Why is a Jacket BC better than a BP/W?

[Eric Sedletzky]

I've always found it curious as to when a newbie asks for BCD advice only to have the next response is a BP/W X100
I've only ever seen one, on our local instructor. Never, ever, once on our travels. We love our ScubaPro GO's and would buy another when they wear out, never had or felt the need to get something else. It does the job, and does it well. Not to mention it travels well.



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

The reason is because they are asking the question on Scubaboard.
Scubaboard is where BP/W users hang out.
The reason you don't see them regularly around the world is because there is probably 1 person out of 10,000 world wide that regularly hangs out on Scubaboard, or other forums where BP/W's are discussed, and even then only a percentage of people on SB use BP/W.
Most of the regular diving world doesn't even know BP/W's exist. But if they did then the numbers of BP/W users would go way up.

 

[Bob DBF]

The reason is because they are asking the question on Scubaboard.
Scubaboard is where BP/W users hang out.
The reason you don't see them regularly around the world is because there is probably 1 person out of 10,000 world wide that regularly hangs out on Scubaboard, or other forums where BP/W's are discussed, and even then only a percentage of people on SB use BP/W.
Most of the regular diving world doesn't even know BP/W's exist. But if they did then the numbers of BP/W users would go way up.

Reason number two, the vast majority of dive shops who provide training sell jacket BC's and require their trainers to wear their gear and sell that gear. Now that recreational scuba is selling tech lessons, they will gladly sell you a BP/W later when you are "ready" for tech, but that gear is not recommended for recreational divers. I agree with Eric, it is the lack of exposure to an actual BP/W is what limits it's spread, that and the increase sale of "tech" jackets that are sold as equivelant substitutes for the BP/W.

As for me, I recommend that new divers try out as much different gear as possible, talk to the divers in their area for advice on kit, and make their own decisions on what works best for them. I started diving with no BC and have used a Mae West, horsecollar, a few jackets, and BP/W's, from my limited experience it is not the BC you are wearing that makes you a good diver. Each configuration has its own up and down sides and each individual has their own wants and needs, I don't expect or even want everyone to make the same choice. I do believe that every diver should research, look at, and try, as many rigs as possible before spending thousands on gear.



Bob
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"No matter what happens, somebody will find a way to take it too seriously" -Dave Barry

 

[BDSC]

Currently I dive a back inflate called the Seahawk. I dove a jacket for years and would still be but my right shoulder ain't what it use to be and I find it much easier to slip on the Seahawk because of the shoulder clips. Both the Seahawk and my jacket are made by Scubapro and the quality is excellent. I tried a bp/w and didn't like the feel of it and really didn't see any advantage in having one for the typical recreational diving I do. Because I really like the weight integrated feature and pockets of my bc, I found the BP/W to actually be an inferior product.

 

[DaleC]

Back when I began diving I read about BP/W's and started looking for one to try. I asked my LDS owner (at the time) if he had one but he said no, they were a tech thing. A short while later he brought one in for display, a DR transpac with all the bells and whistles that he retailed for close to $1000. Having read a bit about Hogarthian principles I thought "Youch".

 

[redacted]

The overwhelming advantage of a jacket style BCD over BP/W is, if you have any friends who are diving BP/W, they may well give you their old jacket BCD. If not, you can still find a perfectly diveable Jacket BCD for under $50. In either case, you will not have wasted a bunch of $$$ on something you will eventually replace with a BP/W if you continue diving.

 

[mruseless]

... I have never seen a BP/W on a liveaboard either.

Your points are well taken, except for the one about liveaboards. I'm quite surprised to hear that. I dive liveaboards almost exclusively these days, and I've seen a BP/W diver on nearly every one I've been on. (And not just mine, either!

 

[dfx]

I'm gonna echo the "simpler" point here. It's one piece of gear you buy, it serves its purpose, it does its job. With a BP/W you have to worry about which kind of backplate, what size wing and is it compatible, which harness goes with that, do you need an STA, what about pockets, and how do I get rid of that horrible weight belt. If you don't need the versatility offered by a BP/W setup, then there's nothing you gain by increasing the complexity of your gear.

 

[PfcAJ]

How again is a BC festooned with pockets, d rings, deflators at every turn, straps, buckles, weight pouches, and velrco simpler than a bp/w?

Such complicated... Very wow....

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Reason number two, the vast majority of dive shops who provide training sell jacket BC's and require their trainers to wear their gear and sell that gear. Now that recreational scuba is selling tech lessons, they will gladly sell you a BP/W later when you are "ready" for tech, but that gear is not recommended for recreational divers. I agree with Eric, it is the lack of exposure to an actual BP/W is what limits it's spread, that and the increase sale of "tech" jackets that are sold as equivelant substitutes for the BP/W.

As for me, I recommend that new divers try out as much different gear as possible, talk to the divers in their area for advice on kit, and make their own decisions on what works best for them. I started diving with no BC and have used a Mae West, horsecollar, a few jackets, and BP/W's, from my limited experience it is not the BC you are wearing that makes you a good diver. Each configuration has its own up and down sides and each individual has their own wants and needs, I don't expect or even want everyone to make the same choice. I do believe that every diver should research, look at, and try, as many rigs as possible before spending thousands on gear.



Bob
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"No matter what happens, somebody will find a way to take it too seriously" -Dave Barry

I agree that the limited exposure of BP/W in the LDS is what limits it's spread. It goes back to the two parallel universes in diving, the LDS world and the alternative world.
If you were to do an experiment at an LDS and take all the jackets down off the wall and replace them with nothing but BP/W rigs, and tell new entrants who walk through the door (who maybe have never been into an LDS) and want to get certified, "this is the BC that is used in diving now". The new OW candidates: A) Don't have a reason to doubt the LDS because they are the "pros". And: B) Have no prior experience with what is (actually) currently used to challenge the claim.
So they would do all their training in the plate, all the instruction staff would be using the plate, and they would be certified in the plate. They would never see a jacket anywhere during the time they are getting trained. What do you think they would most likely buy after they were OW certified?

The way it is right now they get certified in a jacket, they are told jackets are all there is, everybody training them wears jackets, what do you think they are going to buy?

The fresh OW student gets easily confused as to who is right.
Example:
1) The group of divers who they hooked up with who all use BP/W.
2) ...or the LDS who are supposedly the "pros" and tells them that BP/W are for tech divers only.

I've sold at least 50 BP/W units in my area to people exactly like this - who were sold by their LDS the whole jacket story.
Then they see all of us using plates and they wonder what's going on. When they try one of our plates they see why we use them. The next thing you know a few weeks or months later another jacket goes on craigslist or ebay for pennies on the dollar. They could have saved a lot of money up front but the power of the "pros" at the LDS gets them every time.

The "tech Jacket" is a complete joke. I'll bet money that the developers aren't divers otherwise they'd be too emabarrassed to even manufacture it.

 

[dfx]

How again is a BC festooned with pockets, d rings, deflators at every turn, straps, buckles, weight pouches, and velrco simpler than a bp/w?

Such complicated... Very wow....

Perhaps you have a different definition of "simple". I hate weight belts. The jacket BCD takes care of that, your BP/W doesn't. I also like pockets, again the jacket BCD takes care of that, your BP/W doesn't. I know I can use the jacket BCD with a single tank, can I use your BP/W with that or do I need an adapter? What kind of backplate is that, will it be too heavy to travel with? etc...