Back versus Vest

[utahfish]

Sorry....another beginner question. What's the big difference between a back inflated BCD and a vest style? And what are the "wings"... Thanks for the education!

[Splitlip]

I am gonna sit this one out for now. I will urge you however to not get caught up in the internet hype and phenom that is Back Plate and wings until you know what works for you. Use judgement.

[acamato]

This has been discussed before. Do a search and you will find many threads on the topic.

[MxDiver]

Take at look at this link:
http://www.scubamage.com/files/Selec...ion_Device.pdf
It will help you get on your way.

[DarinMartell]

I am by no means an expert. But here is how I see it:

Jacket / vest: The air bladder wraps around you kind of like a vest style life jacket. You are generally held in more of a vertical orientation. Great on the surface but not optimal while diving.

Back Inflate: The air bladder is just in back (like a wing), this holds you more horizontal. Great while diving but not great on the surface.

BPW: I am not even going to try to describe (don't want to get laghed out of here).

I started with a vest, after trying a back inflate I found I liked that so I switched.

[setesh]

Originally Posted by DarinMartell

I started with a vest, after trying a back inflate I found I liked that so I switched.

Me too, I now have a Ranger and love it. I agree that it's not as good as a jacket at the surface, but if you are properly weighted and don't have to overinflate the bladder then it's not that bad. You just have to kick a bit every now and then to balance out the tendency to stay horizontal. While under it helps to keep you horizontal since the entire buoyancy effect of the bladder is on your back. I also think that it's more comfortable. Adding / subtracting air to a jacket style BCD snugs / relaxes it's fit. With a back inflate it doesn't do this because the bladder doesn't wrap around you.

[acamato]

Originally Posted by DarinMartell

I am by no means an expert. But here is how I see it:

Jacket / vest: The air bladder wraps around you kind of like a vest style life jacket. You are generally held in more of a vertical orientation. Great on the surface but not optimal while diving.

Back Inflate: The air bladder is just in back (like a wing), this holds you more horizontal. Great while diving but not great on the surface.

BPW: I am not even going to try to describe (don't want to get laghed out of here).

I started with a vest, after trying a back inflate I found I liked that so I switched.

I just changed from a jacket to a BP/W. I haven't dove the BP/W yet. From what I have read, as long as you do not over inflate the wing on a BP/W or back inflate BC you will not be pushed forward as the surface.

[FishFood]

Originally Posted by acamato

This has been discussed before. Do a search and you will find many threads on the topic.

No offense, but that's a tad on the lame side and not helpfull at all. One could search for a while and not come up with a good answer if they don't know exactly what they want to know... Such as what exactly a wing is. A lot of talk about wings, but not much as far as what one is.


Anyhow, to touch a tad more on subject, simply put, a "wing" refers to the buoyancy device (the air bladder in simple terms) found with a "Backplate & Wing" (BP/W). The BP/W in it's basic form is just some sort of simple harness, and wing, and a backplate to tie it all together.

[MSilvia]

Originally Posted by utahfish

Sorry....another beginner question. What's the big difference between a back inflated BCD and a vest style? And what are the "wings"... Thanks for the education!

The big difference between a "vest" and "back inflate" BC is the placement of the air cell. As Darin said, the vest wraps around you, and the back inflate is behind you. Since the vest has a wrap-around bladder, it will tend to "hug" a diver when it's fully inflated. Some like the feeling of security this gives them, others dislike feeling constricted. That's a matter of personal preference.

While almost any BC can be adjusted to get the diver trimmed out (oriented in the water) the way they want, a back inflate BC is arguably better for maintaining horizontal orientation in the water, which reduces drag and therefore makes diving more efficient, which lets a diver use less air.

Some folks also find a significant difference in the way the various styles float a diver at the surface. I have not found that to be the case myself. Regardless of BC style, I can stay vertical, recline on my back, or float face down pretty easily. I suspect those who have trouble have their gear configured... well, I won't call it "wrong", but I will say it's probably different from what I do.

A wing is basically a back inflate BC bladder that isn't permanently attached to a harness. With some back inflate BC styles, including backplates, using a detachable wing allows a diver to choose a bladder that's appropriately sized and shaped for the gear they're using. As an example, I use a narrow wing with 30# of lift for single tank diving, and a wide 45# wing for heavy double tanks.

[Tully Mars]

Originally Posted by setesh

Me too, I now have a Ranger and love it. I agree that it's not as good as a jacket at the surface, but if you are properly weighted and don't have to overinflate the bladder then it's not that bad. You just have to kick a bit every now and then to balance out the tendency to stay horizontal. While under it helps to keep you horizontal since the entire buoyancy effect of the bladder is on your back. I also think that it's more comfortable. Adding / subtracting air to a jacket style BCD snugs / relaxes it's fit. With a back inflate it doesn't do this because the bladder doesn't wrap around you.

I've been using the same Ranger for the last 15 years or so. I love it. Any time I've ended up with a shop BC I feel less comfortable.