Vulnerability of BC Bladders

[BigTuna]

I recently had to have my wing's bladder replaced. I had carelessly stacked a friend's gear on my bp/w in the car, causing pinches that developed into slow leaks. The pinches occurred against the edge of the bp and against the inflator elbow's connection to the bladder.

"I hereby resolve to put my wing on top of any pile, to keep it inflated (so it can't get pinched), and to roll it for transport (instead of folding it)."

Have you had a similar experience with a wing or a jacket BC? How do you coddle your BC?

 

[IceBergSlim]

"I hereby resolve to put my wing on top of any pile, to keep it inflated (so it can't get pinched)

Yeah but then it could get punched. I keep mine deflated and on (near) the top of the pile.

 

[cool_hardware52]

Wing bladders, in particular single wing bladders are subject to damage from the backplate.

Conventional BC's typically do not have 5-6 lbs of hard edged, narrow edged metal built into them.

Dropping a backplate with the wing attached, and catching the lower corner of the wing between the edge of the backplate and the ground or boat deck is the leading cause of bladder damage. This usually occurs without a tank mounted.

This is exactly why the DSS backplate and wing is designed to allow the wing and plate to be seperated quickly, without tools or loose parts.

The best way to extend the service life of your wing is to be careful with it, that includes how it's packed for transport.

My wings are handled like my mask and guages, my backplates live with my fins and weight belts.

Tobin