BP/W negative points

[CompuDude]

There's a downside to bp/w?

(j/k)

Others have pretty much covered it. Incidentally, I'm a photographer with a bp/w and I don't have any trouble holding the position I want. I'd submit the person complaining didn't take the time to learn to dive their bp/w, and instead gave up when it was "different".

I put a Dive Rite bellows pocket on my waist band when I'm diving tropical. That covers the minimal gear I need for recreational diving in warm water. Else, in cold water, I'll wear x-shorts or my drysuit has pockets.

If you want to float vertically at the surface, they're not as good as jackets. Same for any rear inflate bc, however. I prefer to recline back anyway, so that's not a negative for me.

A bp/w does put the tank higher than most people are used to. There's a reason, however... you should be able to reach your valve in case of a problem. With regular BCs holding the tank a lot lower, you're in a world of trouble if you need to reach your valve.

The crotch strap is a non-issue. Takes one second to connect, and if it's sized right, you never even notice it when it's on. Even in a 3mm wetsuit. Maybe different in just shorts... I've never tried it in that state, though. In a 7mm wetsuit or drysuit, forget it, you'll never feel it.

It's true that they're not quite as easy to put on and take off. But for me, what's more important, donning and doffing for a few seconds at the start and end of the dive, or how it fits you while you're diving? I buy gear for hot it functions underwater. That's far more important than how it functions on land.

Shoulder staps on skin. I don't know. I've never worn a bp/w on skin, only over a wetsuit or drysuit. I suppose that may have some merit, but it only applies in the warmest of warm water diving, which is such a tiny portion of my diving it hardly matters. (and when I do it, it's 100% from a boat, so pretty much irrelevant since you're not hiking)

Plate on lower back? Something is not sized right or attached right. It's nearly impossible for the plate to touch your lower back, unless perhaps you have a super-tiny tank on a singles rig. I've heard some women complain about it hitting the top of their rear end, however... for those blessed with an overly-abundant "back porch". Kim Kardashian may want to consider other options. LOL

Difficulty assembling? Well, you only assemble once, generally. And only the complicated harnesses are complicated. Yup. Go figure.

No shoulder dumps. Actually, that's not true. Several DiveRite wings have pull dumps. I consider them a failure point and swap them out to standard hoses, however. Other wings, if it's that important to you, you could swap it the other way if you really want, and change a standard hose to a pull dump. Either way, this is a non-issue... and if you're diving in proper horizontal trim, the butt dump is more convenient and easy to use anyway.

[Grin]

I use the Hog harness, and I think putting the thing on, and taking it off is much easier than my old BCs. I can sling it over one shoulder and on much quicker and easily. I simply slip the shoulders over and grab onto my boats leaning post to pull myself up. With BCs the much more complicated shoulder straps pretty much eliminate my BP method. If I had the non Hog type harness I think it would be equal to a BC though. It's the uncomplicated simplicity of the Hog harness that makes the on and off thing so easy IMO. And when I surface people, always rush to try to help me remove my gear. But I slip one arm out and grab that to lift the entire thing off while standing up. It's great and too easy. I love it alot for just those two reasons. Not to mention being free now!
About the only thing I can see a BC doing better is possibly pockets. But I am thrilled to have no pockets anymore. And many BCs pockets would be considered a joke to me. But everyone does things different and there are alot of ways to get the job done.
And a improperly purchased/settup, BP/Wing would be just as screwed up as a wrong sized improperly bought/settup BC.

[Charles R]

Initially my only complaint was not having integrated weights, but I have all my weight centered over my body cause I have the weighted STA and love my BP/W. Pockets belong on your wet/dry suit

[ChrisA]

(2) The plate may add to much weight for tropical warm water diving where a wetsuit is not needed

Once you've been stung because you didn't have any exposure protection, you might reconsider whether there's more to a suit than keeping you warm. That said, I dive my steel plate with a thin microprene suit with no problem, and could switch to aluminium if it was.

I'm guessing from the photo that you are an average or bigger guy. And was this with an aluminum or a steel tank? Put a SS backplate and a steel tank on a smaller diver, maybe 5-2 and 110 pound female in just a dive skin. She'd be way over weighted. But they make aluminum backplates. Some divers like to have ditchable weight. So if you are diving with just the BP and no belt, may divers would not like that.

I'm not arguing against BP&W. The OP asked for "cons". So why are we all listing "pros"

I just thought of one more "con":

(7) A BP&W setup is more complex and costs more and has much more swiming drag then the simple "backpack". A know a few "backpack divers" and they do just fine and are so much more manouveavle and faster under water than I am.
Here is a picture of one
Scuba Tank Backpack for Standard Tanks: at JoeDiverAmerica.com
It doesn't get more "minimal" than this. No wing, no inflator hose. Just a tank straped to the driver's back.
It was "The Standard" up until about the 1970's and is still widly used. The idea is that you weight yourself perfectly. On the surface you will float at eye level because the wetsuit is not compressed and then at depth you are neutral. really the same exact thing as free diving. Both free divers and backpack scuba divers use "just enough" weight to stay down when down and up when up.

I'm waiting for conditions to improve to try one. It's been choppy and the surf has been up most of this year

So one more "con". Yes i've actually hear some backpack user point to a BP&W setup and say "man this is just to much stuff."

[CompuDude]

Originally Posted by ChrisA

So one more "con". Yes i've actually hear some backpack user point to a BP&W setup and say "man this is just to much stuff."

Just because Chris Grossman thinks that way doesn't mean he's right. LOL

[cummings66]

To be honest, I don't think there is a negative to it that can't be fixed somehow. A stock Hogarthian harness is harder to get on and off, but more secure when you're in it. If you don't like that harness design you can get the tricked out ones similar to what you see on jacket BC's.

I really like mine and personally the only thing about it that I wish is easier is getting in and out, but it's not hard enough that I would replace the harness with a tricked out one. No other drawbacks IMO.

[ianr33]

Originally Posted by ChrisA

Scuba Tank Backpack for Standard Tanks: at JoeDiverAmerica.com
It doesn't get more "minimal" than this. No wing, no inflator hose. Just a tank straped to the driver's back.
It was "The Standard" up until about the 1970's and is still widly used. The idea is that you weight yourself perfectly. On the surface you will float at eye level because the wetsuit is not compressed and then at depth you are neutral. really the same exact thing as free diving. Both free divers and backpack scuba divers use "just enough" weight to stay down when down and up when up.

How does that work with double 130's and a couple of stages?

Getting back to pockets,a pocket on the waistbelt can do double duty.
1) As a pocket. Duh!
2)As a convenient place to hook a long hose when diving without a can light.

[fire diver]

Originally Posted by ChrisA

I'm guessing from the photo that you are an average or bigger guy. And was this with an aluminum or a steel tank? Put a SS backplate and a steel tank on a smaller diver, maybe 5-2 and 110 pound female in just a dive skin. She'd be way over weighted. But they make aluminum backplates. Some divers like to have ditchable weight. So if you are diving with just the BP and no belt, may divers would not like that.

I'm not arguing against BP&W. The OP asked for "cons". So why are we all listing "pros"

I just thought of one more "con":

(7) A BP&W setup is more complex and costs more and has much more swiming drag then the simple "backpack". A know a few "backpack divers" and they do just fine and are so much more manouveavle and faster under water than I am.
Here is a picture of one
Scuba Tank Backpack for Standard Tanks: at JoeDiverAmerica.com
It doesn't get more "minimal" than this. No wing, no inflator hose. Just a tank straped to the driver's back.
It was "The Standard" up until about the 1970's and is still widly used. The idea is that you weight yourself perfectly. On the surface you will float at eye level because the wetsuit is not compressed and then at depth you are neutral. really the same exact thing as free diving. Both free divers and backpack scuba divers use "just enough" weight to stay down when down and up when up.

I'm waiting for conditions to improve to try one. It's been choppy and the surf has been up most of this year

So one more "con". Yes i've actually hear some backpack user point to a BP&W setup and say "man this is just to much stuff."

I know this thread was about cons...

But there is nothing "complicated" about about a BP/W, it DOES NOT cost more than MOST BCs, and it certainly doesn't have more drag than conventional BCs.

I'm happy to list problems with equipment, becuase nothing is perfect, but don't add falsehoods.

As for the "backpack" lets stick to modern equipment here.

[frogman159]

Originally Posted by MSilvia

[That's true... there are still a lot of folks out there that assume anyone diving a backplate is either a tech diver or some sort of a wannabe. It's not true, but it's a common assumption.

So True- Showed up to my OW class with BP/W setup my instructor was totally cool with using it in class.

The second class I was there early and we were talking and he goes "So, intrested in Tech diving eh? Been reading some of those tech magazines?"

I'm like, no, 1. I can fit my whole rig in a carry on bag 2. It very more versitile than a jacket.

[FishFood]

I sold my old Scuba Pro KnightHawk and bought a compete BP/W setup for about $50 out of pocket. A BP/W CAN be more expensive, but it in no way has to be.