Very interested in BP/w. Confused/help

[tursiops]

Ditto to the tursiops comment. I have dived in multiple tropical locations, admittedly all in the Western hemisphere. And, I have never (ever) encountered a situation where I was not 'allowed' to dive with my BP/W.

I saw my first BP/W in 1999. (I'm sure they existed before that.) I thought, "cool, the dude made his own BCD from a piece of metal and a bladder."
But I'm approaching 3000 logged dives now, in all oceans except the Arctic, northern/southern/eastern/western hemispheres, with lots in some pretty out-of the way-places. Many of those were with my own BP/W (I don't always dive it), but I've seen them everywhere. So I really AM curious where they might not be acceptable. Maybe that was a long time ago?

 

[joewr]

Well, somewhere, sometime during my later 1,689! dives, I saw it happen. I cannot remember exactly, though.

Buf in my experience, and I admit it’s limited, almost all divers on rec boats still use “vest” BCs.

I’m curious: are BP/Ws discussed in today’s PADI or NAUI OW courses?

Joe

 

[Tom Schirm]

I thank everyone for their thoughts. I was leaning towards a few extra pounds lift because of what Brett Hatch said about rough water ( my favorite Puget Sound dive we have done is exposed and can get rough), so I can carry a pony bottle, help my son if needed (though unlikely, he's pretty competent), and be able to carry some lead on the BP/W , and not so much in a harness.

I think first, I need to check out my , and my neoprene drysuits buoyancy, and see if i can borrow a bp/w or two to test dive before I pull the trigger on one.

I am kind of like what someone posted on another thread (I've read so many thinking about this, that i don't remember which thread or who said it) that I hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.

 

[rongoodman]

If you dive in the Med, you'll probably be in a wetsuit and be using steel tanks. Of course the Med isn't a dive destination like the tropics. For ancient wrecks though, there are some nice dive opportunities. Definitely not fish. I found that I was overweighted with an XDeep Ghost and a 19 cu pony with a steel tank, 5 mil wetsuit.

I had an LP 95 when I was in Egypt last year, but between the 5mm wet suit and the saltier water the SS plate was still fine. The SS plate is only about 4 lbs heavier than an aluminum one.

 

[Dubious]

Thanks Lexvil, Unfortunately there are no pools available any where near by

''

You don't need much pool to do a weight test. We used and continue to use our 48" deep index pool we had bought for our kids. I work on drills, kicks, and buoyancy all the time.

 

[decompression]

Thanks for the offer. That would be great, maybe if this passes soon.

My son and I have gone a couple times in Lake Couer D'Alene and once in the Columbia River in the last month and a half, but did it on the days I am furloughed (due to Covid cost savings for the state) to avoid people.

Kosta will get you sorted out!

 

[rhwestfall]

One issue you might want to check before heading to the tropics is whether the dive boat will allow you to use a BP/W setup. Believe it or not, their are some dive shops that still live in the Dark Ages!

like where?

 

[joewr]

Somewhere where the don’t sample good Bourbons while the ice melts...

 

[leadduck]

Your point about the redundancy of a dry suit is understood. The OP also stated that he dove warm water in a 3mm wetsuit. My point was not to push wearing big wings, but rather not to try and wear the smallest wing possible.

I think when comparing BCD jackets vs BP/W the suit is very important.

Drysuit divers love BP/W because they need a lot of lead and BP/W allows them to put a lot non-ditchable on the back. They also don't need BCD jackets' pockets because drysuits come with leg pockets. The shape of the bladder is actually not so important especially with single tanks because the drysuit diver's wing is almost empty. The advantage of BP/Ws to the drysuit diver is mostly about the weight.

Wetsuit divers' situation is very different: they need less lead but want it ditchable. Diving below 60ft, a thick wetsuit looses a lot of buoyancy that must be compensated with the bladder. When you loose buoyancy at your center of gravity (navel/lower back), you want a bladder with a center of lift right there and not one with most of its volume at your neck and shoulders.

 

[BrackaFish]

I think when comparing BCD jackets vs BP/W the suit is very important.

Drysuit divers love BP/W because they need a lot of lead and BP/W allows them to put a lot non-ditchable on the back. They also don't need BCD jackets' pockets because drysuits come with leg pockets. The shape of the bladder is actually not so important especially with single tanks because the drysuit diver's wing is almost empty. The advantage of BP/Ws to the drysuit diver is mostly about the weight.

Wetsuit divers' situation is very different: they need less lead but want it ditchable. Diving below 60ft, a thick wetsuit looses a lot of buoyancy that must be compensated with the bladder. When you loose buoyancy at your center of gravity (navel/lower back), you want a bladder with a center of lift right there and not one with most of its volume at your neck and shoulders.

I dive a BP/W and wetsuit because that is what I am most comfortable with doing. Trim is a lot easier than with a jacket style BC. I can setup the BP/W with D rings where I want them and not where a manufacturer has placed them. I can use the same setup for technical or rec diving just by changing the wing. A dual bladder tech wing provides redundancy with lift. Diving in a wetsuit here in the Florida caves is not bad now that I no longer do anything longer than mild deco dives. Now having said all that, I find myself jumping down the sidemount rabbit hole with a new Katana 2 dual bladder, so we will see how that goes. I guess what I am saying as others have said is that you find a safe rig that works for you and dive with it. Of course getting to that point can be $$$$ and filled with false trails. Be safe.