What are the benefits of a BP/W?

[hoop]

Hey folks, I'm wondering what the advantages are of having a back plate..?? I'm basically a rec diver, and am diving with a 8 year old Oceanic Chute II BC, which has served me well. Just seems like a lot of folks are going with a backplate these days, and I really don't understand why......

[Jaymeany]

This is interesting
What made you switch to a BP/W?

I kind of split the difference with a back inflate bcd.

[subsur]

check scubaboard.com they have lots of well worded posts about exactly this question.
just to mention some advantages -
1. it's a modular system you can add/remove components to your specs, therefore it is very versatile set-up;
2. you remove some weight off your belt do to lack of extra stuff;
3. you can dive with 2 tanks;
4. if one component breaks down or gets worn out - you can simply get a new one rather then buying a whole new BC;

[cgvmer]

A BP/w is very flexible in size, can be adjusted from the largest to the smallest with just the changed of a length of harness.
No squeeze caiused by a wrap around jacket.

[fire diver]

A backplate won't wear out. It's a 1/4 inch of AL or SS. The harness can be what you want. Either a simple, single strap or and adjustable style like conventional BC's use. You can use it for single tank or doubles diving. It's designed to be used with a crotch strap to prevent it from riding up around your ears on the surface. If you don't like it, you don't have to install it. You can use what ever sized wing you need for your diving. You can change tank sizes and wings, and still have a harness that fits perfectly. Want pockets? put em on. Don't want waist belt attachments, leave em off. Want pink, purple, red, blue, etc. colored wings and or harness? They're available.

Basically a BP/W can be as much or a little as you want it to be.

FD

[Darthwader]

Ditto to all the above. as a newb, as well as a history nut, I was drawn to my comfort harness for it's versatilty and the nostalgia. I figure I'll never "need" another BC and I also figured (right or wrong) that a BP/W preceded the "BCD" in evolution. at least that was my logic anyway.

[cummings66]

I like mine because it's simple, very few things to go wrong and is streamlined. It's like diving with nothing on, there's no constricted feeling like you get with many jacket bc's and it's easily adjusted to fit you.

I like the fact that within a couple minutes it can be setup for doubles or singles, DSS makes that extremely simple to do. It's easy to trim out as well, for example I just recently started diving with a wetsuit instead of a drysuit and within a couple dives I got it where I need, and I only use 4 lbs of lead with a 7mm wetsuit in freshwater. (Not everybody can do that) For comparison when I used a jacket BC I used 16 lbs of lead for the same wetsuit. BP is 5 lbs, I switched to steel tanks so I got to take off 6 lbs of lead and I use 4 lbs now. That's a total all up weight of 9 lbs. That brings up the point that because there's only the wing you don't have all that padding adding up to something that floats and needs lead to make it sink. So doing the math 5+6+4 that gives you 15 lbs and I've been told a normal BC needs a lb or two to make it neutral so you can see that by going steel and BP/W I've cut my weight a lot.

PS, if you went steel HP 100's the tanks aren't going to weight any different than the AL80's you've been diving, at least you won't feel it because the difference is very small.

[FyVe]

i dove with someone that was using a trans-pack this weekend, and for one, the lack of bulk seems to be very beneficial. when we walked down the beach to start the dive, he looked comfortable, and afterwards i asked him about it, and he said that his tank doesnt move at all on his back while he'r walking with it.
me with a BC that fits fine, kind of feel what the tank does.
as everyone will mention, the whole streamline thing as well.

[willardj]

The best thing I like about my BP/W is comfort and flexability. I only wish I switched a long time ago.

[Black-Gorrilla]

i heard my order has come together and is awaiting my call with a CC# to ship it to me transplate next weekend. hurrai!!