Why only for advanced?

[artek]

I’ve heard that saying once:
- Bigger the toolbox, bigger the idiot.
That was within mechanics crowd.
If same relates to divers and let’s say Mares Hub being the biggest toolbox then………….:blahblah:
I’d better go diving now.

 

[douglasville diver]

I did all my certs with a jacket, could never get my trim under water. After my aow I spent the ducks for the Genesis Recon,mostly because I love cavern and cave and my first time out [ in a pool] I felt like a pilot in this thing!
Now,for my first ocean dive , had some trouble with weight eventhough I dive steels,no big problem,easy to fix.
Fifth dive into the weekend ,nite dive at that, end of dive I end up on a feet first oc accent,thanks to not {well not totally}freaking out and two experienced buddys I was able to escape and correct and dove again.
I guess to make a short story long I learned that the air bubble in the jacket and the air bubble in the wing re-act just a little different so the diver must re-act defferent as well.
Staying with my wing.
Dave

 

[spectrum]

Jackets and BP/Ws are both perfectly good BCs for single tank recreational diving.

If More jacket BC owners spent as much time selecting components and adjusting their gear as a BP/W diver there would be a lot more happy jacket divers.

IMO many jackets are sold to novice divers who are not yet gear savvy and they just plain don't have the right model or size for a propper fit. On the other hand most BP/Ws (NOT ALL) are sold to experienced divers who confiure them to their tastes.

Any form of BCD will be a bag of worms if not sized and configured correctly.

As for trim problems that's strictly configuration and is not pertienent to the BCD format.

Dive what you like and be sure to try before you buy. The magnitude of BP/W divers here on SB is much higher than you will find across the diving population. Call it a bias or call it emlightenment. BTW I'm happy and can hold my own in my Sherwood Avid jacket.

Pete

 

[Charlie99]

I've been reading a lot, both on this board and in other places, about the different BC systems, reviews, etc. One theme I have come across in a few places is that a BP/W setup is not for the novice diver. Could someone elaborate a little on this for me? I am anxious to get out of the constricting vice grip of my rental vest (I have a high waist so everything is up around my ribcage),

BP/W can require a bit more work to get the straps adjusted properly. That's probably why they aren't common as rentals. Fit is everything in either BP/W or BCD. Obviously, you haven't been using a properly fitted BCD. Don't repeat that mistake with a BP/W and you shouldn't have any problem.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Jackets and BP/Ws are both perfectly good BCs for single tank recreational diving.

If More jacket BC owners spent as much time selecting components and adjusting their gear as a BP/W diver there would be a lot more happy jacket divers.

IMO many jackets are sold to novice divers who are not yet gear savvy and they just plain don't have the right model or size for a propper fit. On the other hand most BP/Ws (NOT ALL) are sold to experienced divers who confiure them to their tastes.

Any form of BCD will be a bag of worms if not sized and configured correctly.

As for trim problems that's strictly configuration and is not pertienent to the BCD format.

Dive what you like and be sure to try before you buy. The magnitude of BP/W divers here on SB is much higher than you will find across the diving population. Call it a bias or call it emlightenment. BTW I'm happy and can hold my own in my Sherwood Avid jacket.

Pete

Excellent post, Pete ... I think you pretty much nailed all the important points ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[gofermaster]

I dove traditional BC's my first year, went through three plus rentals. Never was comfortable. I'm a big person and dive cold water, the BP/W solved a lot of problems for me regards weighting. I use a steel tank and I have configured my plate and harness to hold weight in different places, in addition to using a weighted STA. I use weight integrated pockets on my waist strap and don't have to load them with fifteen pound pouches because the heavy plate and STA I use take the weight off the belt/hips. I'm not a cave or tech diver, but the wieghting advantages to the BP/W made sense to me. I'm also much more streamlined, although lugging my camera around doesn't win me any races. I've never had the face plant problem everyone is so concerned about, when you weight and set up your system right this is not a concern. I also like the ability to custom configure my BP/W however I please. I have two plates/harnesses, one for my dry suit (17lbs), one for my wet suit (12lbs), and I use the same wing on both. I also like the ability to take the BP/W apart for cleaning. I was amazed when I first learned of BP/W's because they were obviously the solution to my weighting dilemas---yet dive shops or people who don't use them seem so paranoid about them. After reading about them on this board and getting help with one at a shop knowledgeable about them, I was set for life. All new divers I've broken in have gone to BP/W also.

 

[Halthron]

I use mine more for recreational diving than for tech diving and prefer the BP/w to the traditional jacket. Saying that the BP/w is inappropriate for a beginning diver is flat out wrong. IMO, the primary advantage is the lack of plastic, although you can get a plastic plate, which means that my plate is negative and doesn't need additional weight to make it so. There are also a number of YMMV / preference types of advantages like fewer "things" to get involved with (clips, pockets, etc) allowing me to be more streamlined than my normal jacket diving buddies.

 

[jonix]

I use mine more for recreational diving than for tech diving and prefer the BP/w to the traditional jacket. Saying that the BP/w is inappropriate for a beginning diver is flat out wrong.

i agree with halthron, i suggest the thread starter to try out both the bp/wing and the jacket type to get a better appreciation of the device. i'm a novice and i enjoy diving with the bp/wing very much.

 

[terrasmak]

Its just another BC if you want it to be , then its also the last BC you will also need to buy. Posibilities are endless with them where a normal BC your very limited .

 

[dbulmer]

"If More jacket BC owners spent as much time selecting components and adjusting their gear as a BP/W diver there would be a lot more happy jacket divers."

There are plenty of jacket BC divers who do spend a lot of time selecting their gear and are just as happy in their gear.

To imply otherwise sounds daft to me - and why do they spend so much time? Well in some cases it's because they are unfamiliar with BP/W and have no one to ask 2) They have never seen one in the flesh so to speak 3) They've tried one but got poor advice on how to set it up or fiddled about and didn't feel comfy 4) They mistakenly thought it was for techies only.

And if they do buy a Jacket many people will spend time moving things about - it's new gear - sometimes that's what you do with new gear. The implication that somehow Jacket owners are less choosy about their gear choices than BP/W owners seems a bit weak to me.

And what do I use? BP/W it feels more comfortable, is easier to adjust and pack and can be maintained more easily.