What level diver and what type of BC?

[gcbryan]

I participated in the poll just in case there is a point but to me it's rather like asking what color is your mask and trying to draw some conclusions from that.

The choice of a BC is a personal preference. I see where someone stated that choosing a BP/W means that someone is trying to look professional! Most of the "professionals" in the dive stores I've been in were using jacket or back inflate BC's because that's what they sell.

I'm sure the choice of BC has nothing to be with OW/AOW/Rescue or Professional. It might have to do with how much you dive but there's no direct correlations to that either.

My guess is the reason for the poll was to try to determine how many people really use BP/W's. Why not just ask?

 

[Guy Alcala]

Someone posted actual sales percentages recently, and the BP/W was so far down the list that it wasn't even worth it for most shops to stock it (which accounts for the lack of availability).

The survey participant distribution must be hugely skewed to come up with the results in this poll, since the actual percentage of professionals vs. total certifications and BP/W sales vs the survey results are off by a huge margin.

Terry

I'm sure it is, as the average resort diver has probably never heard of SB or any other online diving forum, let alone has the interest to participate in them. Dive forums tend to be populated by people who are fairly interested in diving, which tends to be those who've gone beyond (often well beyond) the basics, so you'd expect the demographics to be skewed.

Guy

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

And then there is all the VEST BC divers that didn't have any boxes to check!

 

[nessum]

Usually I wear a jacket in the pool and BP&W any time I am in the ocean.

It's funny (as in sad) that apparently the sales of BP&Ws are so low that shops claim they aren't worth stocking. And a little odd... because we sell more than all other BCs combined. And while I know so many that make the switch from jacket or back inflate to a BP&W I can't think of a single diver I know that has gone the other way (from backplate to jacket or back inflate). So... perhaps it isn't the lack of potential sales, but rather a lack of an informed sales staff?

 

[Scubagolf]

The info I have is that industry-wide sales of BP&Ws represents less than 2 percent of overall BC sales.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Usually I wear a jacket in the pool and BP&W any time I am in the ocean.

It's funny (as in sad) that apparently the sales of BP&Ws are so low that shops claim they aren't worth stocking. And a little odd... because we sell more than all other BCs combined. And while I know so many that make the switch from jacket or back inflate to a BP&W I can't think of a single diver I know that has gone the other way (from backplate to jacket or back inflate). So... perhaps it isn't the lack of potential sales, but rather a lack of an informed sales staff?

Your area is probably a little different than where I'm from. Here (SF Bay Area) I don't know of one shop that will have anything to do with BP/W rigs.
It is sad.
I make plates and it was a little frustrating and disheartening to have every shop slam the door in my face. It wasn't even open for discussion. Many of them were flat out hostile about the entire concept. It wasn't just me or my product, they wouldn't have anything to do with any plate/wing system in their store. They told me they had no interest in carrying anything related to tech diving. I explained that my plate is not for tech diving, it's a dedicated single tank plate suitable for normal recreational diving and it can be used for any type of single tank diving anywhere in the world.
I even went as far as offering to have an after hours shop demo in the pool and let the staff and owner use a complete rig for a few weeks in the pool and ocean, then if they liked the product I was willing to let them carry them on consignment for the first few months so it would have been no money out of their pocket. I was unable to get them to even consider the offer.

So, since then I have sold many many units to local divers and some DM's that work at those shops. I hear the shops don't like me much for taking BC sales away from them, but I don't care, they had their chance.

There's probably more money in selling regular BCD's for small shops. They see any form of BP/W as specialized gear and think it will sit in the store for years and never sell. Well I have a news flash, if you don't use it yourself and promote it, you're right, you will never sell one.

BP/W sales for recreational use, by in large, is an internet and diving message board phenomenon.

 

[nessum]

I think we're in agreement here ZKY. Though, your area may come around as they are surrounded by it. There are many divers in the San Diego area that are in BP/Ws, I know for a fact and up north in Washington State and here in BC they are prolific.

When I bought my first bcd I was told not to even bother with those BP/Ws unless I was serious about getting into tech diving (and who would do that?!?) and so I wasted several hundred dollars on a brand new, high end, back inflate bcd that I grew to despise.

Since then the industry around here has shifted. And yes, a large part of the reason we sell so many BP/Ws is because it is what the students see all of the staff using. And swearing by. And they are given options and allowed to compare for themselves. Not all buy BP/Ws and that's fine, not everyone wants or needs one. But, like I said, I don't know anyone that has purchased one and then replaced it with anything else, which I think speaks volumes.

Scubagolf, that is surprising as I only see the trend growing and more mainstream manufacturers (Apeks/Aqualung) even embracing it to some extent. I'm not arguing your figures. I don't really want to argue at all... I just wonder if it is only a matter of time before more people catch on. Again, it's not for everyone, but the outright resistance to the BP/W that ZKY describes is, well, sad.

 

[Scubagolf]

Nessum, the <2% sales figure was obtained from a representative of one of the high profile manufacturers in response to my PM two days ago. I do find the 2% number interesting, given the high numbers of BP&W users who frequent SB. I am considering picking up a BP&W myself to give the "dark side" a try.

 

[jaycanwk]

For the record, a backpack/wing set up is neither "advanced", "professional" or even "technical". Anyone can dive one.

 

[diver 85]

Mostly BI with occasional BP/W thrown in......