Back Plate And Wing vs Jacket Style BCD, Which Is The Right One?

Back plate and wing setups are becoming more common, so you might be wondering should you invest in a jacket style BCD or venture down the back plate and wing route.
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[@leedurham2528]

Hi guys I was a Padi instructor in the 70s , horse collars were the thing until Seatec came up with wings and later jacket style. US divers followed with the Sea Otter jacket BCD. State of the art stuff. Seapro made the Atpac which was a wing using a hollow back pack that you put lead shot in so no weight belt. It had it's problems in that you had to be vertical to jettison the lead ,and that sometimes didn't work either as the lead shot would solidify with use. The later wings were put into a stretchy outer shell which made the BCD very compact. Wings are outstanding for photography and lack of clutter. Divers here in new Zealand went through a stage of adding every bit of bling they could clip onto themselves, I tried to minimise. Another interesting BCD invented by David was the nautilus, it was a massive plastic "box" with integrated weights strapped on your back , by using an inlet and outlet valve water was enabled to enter and neutral buoyancy was set up much like a submarine . An automatic inflator on the system adjusted for any suit compression so absolute neutral buoyancy was maintained. It was a strange feeling to stop whenever and stay exactly there. Unfortunately it was like wearing a cooler box on your back and was hugely expensive. I am retired now but some things don't change , and that's our love for the sea.

[@kennethjmcarthur2428]

I had one of the first Atpacs in Canada. Still have it but don't use it. I like my Scubapro Hydros.

[@ddacombe4752]

best comparison ive come across, cheers

[@YZFoFittie]

Earned my like and subscription! This was the most helpful video yet for me. I'm only 2 dives after open water cert. Still renting everything, having trouble deciding on BCD because I can't rent a wing style to try out...

[@raymondclark1785]

Back around 1971 a guy in our Philly dive club put his horse collar on his tank to eliminate some straps. We all kidded him about who would buy a BC that floated you face down. Now I have two of them !

[@dkjens0705]

You can assemble your own BPW style BCD for US$200-300 these days, no need to pay US$1,000+ for a name brand, unless you are one of THOSE people. If you have children getting into diving, the BPW is infinetely adjustable, no need to buy new BCD for them every two years.

[@geemac44]

Great insight into the BCD jacket v Backplate Wings v Back inflate BCD’s options available for (in my case) recreational diving & without introducing CCR’s with its pros & cons. Thank you for providing informative and easy access content for divers😎🇦🇺👍

[@mikedavies4694]

My 1st, and only BCD I have used, is the Scubapro Hydros Pro. I have used that right from my 1st confined water dive in my OW class. (purchased it used from the owner of my LDS) Am very glad I went with the back inflate from the word go. Last night was my 53rd logged dive. OW last Aug and AOW 2 weeks ago. I did add one pocket to BCD and I have 1 pocket on my drysuit.

[@j.z.598]

Same here as regarding my OW certification. A few days after that I booked a boat dive and used rental gears. I was shocked how big the difference was between the Hydros Pro and the rental. I'm about to buy my first bcd and it's going to be a Hydros Pro. I'll do only recreational dives. The only thing I have to figure out is why the hydros tend to roll me during descend.

[@mikedavies4694]

@@j.z.598 just did my 337th dive this am. Still using the same Hydros Pro I started with. Although my cert level is now SDI Solo.

[@j.z.598]

@@mikedavies4694 Wow! 337th dive! Congratulations! I'll definitely buy the Hydros Pro! Some online opinions swayed me a little bit and I was researching the bp/w setup too but no more! Your 337 dives with same Hydros 100% convinced me! I wish you many more decades of joy diving into the blue word! Stay safe!

[@mikedavies4694]

@@j.z.598 I just dont pick up bcd by the straps. There is a built in handle. Lots of ppl complain straps will break at hinge on the Hydros. Those are the ppl who do not use the handle. Maintain and care for your gear and it will last. Buy once, cry once. I use a Shearwater too 😅.

[@mikedavies4694]

@@j.z.598 I ended up actually weighing my lead. One 10lb brick was 9lbs, 12oz, while the other was 10lbs 8oz. Differences like that will roll you. I used 2oz pencil fishing weights to equalize my weighting. Are you diving wet, or dry?

[@lydialeigh4]

Nice breakdown of the differences, pros, cons, etc.. Very helpful as I think about my next steps in dive training and equipment.

[@ScubaDiverMagazine]

Glad you found it useful.

[@kevingumfory]

If you plan on learning adv tech before doing a BUNCH of dives go with BPW .... wish I had right now.

[@abyssalreclass]

I did my open water with a backplate and wing (learned at a tech oriented dive shop) and see no reason to ever make the switch. The water is cold here so I'm diving in a dry suit, and between that and the undergarment, I don't really have any discomfort from it.

[@kenmh7357]

On the Dive Rite BCD, where do I put additional weight pockets?

[@D.H.CE_FL]

I started with a jacket style BCD but always wanted to upgrade to a BPW set up but didn't want to spend the money. Once my jacket died I replaced with a BPW and wished I would have bought it as soon as I'd learned about them.

[@johnwilliamsscuba6487]

Funny thing last year I went back to a jacket style

[@alistairharris7891]

Love my holis wing, would never go back to a jacket style bcd

[@397coney7]

I have dove both types and I like both types🤷‍♂️. In the 1980’s I used jacket style and never once had an issues with it. It was the Scubapro Classic. About 1993, I switched to back inflate. Same thing, it was fine and did its job. No complaints. 2007ish I switched to the combo style. Aqualung, I think it was Axiom....dont remember ethey change the names of these things a lot. Same😂. Did what its suppose to. Maybe Im just not picky? I dunno. I can use any type and be happy with it. Im actually on my second Aqualung Axiom.....maybe I like it best because I bought another one🤷‍♂️.

[@kenmh7357]

I hate jacket style BCD's and most rental equipment since I have my own gear. I have a Zeagel Stilleto which I love. May get a Dive Right instead since I only dive on Mexico vacations

[@jonnieinbangkok]

Me too...luv my Dive Rite TransPac...wouldn't dive with anything else.

[@ScubaDiverMagazine]

Mine has been through the wringer, and survived thousands of dives - and attack by errant mice in the garage - and is still going strong!

[@jonnieinbangkok]

@@ScubaDiverMagazine Mine over 15 years old...hundreds of dives...and still going strong 💪

[@Scxbah]

Can someone please tell me the name of the fins at 1.25?

[@jayremi4384]

What is this equipment you recommend at 9:46? Can you provide the link if any or at least the name of what it is?

[@shuntao3475]

Its a custom Backplate and Wing. No magic. We build these for customers all the time. We use different color webbing on all our training gear to help students Identify whos' is who's.

[@poppetrurazvan3900]

Manta rays are very dangerous. I had read that a small black sea, (pisica de mare), can sting trough a woode boat. Thank you!

[@ScubaDiverMagazine]

Manta rays while part of the same family as the sting ray don't have the same capacity to sting humans and are as such not dangerous.

[@397coney7]

😂😂😂Pretty sure this is sarcasm as Manta Rays have no stingers🤷‍♂️

[@andywaring12]

I find the surface safety issue of a backplate quite worrying, especially when boat diving where you may be on the surface in choppy conditions for some time waiting for a pick up. Fine, perhaps, if you’re fit and strong, but what about if you are dealing with an exausted/ill or otherwise compromised diver on the surface waiting for boat recovery - the risk of them rolling face down is high. Holding a dsmb can help but again, not if you are dealing with a casualty. In my view, not enough thought is put into this potentially very dangerous surface risk. I’d really value your thoughts?

[@shuntao3475]

Completely disagree, If you come to me with a Jacket, I will not train you for AOW or above. If you are properly trained diver, BP/W is a non issue. Why is your Regulator out of you mouth if you are a tired diver. You stated, face in the water.... Put your Regulator in your mouth. Daaa....... You are on the surface, 500lbs (in theory) will last forever, and if you are diving Nitrox a little extra, while very little, off gassing too. Jackets are designed and sold for the soul reason to have you buy new gear, period. I simple BP/W can outlast, Growth in height and waste line. It can be used from OW to Cave. OH... and BP/W can cheaper too. God Forbid you buy the best dive gear and it is inexpensive and last forever.

[@andywaring12]

@@shuntao3475 Yes. But it relies on "if you're a properly trained diver".

[@shuntao3475]

@@andywaring12 If you are not trained properly, you should not be on the charter.

[@lukem2889]

Regulator in your mouth or *gasp* you can always use your snorkel! 😂😂

[@originalkk882]

@@shuntao3475 "f you come to me with a Jacket, I will not train you for AOW or above" That must be the most stupid, ignorant thing I've ever heard on this subject. I've over 500 dives with my AP Valves Buddy jacket BCD from 1995. Like an armchair at the surface. I tried a wing at the start, and was never happy with the surface trim. Diving in rough conditions, you do not want to have to worry about continually being pushed onto your face. Clearly the main advantage of BPW is if you are planning on tech diving, especially with side-mounts.

[@darkzak47]

Thank you for this video! I used to dive in college but of course life, job and family interceded and I stopped diving for a while. Now my wife wanted to start diving so I'm sitting through the open water course with her again (NAUI). I have my advanced with PADI but I wanted this to be a couples thing and also for me to clean the rust off my diving. I'm a big guy, just shy of 300 lbs and previously had a Dacor Chameleon (yes, I'm that old) jacket style BCD. I was astonished just trying a simple harness in terms of freedom of movement but I know a lot of boat operators won't let you on if you don't have an actual BCD so I'm focused on stripping it down as much as I can. Jackets are comfortable but they do add some bulk and reduce your streamlined profile. They also feel restrictive. I want to find a place where I can try out those 'intermediates' between the backplate/wing and jacket style like the Rogue.

[@ScubaDiverMagazine]

Some dive sites and dive centres have tester days where you can test out their equipment in the water. They're not that frequent but, if you keep an eye on their social media pages and schedules you'll see if any are booked near you. Some do have wing style BCDs that you can test out, it's just a matter of asking around to see if anybody has one you can use in the water. A dive club is an alternative, I've tried out different BCD designs that a club member has let me use

[@billyteekel1230]

I’m basically hearing that the wing ain’t it for my rec style diving

[@shuntao3475]

I have only been diving for 20years and teacher for 5. To date still do not understand why we need Jackets, other then to keep selling gear to people that have good gear.

[@Gallienus53]

I was expecting someone to wear one rather than just waving the hands around & talking.