bulk.
I think STA-less BP/W systems are really the best way to go.

 

[Lorenzoid]

I have no idea why a "travel BC." On a boat in the Caribbean a few months ago a fellow diver pointed to my steel backplate rig and said, "nice travel BC!" A steel backplate provides an ideal ballast boost for my 3 mm wetsuit with an Al 80. Carrying four more pounds of lead on me would be less ideal, but that four pounds from the steel plate makes little difference in staying under the 50 lb. checked bag threshold on a trip where all I need besides the dive gear are a few t-shirts and shorts. Now, if I were doing long-term travel where I needed to bring gear for a variety of topside activities or weather conditions, I could see wanting to save that four pounds. If I were hopping around Asia for six months or something like that, maybe a "travel BC" would be useful. Then again, I could just rent a BC.