BCD to BP/Wing ???? Opinions please

[cyclone3565]

I have been diving for years, going from a Zeagle Ranger to a Mares Icon, which I what I have been diving for the past couple of years.
In fresh water I use 4 pounds or so and in salt I use 8 or 10, depending on my mood. I have been looking at changing to a simple backplate and wing (the 30# setup that ST is selling). Divers who dive with a backplate and wing swear by them and it would make the package much smaller. I would probably go with the aluminum plate, wing, and harness.
Here are my questions:
What benefits from a streamlined aspect will I gain?
I don’t want to go to a weight belt, are there any good options?
Is this change worthwhile considering its cost? (I know this is a loaded one!!)

[DMWiz]

Originally Posted by cyclone3565

Here are my questions:
What benefits from a streamlined aspect will I gain?
I don’t want to go to a weight belt, are there any good options?
Is this change worthwhile considering its cost? (I know this is a loaded one!!)

1. The sheer difference in bulk being reduced going from most BCs to a plate & wing is very significant. Simply it's just a smaller package moving through the water.

2. If you dive with 8-10 pounds in salt water you could consider a SS plate of 6 pounds and then 2-4 pounds in XScuba pockets either on the cam bands or the waist. If you are dead set on the AL plate they weight anywhere from 2 to 3 pounds so you could still add another 5 to six pounds of lead using XScuba pockets. Either way you may want to consider the weight belt option with a few pounds of weight is not as cumbersome as a fully loaded belt.

3. To me the change was more by mistake than actual research, I began diving a BP&W because I wanted to dive doubles. I was perfectly happy diving singles with my BC and had no issues. Ignorance is bliss they say.
Once I tried the BP&W I liked so much I began to dive singles with it too. So for me the cost wasn't really a factor I already had most of the pieces.

For most people who have issues with buoyancy and trim problems a BP&W could solve the problems, but so could a properly fitted BC. The difference is that because of the modularity of the BP&W there's a large chance it will fit any diver properly where the off the rack BC would not fit everyone properly.

So my suggestion, if you're happy diving single tanks with what you have and have no issues there's no reason to change. I you, however, have money that is burning a whole in your pockets I'm sure Larry and Joe would be happy to transfer it to their pockets so you don't suffer anymore

[navyhmc]

Originally Posted by cyclone3565

Here are my questions:
What benefits from a streamlined aspect will I gain?

It's been my experience that a BP/W will aid in making you a bit more stream lines. What are you planning? Single or Doubles? You lose a lot of stream lining with doubles, but a BP/W is still about as stremalined as you can get save going to a minimalist set up.

I don’t want to go to a weight belt, are there any good options?[/quote]

There are a good number of weight pouches available if you need it. From your description, you won't need a lot of weight to begin with.


Is this change worthwhile considering its cost? (I know this is a loaded one!!)[/quote]

I thought it was. I'm able to customize my weight with SS vs. Al, I use a 2 lb STA with a single so that helps, Plus, when I go to doubles, or back to singles, I've got a choice of wings to use so I don't have to worry about too much lift and I can maximize my streamlining

[cyclone3565]

Thanks for all the great feedback. I have no issues diving with a BCD I just hate the bulk of it for traveling, not that we travel a lot. I also thought it might help my air consumption (I am a borderline air hog), I guess years of working around dust and aspestos will do that. I am always looking for way to make myself more streamlined, to help with the air. What will I use it for. Singles, recreational, dive mastering, having fun. I don't plan on any tech stuff, mainly lakes and blue water. I would be using it with my drysuit as well, probably, maybe would consider keeping a BCD for that, have not decided. The weight is an issue, I hate weight belts, even though there are times I have to wear them in class.

Thanks again, for all the great input.

[Flatliner]

Originally Posted by cyclone3565

Thanks for all the great feedback. I have no issues diving with a BCD I just hate the bulk of it for traveling, not that we travel a lot. I also thought it might help my air consumption (I am a borderline air hog), I guess years of working around dust and aspestos will do that. I am always looking for way to make myself more streamlined, to help with the air. What will I use it for. Singles, recreational, dive mastering, having fun. I don't plan on any tech stuff, mainly lakes and blue water. I would be using it with my drysuit as well, probably, maybe would consider keeping a BCD for that, have not decided. The weight is an issue, I hate weight belts, even though there are times I have to wear them in class.

Thanks again, for all the great input.

If you are going to wear it with a dry suit consider the SS back plate. I am slightly negative when diving single tank but it hasn't been an issue at all. It's great not to have to wear so much wt with the DS though.

I would consider keeping a BC for classes though.

[DMWiz]

Originally Posted by cyclone3565

Thanks for all the great feedback. I have no issues diving with a BCD I just hate the bulk of it for traveling, not that we travel a lot. I also thought it might help my air consumption (I am a borderline air hog), I guess years of working around dust and aspestos will do that. I am always looking for way to make myself more streamlined, to help with the air. What will I use it for. Singles, recreational, dive mastering, having fun. I don't plan on any tech stuff, mainly lakes and blue water. I would be using it with my drysuit as well, probably, maybe would consider keeping a BCD for that, have not decided. The weight is an issue, I hate weight belts, even though there are times I have to wear them in class.

Thanks again, for all the great input.

Have you consider steel tanks or a weighted STA? Also, do you not use a weight belt with a BCD and a dry suit?

I only use enough weight on a belt to keep me neutral w/o my rig on which is usually a couple of pounds but I don't use heavy exposure protection.

[cyclone3565]

Thanks again,

no I don't even own a weight belt. The only time I wear one is for demonstration purposes.

[DMWiz]

I know you didn't ask about this, but have you considered what would happen should you need to remove your rig at depth?

I'm not trying to lecture you or anything remotely close to that since I sometimes dive w/o a belt too, but I'm almost neutral even in salt water w/o my rig and a thin wetsuit.

[cyclone3565]

I have removed it for both demonstration and to cut it out of fishing line in a lake, no problems. I just hang on to my BCD.

[CompuDude]

An Aluminum backplate is about 2# negative. Also, most recreational BC's are about 1-2# positive. So by going from a BC to an aluminum bp/w, you're likely to need anywhere from zero to two lbs of weight on your rig. Easily accomplished in any number of ways, easiest is probably a couple of XS Scuba pockets threaded onto the waist belt. In salt water, again, 8-10 lbs now will drop by 2-4 lbs, so the few remaining pounds you'll need can easily slip into those same weight pockets.

Since you're already in a back inflate BC, the biggest difference you're going to notice with a bp/w is the freedom of having nothing on your chest. A good bp/w harness is so much more minimalist than a BC it's not even funny... it's like you're barely wearing anything.