Why not just start out with a BP/W?

[SparticleBrane]

I was trained in an Eclipse 40, and went right out and bought an Eclipse 30.

 

[danktex]

I also strated out in a BP/W and have never regretted it. They just trim out so well.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Having just switched to BPW I see no reason not to start out with one. Where you may run into problems is if your instructor is set in recreational, conventional jacket bc mode. As Rob said I believe alot of it has to do with what the shop sells, whether or not anyone of the instructors has even tried one,(many have not), and will they let you take class with one. Remember they have the right to refuse to train you if you do not do it their way. It sucks, I know, as I've found that skills are easier to do in a BPW. I still have my jacket and will most likely keep it. I've been asked to use it for pool classes when assisting because it is what everyone else is using and it's the primary brand we sell. I also have to use it for my DM gear exchange as no one else uses a BP and the harness is set for me. I'm slowly easing it into other classes though to give students an idea of what is out there. I'll be using it next weekend when I assist with rescue classes along with the long hose and bungee'd octo. I know for a fact that some of the rescue students have never dove with someone in one. Should be fun. But I say go for it. If your LDS insists on you using a jacket for classes, rent it. Then get with some other BPW divers and learn how to use yours.

 

[jeckyll]

IMO, the best thing you can do is try to borrow / rent some different BC's and BP/W's.

Why rely on a bunch of people whom you've never met to make your gear choices for you. Go out and see what works for _you_ and the kind of diving you want to do.



P.S.: I hated rental BC's and ended up purchasing a BP/W, but YMMV.

 

[djanni]

Sure you can start with one of those. There's nothing special about them. There are no skills you need to be able to use them although being a bit of a contortionist can help.

 

[mstevens]

...they don't pack nearly as well as ... my Zeagle Stilletto...

Interesting. I'd always assumed that a backplate and travel wing would be *easier* to pack than my Stiletto. I guess that means one more bit of kit I don't have to go out and buy!

 

[billblack]

Well...I am glad to have had such a good response to my question and I appreciate everyone's opinion and feedback. I've used rental jacket BCs up to now and find them to be constricting and unhandy. If I was..umm...more slender..I might find them to be more comfy, but I am much more bulldozer-like than willowy. The one back-inflate BC I used convinced me that the same principle we use in designing underwater vehicles carry through to people...Buoyancy above ballast.
SO...now I get to peruse the websites of OMS and DiveRite and Hammerhead and hope I can find a dealer that will let me pool-test their stuff in size XL.

 

[herman]

Hello...
I'm a new diver who is buying alllll that equipment one piece at a time. I do not plan get into decompression diving, but I do have some plans to perform work at depths up to about 100 feet. I live in coastal Florida and do not plan to dive in cold water.EVER. My question is simple- since a BP/W is where many people end up, is there a reason to buy the first one or two BCs that folks sell when they go to a BP/W. Should I just start out with what I'm going to end up with and save the time/energy/MONEY that it takes to change plans?
Thanks in advance for your input.
Bill
in sunny Sebastian, FL

There is no reason not to start out with one if that's what you want/like. The flaw in your logic is assuming everyone likes,wants and will end up in one. I too thought I wanted one after reading all the glowing reports and had to have one. At the time I had quite a few hours underwater in both jacket and back inflate style BCs. Then I got to dive one and reality set in. It was Ok but there was no real difference in the performance of the BP and my back inflate BC for the kind of diving I do- single tank, warm water. I found it less comfortable than my BC and a real pain to adjust, not to mention losing my integrated weights. For me there were no real benefits in changing BC's but I would lose some features I like in my current BC. If I were starting all over today and know what I now know, I would have not bought the jacket style BC I originally purchased but would buy the back inflate I currently use first. My suggestion, rent,beg or borrow several types, dive them and see what you like, then buy that. Not every style suits everyone.

 

[plot]

I started out with a DSS bp/w. My instructor (also the shop owner) wasn't to thrilled with it... he said bouyancy was harder to figure out in it than the aqualung BC's he sells, but for a new diver in any BC the bouyancy is probably hard to figure out. Regardless, after my first few dives, I didn't have any problems at all with it. Less problems then some of the other people using there ProQD's or whatever else they bought at the shop. (I got all my other gear at his shop, but he didnt have any bp/w's... I do my best to support my LDS)

Only downside is, I can't really argue with people using normal bc's becuase... well, I've never tried anything but a bp/w

 

[timegan]

Rongoodman....hey we did the same thing. I had a BP/W before my dive course even started...and I knew I was also going the long hose route....But I too did not want to cause any waves. So I followed the sheep there. I hate doin that, ya just end up stepping in their $hit. But on another note....it was probably the best way to go. Stir up silt, get all the flack, get stressed out, .....and then learn to dive?????? No I think if even accidently.... we did the right thing.