Why are BP/W users more common on this board than at the beach?

[H2Andy]

Sad how we must pick on spelling errors of other users . . .

fine, knock my hobbies... next thing you're going to start making fun of me
for wearing a snorkel...

:11:

 

[kidspot]

fine, knock my hobbies... next thing you're going to start making fun of me
for wearing a snorkel...

:11:

What else? ... btw - I love your avatar - did you make it?

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

What else? ... btw - I love your avatar - did you make it?

BTW - look closely at that avatar. Those bubbles aren't coming out of the snorkel.

Notice when he blinks ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Moogyboy]

I think most BP/Wing users have migrated from jackets and/or back inflate BC's. I also think they for the most part think that the BW/Wing is better, and want to pass that along to others. So when someone asks "should I buy xxx $1000 super BC?" they see there own mistakes and want to help the person avoid making the same mistakes.

To use the religious analogy again: This reminds me of how a large percentage of activist atheists, including some of the most vitriolic and polemic voices in the movement, are former Christians (significantly) who, ahem, saw the light. It's like they're overcompensating or something by not just touting their new thing, but actively repudiating and demonizing the old. I see the same thing with the jacket/backplatewings debate.

What I can't understand is why a jacket BC has to be something to be ashamed of. Perhaps it's a psychological thing. Jacket BCs are soooo "amateur", so the thinking goes, and I suspect that some divers obsess over getting the "right" (read tech-style) gear because they don't want to be perceived as ever having been "amateurs"...and they tend to lord it over the perceived amateurs they encounter who haven't seen the light.

Ie, I think it's at least partly an ego thing. And the average, recreational divers who use jackets effectively get shouted down here by the more experienced, "serious" divers who predominantly use bpw's...which are a visible symbol of their seriousness.

Ai ai ai...

cheers

Billy S.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

What I can't understand is why a jacket BC has to be something to be ashamed of. Perhaps it's a psychological thing. Jacket BCs are soooo "amateur", so the thinking goes, and I suspect that some divers obsess over getting the "right" (read tech-style) gear because they don't want to be perceived as ever having been "amateurs"...and they tend to lord it over the perceived amateurs they encounter who haven't seen the light.

Ie, I think it's at least partly an ego thing. And the average, recreational divers who use jackets effectively get shouted down here by the more experienced, "serious" divers who predominantly use bpw's...which are a visible symbol of their seriousness.

I think this is more perception than reality. I wear a BP/W ... yet I've never knocked someone else for wearing a jacket-style. In fact, one of my favorite dive buddies wears a SeaQuest Malibu ... and he's a great diver.

Most of my BP-wearing dive buddies don't really care what you wear. If you ask, they'll happily tell you why they prefer the BP/W ... but they won't refuse to dive with you because you're not wearing one. Nor do they "evangelize" if you don't ask. It's just not that important.

We dive to have fun ... not to show off our gear.

You shouldn't worry too much about what other people think.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[H2Andy]

What I can't understand is why a jacket BC has to be something to be ashamed of.

it doesn't follow that someone who choses a BC has to be ashamed of it (or
the choice).

but one would hope that choice was at least made conciously. many divers
don't even know they have the choice.

that's why i try to tell people about bp/wings. i wish someone had told me
a lot sooner.

basically, i used a BC because i thought that was the only choice available to me.

once i tried the bp/wings, i haven't looked back.

however, for some people, the BC is going to be their choice. that's fine with me.
if it works, it works.

 

[MASS-Diver]

To use the religious analogy again: This reminds me of how a large percentage of activist atheists, including some of the most vitriolic and polemic voices in the movement, are former Christians (significantly) who, ahem, saw the light. It's like they're overcompensating or something by not just touting their new thing, but actively repudiating and demonizing the old. I see the same thing with the jacket/backplatewings debate.

What I can't understand is why a jacket BC has to be something to be ashamed of. Perhaps it's a psychological thing. Jacket BCs are soooo "amateur", so the thinking goes, and I suspect that some divers obsess over getting the "right" (read tech-style) gear because they don't want to be perceived as ever having been "amateurs"...and they tend to lord it over the perceived amateurs they encounter who haven't seen the light.

Ie, I think it's at least partly an ego thing. And the average, recreational divers who use jackets effectively get shouted down here by the more experienced, "serious" divers who predominantly use bpw's...which are a visible symbol of their seriousness.

Ai ai ai...

cheers

Billy S.

Have you really experinced anything like this in RL?

Most people could care less what other people dive. With me, I must admit within my team - I will certainly rib my friends about their gear. One of my buddies, whose pretty solid in the water, dives a jacket style right now. I'm guility of calling him a vacation diver, asking him why he didn't get it in pink, etc. I think jacketstyles are inferior for the kind of diving we do and I let him know it- BUT - I could care less what people who aren't my buddies dive with. I would never comment to a stanger abou their gear.

Anyone with a C(credit) care can go on extreme-exposure and by all the gear to look like a serious diver - that doesn't mean they have any skills at all. Gear choice does say something about the diver, but it's just a piece of the whole picture.

I dove a jacket, untill someone told me about bp/wings on SB!!!

 

[H2Andy]

What else? ... btw - I love your avatar - did you make it?

nope... i ripped it off some public-domain site about a year ago

BTW - look closely at that avatar. Those bubbles aren't coming out of the snorkel.

Notice when he blinks ...

spurrious rumours spread by my enemies in the American Cheese Management Board

 

[dlndavid]

Or maybe we're already underwater when you get to the beach, and still underwater when you leave.

Now this has to be the best explanation yet.

 

[lamont]

To use the religious analogy again: This reminds me of how a large percentage of activist atheists, including some of the most vitriolic and polemic voices in the movement, are former Christians (significantly) who, ahem, saw the light. It's like they're overcompensating or something by not just touting their new thing, but actively repudiating and demonizing the old. I see the same thing with the jacket/backplatewings debate.

What I can't understand is why a jacket BC has to be something to be ashamed of. Perhaps it's a psychological thing. Jacket BCs are soooo "amateur", so the thinking goes, and I suspect that some divers obsess over getting the "right" (read tech-style) gear because they don't want to be perceived as ever having been "amateurs"...and they tend to lord it over the perceived amateurs they encounter who haven't seen the light.

Ie, I think it's at least partly an ego thing. And the average, recreational divers who use jackets effectively get shouted down here by the more experienced, "serious" divers who predominantly use bpw's...which are a visible symbol of their seriousness.

Ai ai ai...

cheers

Billy S.

I don't care what you wear. What actually *annoys* me about other divers are things like finning technique (rototilling) and setting off my "diver in distress" button by flailing around. If you don't do that, you can dive with split fins, a pony bottle, a poodle jacket and an air-2 for all I care (and in fact I think I've done several dives with someone in exactly that configuration).

The only thing that annoys me in the jacket vs. BP/W debate is when people claim that a BP/W force you face down at the surface or are not for beginning divers. Both of which I know through experience are not true. As long as you're not spreading FUD about BP/W I don't care why you wear a jacket BC...