42 replies to this topic

[Bubble2Bubble]

One of the last piece's of equipment I bought last year was a dacor talon AT BC. I have only dove with it maybe ten times so far and I like the fact that the inflater and deflater are both together in the same panel on lower left front of BC easy to use. Sure! I spent extra bucks for the fancy panel thing. and at first I thought maybe I made a mistake in my purchase because i was always playing with it going up and down crashing the bottom and surfacing like a fishing bobber LoL. so i finally realized thats why men get a bad wrap about playing with the Tv remote thats what I was doing with my controls. as I remember the last few dives I did with that BC was very delightful and i'm looking forward to using it alot this year I was wondering if any of you have the same BC same brand differant brand dosnt matter how do you like it ?

Mike

[Lubold8431]

I love my Oxycheq wing and FredT backplate. I dont like jacket style BC's, I have always used a back inflate. When the Oxycheq wings came out, I wanted to give it a try, and see how they were. Best thing I ever bought. Now, its all I dive for single tanks. But, before that, I was using a Seaquest Balance, and I liked that too...

[wrinkles]

I am going to have to buy a back plate and wing set up soon. I have been using one lately and I have loved it. Although it;'s not very comfortable on land. Thank goodnees I'm not diving on land .

I went diving today and I rented a back inflate bc and I hated every minute of it well not every minute it was nice and comfortable walking towards the water with it. After todays dive I have decided that a BP/W set up is the only way to go

Ana

[Walter]

I use a Scubapro Classic Sport. I've tried the back plate/wings. It's no big deal.

[wrinkles]

I forgot who said it before but someone said that the right gear is the one that fits you. And I completely agree. For me I have tried a zeagle, divetec, and a couple other back inflate bcs and a bp/w....and for me the bp/w was most comfortable.

Ana

[Bubble2Bubble]

wrinkles

I forgot who said it before but someone said that the right gear is the one that fits you.

Diverlady said that and i guess its true also. I have never tried a back plate BC yet
I'm sure in time i will tho.


Mike

[Walter]

Ana,

That's very true. I like the B/P wing just fine. I don't notice any difference in performance from my Classic Sport. That's a big compliment to the design.

Walter

[jeadiver]

I love wings and a backplate, but the problem is it doesn't pack to well when flying. When traveling and trying to stay within weight limits, I use a back inflation BC. I've used a Sherwood and liked it fine, but recently acquired a Deep Outdoors Integrity that seems to be really comfortable in the water and folds up to a small package. I still dive wings and back plate locally.

[Lubold8431]

I travel with an AL BP, and lt wt STA. I am thinking about getting a softpack system for traveling, but as of yet, havent had any issues with the AL BP. We shall see, that might change...

[Coo's Toe]

I love wings and a backplate, but the problem is it doesn't pack to well when flying. When traveling and trying to stay within weight limits, I use a back inflation BC.

I can't tell you how many times my SS backplate has flown to California and back now. I break it down into individual componants, ie I unthread the tank straps and remove wing. I pack clothing around all the pieces and layer in the rest of the dive gear that can be tossed around by the caring and sensitve TSA baggage handlers. Haven't gone over the weight limits yet.

All the truly breakable/expensive stuff like regs and cannister light go in a carry on bag so that they're never out of my sight, and not subjected to the whims of the baggage tossers. It helps to be right there at the X-ray machine to explain to the screeners that it is scuba equipment, not a bomb.

One of the things I always loved about my BP/wing versus a traditional BC was the fact that It could be broken down into parts so easily. I don't know how I'd pack a BC if I had to do it today...

[Walter]

I don't know how I'd pack a BC if I had to do it today...

You just told us how you pack yours.

I break it down into individual componants, ie I unthread the tank straps and remove wing. I pack clothing around all the pieces

A BP/wing is a BC.

[Coo's Toe]

I was talking about packing a more traditional BC where everything is sewn together when I said I wouldn't know how to pack one. My backplate is totally modular and packs pretty flat when I take it apart.

I guess it is a BC, even though Halcyon calls it an MC ( just to be different ). When I think of BC's, I think of something more like the jacket style BC's with all the extra padding, canvas, integrated weight pockets, etc. To me, a backplate system is something completely different.

[Sweeper]

What's a backplate and wing? Advantages? Disadvantages?

All I've ever used is my Aqua Lung Malibu. It's been fine except waiting to be picked up by the dive boat in Cozumel was a nuisance since I have trouble staying up-right for any length of time on the surface. Any thoughts about how to rectify that?

Otherwise, I've have brand new Apeks Black Pearl I'm dieing to try out! I've used the Mares V12 Proton Ice (traded it in for the Black Pearl), the Apeks 50, and an Aqua Lung Titan. For computers I've a Suunto Vyper and an Aeris 750GT. Wet suit: Henderson 1mm Microprene and will purchase a Hendersons 3mm hyperstretch for my trip to Key Largo. Fins are Quattros.

Camera is an Olympus C4040 in the P12 housing and a YS90-DX strobe that I don't know how to use yet.

Other than my computers and regs, I don't any comparison experience. Anyone got any thoughts about where I could do better?

Michael

[Walter]

When I think of BC's, I think of something more like the jacket style BC's with all the extra padding, canvas, integrated weight pockets, etc. To me, a backplate system is something completely different.

The first BC's weren't vests (there are no jackets), they were horse collars. The concept is a Buoyancy Compensator. Something that allows you to adjust your buoyancy during a dive. Wings do that quite well.

While some vest have all the extra padding, canvas, integrated weight pockets, etc., some do not. Mine has none of those. Interestingly enough, at DEMA, I saw BP/wing combos with extra padding and cummerbunds. Those extras are not an intregal part of either basic design nor are they excluded from either design.

The difference between a vest and a BP/wing isn't as cut and dried as many think.

Michael,

The BP/wing is a fine choice for a BC. It's a modular system. All of the floation is behind you in the "wing." There are different size wings to give you more or less lift depending on buoyancy characteristics of tanks (double steel 104 vs a single AL 80, for example) and other equipment. The wing attaches to a back plate (BP) though which is threaded nylon webbing. It's an excellent system, but it's not superior to other streamlined systems available. Some say a BP/wing gives you better trim because of weight distribution. If we were inanimate objects, I would agree. Since we are not, I don't see a difference in trim characteristics. Overweighted divers will swim with their heads up, underweighted divers will swim with their heads down using any system.

Walter

[Coo's Toe]

Walter, just to make you feel better, I'm getting ready to try out a vintage BC in the lake tomorrow. It's bright orange, and comes complete with the emergenct CO2 rip-cord inflation system.

Michael, A backplate system is something you should check out if you're shopping for something different. It's a simple harness attatched to a stainless steel plate, with interchangeable air bladders ( wings ) with different lift capacities for different types of diving. Usually 27-30# for tropical diving with a single tank. The SS backplate weighs six pounds, so you can move six pounds off your belt, which will improve your trim and make you more streamlined in the water ( which helps conserve air, since you won't be working as hard ). If all your diving is in the tropics and you don't use much weight, you can also get lighter weight Aluminum plates. Another nice thing about BP's is you can buy new bladders as they wear out, or if your lift needs change, or if ( God forbid ), you get interested in heavy double tanks like I did, instead of putting the whole thing in the closet.

There's lot's of info online if you're interested. Halcyon, Dive Rite, OMS, and Oxycheq are some big names in the BP/wings field.