Types of BC's

[AaronB]

Hi All

Quick question to everyone, What different types of BC are they - i know about the standard jacket style and wings but thats about it.

Also what are the Pro's and Con's of each individual style? And what kind of thing do you personally think is the most important thing to look for when buying a BCD.

All opinions welcome

Thanks in advance.

 

[DevonDiver]

:banana: Oh yeah! Bring it on! :banana:


Here are the basic variants of Buoyancy Device...

1. Jacket-Type BCD (aka the 'Poodle Jacket').

This consists of some form of backplate (plastic, foam and occasionally metal) which is in-built into an encompassing jacket, in which the air bladder runs up the back, across the shoulders and around the side/ribs. It is what 99% of divers learn to dive in and remains popular because of that.

Pros: Cheap (some options, others aren't), what you probably trained in, adjustable harness, built-in pockets and attachment points.

Cons: Needs to be sized correctly or it will be floppy to wear. Often over-complicated. Higher profile/less streamlined. Higher risk of entanglements.

2. Backplate and Wing (aka 'BP/W')

Modular design. Suitable for singles and doubles diving (dependant on wing type). The primary choice of technical or overhead environment divers. This consists of:

A. Backplate - Metal (steel or ali) or soft backplate which forms the core of the set-up and accounts for some of the divers weighing.

B. Harness- KISS or HOG single piece, or more complicated 'comfort' versions.

C. Wing - A rear mounted air bladder of variable sizes (according to the diver's needs). It can be donut or horsehoe shaped and may be held compressed with bungee cords.

D. Cylinder Attachment - For single cylinders there are Single Tank Adaptors (STA) and cambands. For doubles, it will be bolted directly to steel bands holding the tanks.

PROS: 100% customizable for individual divers. Able to achieve a very minimalist (Hogarthian) configuration. Interchangable. Upgradable. Low profile - easily transported/stored flat and very good for penetration diving where restrictions may be encountered. Solid rig, capable of supporting heavy double tanks and multiple decompression cylinders. Ability to more easily achieve excellent trim underwater. Removes weight from the divers' belt.

CONS: Requires diver adaptation/education when transitioning from a 'poodle jacket'.

3. Rear Inflation BCD (aka 'Jacket-Wing Hybrid')
Essentially a jacket style bcd that uses a rear buoyancy cell akin to those used on BP/W configurations. Some models are modular, but most are one-piece like a normal jacket BCD. Basically, IMHO, a half-bred compromise that promises - but does not deliver - the benefits of a BP/W, whilst still offering many of the limitations of the 'poodle jacket'. Can offer better in-water trim than a 'poodle jacket' though.

PROS: May offer better trim options than a regular 'poodle jacket'. Rear buoyancy cell does not 'squash' diver when inflated and can allow higher capacity bouyancy/lift cells.

CONS: Needs to be sized correctly or it will be floppy to wear. Often over-complicated. Higher profile/less streamlined. Higher risk of entanglements.

4. Sidemount
Modular design. Suitable only for doubles diving. An increasingly popular choice for overhead environment divers who may encounter severe restrictions and limited space. This consists of:

A. Backplate - Metal (steel or ali) but more commonly a dedicated soft backplate which forms the core of the set-up and accounts for some of the divers weighing.

B. Harness- KISS or HOG single piece, or more complicated 'comfort' versions.

C. Wing - A rear mounted air bladder of variable sizes (according to the diver's needs). It can be donut or horsehoe shaped and may be held compressed with bungee cords.

D. Cylinder Attachment -cylinders are attached in a side position, under the arms, to fixings on the chest and hips.

PROS: Excellent for penetration diving where extreme restrictions may be encountered. Solid rig, capable of supporting heavy double tanks.

CONS: Requires specific training before use.

5. Horsecollar

Fairly antiquated design, with lightweight backplate (often plastic) and buoyancy cell/bladder that runs behind neck and down either side of the chest (more akin to a life-jacket). Still used by some Public Safety Divers.

PROS: lightweight, good surface support.

CONS: No pockets, more difficult to achieve good trim underwater.

6. Harness Only

The old-fashioned way to dive. Just a basic harness and plastic/metal backplate to which the cylinder attaches. No buoyancy cell.

PROS: Exceptionally minimalist

CONS: No surface support/positive buoyancy. No ability to adjust bouyancy underwater.

 

[DevonDiver]

And what kind of thing do you personally think is the most important thing to look for when buying a BCD.

1. Safety - Surface support, puncture resistance, low entanglement potential, low task loading.

2. Minimalist - Low-profile, streamlined, low task loading.

3. In-water performance - trim, buoyancy, security.

4. Adaptable - able to be altered for differing diving circumstances.

5. Adjustable - Perfect fit can be achieved, regardless of exposure protection worn.

6. Ruggedness - Tough, simple design. Easily replaced individual components.

 

[AaronB]

Wow that's a lot to take in at once thanks, just let me read it another 2 or 3 times

That really helped in letting me know what kind of BCD they are out their, and their is a lot more than i thought that they would be! I just need to read up a bit more

When picking a BCD what kind of things do you look out for; Fit, attachment points? or is that dependent on your type of diving?

 

[DevonDiver]

Sorry if this sounds like a sales pitch...it isn't. Just my current opinion on why I chose my current BCD style...

Well, my choice of BCD has evolved over the years I have been diving. I have used jacket BCDs, then Rear-Inflate BCDs...and finally settled with a BP/W. It was a natural progression, as I was constantly seeking better and better options...and taking advice from the technical diving community, which I consider to be an excellent 'proving ground' for scuba equipment and techniques (in the same way that NASA benefits the aviation industry, or F1 racing benefits the car industry).

I first used BP/W to dive with double cylinders for decompression diving...and really enjoyed the benefits that the system gave me. It seemed natural to adopt the same configuration for diving with single cylinders. In both instances, the way I set up the BP/W is identical...and suitable for any type of diving that I do (tropical, coldwater, wreck penetration, reef photography, recreational scuba instruction).

1. Fit. My BP/W is infinitely adjustable. Far more so that 'sized' jacket or rear-inflate BCDS (S, M, L XL etc). The HOG harness is set-up to fit me to perfection. It doesn't 'flop around' like a jacket bcd does.

2. Attachment Points. I have 4 d-rings (and 2 scooter rings front/back). On both shoulders and both hips. This covers every eventuality. More attachment points are superfluous.

3. Storage. Everything I need to dive, teach..for any dive, has a dedicated position on the BP/W and is streamlined and with minimal chance of entanglement. Too much stuff clipped on you causes bad task loading, and contributes to stress.


4. Size/shape. My BP/W offers a very small profile in the water. This helps with streamlining/water resistance, but most importantly for me, allows me to conduct safer dives in tight overhead environments.

5. Bouyancy/trim. The combination of metal backplate (spreading weight over the center of gravity) and wing shape (spreading bouyancy over the center of gravity in relation to the weight of the backplate) enables me to easily achieve excellent horizontal trim, when compared with jacket type bcds.


People will accuse me of being very biased towards the BP/W...and I admit that. I was a fan on my jacket BCD..until, after several hundred dives, I discovered the benefits of a Rear-Inflate BCD...and I was a fan of that until, another few hundred dives later, I switched to a BP/W. Several thousand dives with that and I still haven't discovered anything better....although I am still looking and listening!

 

[Teamcasa]

And what kind of thing do you personally think is the most important thing to look for when buying a BCD.

Aaron, I think for divers that dive in a wide variety of locations and take an occasional flight with their gear the WTX Harness system is a hard system to beat.

It is a soft backplate system that has a pocket for a hard backplate should you want to slap on a set of doubles or should you need/want to trim yourself out and It is easily removed for air travel.

It will accommodate any size of standard wing and if integrated weights are your thing a set of surelock weight pockets are available.

This setup is a very well made, solid performer and the most versatile BC system on the market today.

When I travel with it, since weight is an issue, I leave the plate at home and after arriving, I can use the back plate pocket to stuff in some ankle weights for trim - sweet.

 

[DevonDiver]

The WTX seems, at first glance, to be a nice BP/W compromise for the travelling diver.

However, can you answer the following questions?

1. The APEKs website states that the WTX will accept an APEX backplate. Does this mean it will not accept standard / generic backplates?

2. Is it possible to remove the superfluous chest strap without cutting the rig?

3. Is it also possible to remove some of the superfluous (14?!?) D-Rings without cutting the rig?

On balance....

Is it good enough to justify a price tag of $345 - compared to $120 it would cost to build a comparable set-up with a Ali backplate and DIY harness?

How much does it weigh? For a travel harness with a soft backplate, it seems to be carry an awful lot of surplus fabric and metal (14 d-rings?!?). I would suspect that the overall weight would come in very close to an Ali backplate and HOG Harness.

 

[snowflake4727]

The WTX is heavy for its purpose. Plus I like the BP to be straped to me, not in a pocket on something that is strapped to me. If your lookig at a similar set up look at the Dive Rite Transpac, it is lighter and more comfortable. It has less stuff than the WTX.

 

[Teamcasa]

The WTX seems, at first glance, to be a nice BP/W compromise for the travelling diver. However, can you answer the following questions?

1. The APEKs website states that the WTX will accept an APEX backplate. Does this mean it will not accept standard / generic backplates?

Yep.

2. Is it possible to remove the superfluous chest strap without cutting the rig?

Yep, but only if you consider the strap superfluous, I don't.

3. Is it also possible to remove some of the superfluous (14?!?) D-Rings without cutting the rig?

Some Yes, other's nope. But why would I do that anyway? I like having convenient places to clip stuff off.

On balance....
Is it good enough to justify a price tag of $345 - compared to $120 it would cost to build a comparable set-up with a Ali backplate and DIY harness?

I believe so or I would have just bought a simple plate and harness.

How much does it weigh? For a travel harness with a soft backplate, it seems to be carry an awful lot of surplus fabric and metal (14 d-rings?!?). I would suspect that the overall weight would come in very close to an Ali backplate and HOG Harness.

It weights about the same I suspect, but that's not really the point is it?

My system can do things a simple BP can not.

 

[Teamcasa]

The WTX is heavy for its purpose. Plus I like the BP to be straped to me, not in a pocket on something that is strapped to me. If your lookig at a similar set up look at the Dive Rite Transpac, it is lighter and more comfortable. It has less stuff than the WTX.

BTW, the back plate can be put in the pocket, bolted to the harness inside or out. I had the TransPac and your are right, they are very similar but I felt the WTX was built with much heavier materials and as such, more durable.

Don't get me wrong, I liked diving the TrasPac, but after I gave the WTX a try, I was sold on it.