I have to agree with Lamont and Bob's sentiments. I spent a long time diving jacket style, before going to back inflate, then to a BP&W. I even have a couple of PADI certs.
Many of us have experience diving with all sorts of different gear and have generally gone down the long road of experience before finally settling on a BP&W. When someone askes then I'm more than happy to talk about the comparitive virtues of using a BP&W. When someone who has never tried one gets on a soapbox condemning their usage and my experience - then I also will answer.
I could care less what your configuration is. Poodle jacket to BPW - the gear doesn't make the diver. It may make it more enjoyable for the diver, but going out and just spending $10,000 grand on tech gear aint going to make you a cave or wreck diver.
I dive with plenty of people that look like a walking dive shop in the parking lot, yet underwater they perform beautifully.
Bottom line for me diving with anyone there are a few rules that I hold them to.
1. Good buddy awareness at all times.
2. Don't rototil the bottom.
3. Decent buoyancy.
4. Don't be destructive to what we are looking at underwater.
5. Plan the dive and dive the plan.
6. Be responsible for watching you own gas.
If someone breaks these rules, but says to me that they want to learn how to get better then great. If they don't - I likely won't bring it to their attention and I probably won't dive with them again.
If this attitude makes me an activist - so be it.
Many of us have experience diving with all sorts of different gear and have generally gone down the long road of experience before finally settling on a BP&W. When someone askes then I'm more than happy to talk about the comparitive virtues of using a BP&W. When someone who has never tried one gets on a soapbox condemning their usage and my experience - then I also will answer.
I could care less what your configuration is. Poodle jacket to BPW - the gear doesn't make the diver. It may make it more enjoyable for the diver, but going out and just spending $10,000 grand on tech gear aint going to make you a cave or wreck diver.
I dive with plenty of people that look like a walking dive shop in the parking lot, yet underwater they perform beautifully.
Bottom line for me diving with anyone there are a few rules that I hold them to.
1. Good buddy awareness at all times.
2. Don't rototil the bottom.
3. Decent buoyancy.
4. Don't be destructive to what we are looking at underwater.
5. Plan the dive and dive the plan.
6. Be responsible for watching you own gas.
If someone breaks these rules, but says to me that they want to learn how to get better then great. If they don't - I likely won't bring it to their attention and I probably won't dive with them again.
If this attitude makes me an activist - so be it.