Which BC to get

[dakota74]

Hi all,

I am a new scuba diver, and I am loking to get all my own equipment. I was on the Regulator board and a lot of you helped me with which kind of reg and Octo to get (Aqualung LX Supreme ACD and Legend Octo) and I'm hoping you can lend your experience and expertise once again for my BCD.

I am looking for a BCD that is:

Comfortable
fits well (I am 6', 260lbs)
Preferably has a detachable weight system
Jacket style
Hopefully NOT REALLY EXPENSIVE

I will be diving in NJ (USA) and Caribbean and maybe cold water dives in the future -- I want to get one BCD that can do it all.

Of the ones I was looking at were:
Cressi Sub Aero Pro BCD
Cressi-Sub S111 R C-Trim System Buoyancy
Cressi Sub Back Jac BCD

But, I am open to others as well.

Thanks!
Ross

 

[RJP]

Dude - per our conversation about regs last week, visit The Scuba Connection (www.TSCscuba.com) in Hillsborough and ask them to show you everything in the place. Wayne and Jason will kit you up right with regs, BCD, etc.

They go to great pains to make sure every one of their customers has the right gear for the diving they'll be doing - local and travel diving, or everything in between.

Call ahead and make an appointment so they can spend the time with you needed to really go over things in depth - no pun intended!

Tell them I sent you and they'll treat you right!

PS - if you're gonna start diving local, you might want to start to consider a bit more of a "technical" bent right off the bat, looking at a BP/W setup. That's how we roll here off NJ...

 

[lowviz]

...

I am looking for a BCD that is:

Comfortable
...
...

Don't make BCD comparisons until you have the BCDs loaded with the amount of lead you require. Some don't have big enough pouches and over-stuffing them makes the BCD very uncomfortable.

You may decide to reduce the amount of integrated weight by using a w/b in addition, but remember that the w/b may present issues with some styles of BCDs. How a person's weight is distributed can also make w/b's very uncomfortable.

Local (Mid-Atlantic) diving makes finding one ideal BCD for all of your intended uses very hard to do. Something will have to be a compromise. If you are going to become a primarily local diver, RJP is right on.

 

[dakota74]

Don't make BCD comparisons until you have the BCDs loaded with the amount of lead you require. Some don't have big enough pouches and over-stuffing them makes the BCD very uncomfortable.

You may decide to reduce the amount of integrated weight by using a w/b in addition, but remember that the w/b may present issues with some styles of BCDs. How a person's weight is distributed can also make w/b's very uncomfortable.

Local (Mid-Atlantic) diving makes finding one ideal BCD for all of your intended uses very hard to do. Something will have to be a compromise. If you are going to become a primarily local diver, RJP is right on.

RJ-- TOTALLY forgot we discussed that! As for the wings and backplate -- one if the guys who taught my class had that and I really don't like them. don't like the look, etc........

But, I will definately got in touch with the TSC place.

Thanks!!

 

[fnfalman]

As for the wings and backplate -- one if the guys who taught my class had that and I really don't like them. don't like the look, etc........

Don't like the look of BPW? That's just crazy!!! Chicks dig BPW scuba divers.

 

[rstofer]

Yup! It's smokin' hot to have a black wing and a bright yellow harness! You'll have 'em lining up - particularly if you dive with a double hose regulator.

Rethink your choices for NJ diving. I am guessing it is cold water so you will wear either a 7mm wetsuit or some kind of drysuit. You will be carrying at least 20# of lead even if you have a 6# backplate. Just guessing.

Now consider lifting a BC with a 43# tank with 26# of integrated weights. Add in the regulator and you're over 70# of lifting.

The alternative is to use a harness (I don't have hips, a weight belt won't work) like the DUI Weight & Trim Classic (not the newer version). The top of the weight pocket is level with the top of the hip bone. This should be well below any BC or BP/W. But, what it does is get the weight off the BC. Besides, the BC should float its own weight. With integrated weights and an HP100 tank, at least 40# of lift is required If you move the weight to a harness, you can use something with a little less lift (maybe, it depends on the 'real' numbers).

BC vs BP/W is a very personal decision. Good luck! But more people are moving from BCs to BP/Ws than the other way around.

Richard

 

[deich]

for what its worth i am about the same size as you and really like the Hoillis HD100... you can check it out on their website hollisgear.com there is a local shop selling them for $360 new i am shure they will ship... being a big guy the bc fit really well and seems sturdy. it is a back inflate to it may bridge the technical/jacket line...

 

[Mitchell Hamm]

Check out the Seasoft Scuba BC's, almost all of them are nice.. different detachable systems, all of them seem to be very easy to operate, pretty sure they are almost all jacket style, just go to their website and check out their gear. Their customer service is great too for any questions.

Mitch

 

[BettyRubble]

Gotta love the marketing ploy you gentlemen are using . . . so the wing setup is the turn on huh?
LOL

OP - Dive them. Don't buy until you dive them. Hook up with a shop that will let you 'try' them and then dive all the ones you are considering. I dove 4 different styles before I settled on the one I bought. Each one had things I liked and disliked. So when I found one I loved - I didn't have to ask anyone! Good luck!

 

[Stu S.]

for what its worth i am about the same size as you and really like the Hoillis HD100... you can check it out on their website hollisgear.com there is a local shop selling them for $360 new i am shure they will ship... being a big guy the bc fit really well and seems sturdy. it is a back inflate to it may bridge the technical/jacket line...

Who has it at that price?