Sure any and all bc aren't USCG approved as a pfd but a vest will keep your face out of the water, especially when compared to rear/back inflation. By any chance can you tell me how to wear a pfd with a bc?
Sure any and all bc aren't USCG approved as a pfd but a vest will keep your face out of the water, especially when compared to rear/back inflation. By any chance can you tell me how to wear a pfd with a bc?
Originally Posted by hbh2oguard
By any chance can you tell me how to wear a pfd with a bc?
VERRRRRRRRY CARFULLLLLLLY!!!!!!!
Surface Floating Issue
Just a quick post, to say I had similar surface issues with my new Seaquest Balance BCD last August, but stuck 2 lbs in the non dump pouches at the back (1lb in each)..and it seemed to fix the problem.
And as said elsewhere here, you dont need to fully inflate either.
Hope this helps.
From my own perspective I had a jacket style (I'll call it a BCD for simplicity) before moving to a wing. I really liked my BCD with its pockets and I never found it to be an issue with being cluttered ......... now I have a wing but I have a pocket pouch on the waist band!
In the UK I wear a dry suit all year round and that is what I use for buoyancy during the dive so the BCD/wing is to hold the cylinder(s), give me lift on the surface and to provide backup under water.
When I moved to twin 12 ltr cylinders my BCD didn't have enough lift to support me at the surface so I bought a wing.
In short, IMO, if you are single cylinder diving then a BCD is fine. There are some really good designs out their that don't squeeze you when fully inflated and keep the gas where it should be to support you at the surface.
Over inflating a wing can push you forward with a single cylinder and moving your weight about can help ease the issue.
If you don't have lift issues then stick with what you've got ....... unless you want to buy some new dive kit.
Also, people say wings give you better under water trim but I've never really found that to be an issue whatever I've used ........
Certainly, from a UK perspective, BCD's were for singles (plus ponies) and wings for more weight/cylinders. I have noticed more wing style BCD's in the mags but whether than is fashion led or there is any need for it .......... ?
[EDIT]I misread the opening post so most of the above is not relavant but I'll add - if suffering "tipping forward" on the surface put some lead at the back of your cylinder (unless you get into tight spaces) or in relevant trim pockets .....
Last edited by Finless; 06-09-2007 at 10:23 PM.
Thanks to all
After going back and forth I decided on the Back Inflate (Sherwood Axis) I appreciate all the input. Trip to Catalina on the 24th to try it out. This should be interesting.
Apologies if I am "teaching Granny to suck eggs" ut I would recommend a session in the pool, shallow water somewhere to get your trim and weighting correct for the new gear - no point spoiling a 'proper dive' by swimming around nose down in the silt ot having to walk along the sea bed!After going back and forth I decided on the Back Inflate (Sherwood Axis) I appreciate all the input. Trip to Catalina on the 24th to try it out. This should be interesting.
I tried that PFD/BC combo this weekend, but I ran out of places to put the 50 pounds of lead I needed to get under...
Back Inflate or Vest
Back inflate almost always put you in the water when you start and if you are unconscious. Something to consider, but thats the way I dived and I love it. No mess on the forehead, or press, if you breathe.
what if you don't breathe?
I LIKE MOST STARTED WITH A JACKET BCD. WHY THAT IS WHAT THEY HAD TO OFFER AT THE LDS. OOPS. then attempts to do something productive reveiled tht the inflation negated the pockets usage in the vest. I then went to a trans pac and found that i did not have the binding that was there in the vest. good feeling. except for the face in the water thing . a bit of adjustment and that problem became history. my bouyancy becamme pretty good considering the weight was still on my waist. i now have gone to a bp/w and have the needed weightin the center of my torso instead of at the bottom of it. . i think any type will work. however you have to look at what you are giong to do now and what you may do with it in the future. 500.00 plus for a change of mind is expensive. i would recommend you look into some of the dir areas as well as the bouyancy areas. the latter is most important. i am not dir one way fits all extreemist. but the basic comcepts of dir is sound. just not everyones cup of tea i guess one could say. the more you move to the bp/w the more virsitility you find you have. also look into hogarthian diving. perhaps some reaserch into the gue/ fundimentals and skills developemnet stuff.
when you look into some of this , look for the reasons things are done the way they are and decide what you need to achieve your needs. not only is this a vest or bp question but it is more an issue of what will serve you the best. sizing for instance is important. with a vest you have s/m/l 30-40-50 lb lift. you put on a few lbs and the lift is not right or the vest does not position the lift correctly and then you are the michileen man. wet suit or dry suit has different lift requirements. unless you put all these things into the equation it will be hard to arrive at the right answer for you. for me i have a bp/w i have 2 wings, one for doubles and another for singles i have additonal bp weights for the bp for dry suit diving. now fresh water salt water and wet dry suit single or doubles have 8 different combinations possible. with out the bp/w i may need 3 or more jacket bc's and a ton of weight to accomplish the variations that the single bp/w can provide. of course this is all moot if you are always going to dive in 30 ft of 80 degree fresh water.
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