New to me BCD 💅⁠⁠Do you prefer a jacket style BCD or backplate & wing? ⁠

[@sebastianlauwers]

I switched to BP/W a year and some ago, and I’m never going back. Especially when you have large cargo pockets in the drysuit, the wing just makes so much sense. The modularity is also an amazing aspect. Singles, doubles, travel… it does it all.

[@AzulUnlimited]

I will definitely miss the pockets when I’m diving wet. That’s one of the reasons I have liked jacket style

[@pacificcoast101]

@@AzulUnlimited Whenever I dive wet, which is extremely rare I wear neoprene shorts over my wetsuit so I can still have cargo pockets.

[@AzulUnlimited]

@@pacificcoast101 That's a great solution

[@OceansCollin]

Backplate and Wing without question! Congrats on the new set up!

[@AzulUnlimited]

Thanks so much!

[@timgosling6189]

It is certainly possible to achieve perfect buoyancy and trim with a jacket BC but I find everything so much easier in a BPW set-up. It's so comfortable and you're just one with the rig.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Totally agree

[@Garrett__H]

I absolutely love my BP/W. I went from a Zeagle Ranger to an XDeep Zen. From the very first dive on it I could feel the difference in my trim. As I descended I distinctly remember thinking "oh this is nice... ohhhh... ooohhhhhh! this is incredible!" lol. Sooo much more comfortable.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Very nice :)

[@mahnkemachine3281]

I love my BPW. I dive a DiveRite TransPlate on my single setup, and a DiveRite TransPak on my doubles/twin set. The TransPak is a soft plate, but setup more or less the same as a BPW. Congrats on the new to you setup!

[@AzulUnlimited]

Thanks so much! Diverite is solid equipment 🤙

[@troybrown3959]

I got to meet Sarah today at Dema in New Orleans. What a pleasure can't wait to dive with her in Florida.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Yay!!! Can’t wait. Thank you for commenting🙏

[@BrentHollett]

I'm a big fan of the DiveRite HydroLite BC. It's a BPW style single stitched unit. Great for beginners like me who don't want to futz with setup but still dive wing.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Makes sense. Dive rite makes solid, affordable gear

[@bradallen5571]

Backplate and Wing hands down. I prefer the low profile type like the old Apeks style. Never dove a jacket I truly liked. Congrats on the wonderful gift. You obviously have some special people in your life.

[@AzulUnlimited]

The best people. I’m blown away by the kindness and generosity🥰💙

[@AzulUnlimited]

The best people. I’m blown away by the kindness and generosity🥰💙

[@snap4433221]

Backplate hands down for recreational diving. Had a couple of different BCDs and hybrids wings before switching to BPW and I spent so much money on stuff I don't need. Too much fluff, too many D-rings, too much lift, way too buoyant, hard to dry, hard to pack, ... It's all a marketing gimmick, you don't need 95% of those things. When going BP/W I'd also recommend skipping all those "comfort" harnesses - DIR setup looks intimidating and uncomfortable however it is anything but. I have both harness versions and prefer the DIR. Besides the perfect trim, the modularity really is amazing. Want to travel? Grab a soft plate or alu plate. Diving in cold water? Get yourself a stainless steel BP. Need more/less lift? You know the drill. The savings in the long run are unbelievable.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Great point. Too many people end up spending a lot of money on gear that isn’t appropriate for them. Thank you for sharing👏

[@willsmooth45]

BACK PLATE AND WING FOR LIFE ! I’ll never dive anything else

[@AzulUnlimited]

Hehe i get it!

[@spectrum04002]

I try not to be a BP&W fanatic but IMO it really is the way to go. I dove a Sherwood AVID jacket BCD for over 300 dives and it worked out well. Technical divers said I shouldn't be able to dive as I did with a jacket, go figure. My point in mentioning that is to say that diving in control with good trim is about weighting, weight placement, skills and fit. There are a lot of jacket (or integrated back inflate) BCD equipped divers that have a hard time because of poor fit, and there is only so much they can do. If the fit is right, the BCD format will not make or break the diver. When I started in 2005 local dive shops were not up to speed on BPW rigs, they were for technical diving. That never made sense to me. My wife never liked her Seaquest DIVA and was the first to drink the BPW Koolaid. She was instantly hooked after borrowing one for a dive. For me the AVID started to make less sense when I was diving in everything from trunks to a neoprene drysuit with some undergarments. When diving dry, that AVID was stuffed. It was also showing some signs of wear and jacket construction is not especially repairable. No sense waiting until it's too late. I got a Freedom back plate, Oxycheq wing and built my own harness. Included the tank straps I wanted, and trim weight pockets. I went with shoulder strap adjustments and releases, D rings where I wanted them, crotch strap, and I have been able to optimize it at will. Now I am able to tweak the fit regardless of what I wear and it has worked out great for me. IMO, skip any padding accessories and do not integrate weight, other than for trim on the top cam band. Put the lead on a belt, or better yet a weight harness.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Thanks for all this!

[@lyndycranson6786]

I use a jacket style BCD when working with OW students. I prefer a back plate and wing when I'm pleasure diving.

[@AzulUnlimited]

That’s what I was thinking I’d like to do 😁

[@cyborgpirate5882]

BP/wing for sure!

[@AzulUnlimited]

It’s the winning combo, it seems 😁

[@brandonscheer3151]

BPW for me. Switched a little over a year ago, never looked back. Even got my 13 yo son one for his birthday. HOG for us. Budget friendly with good quality.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Ah yes, i saw them at DEMA this year. Very cool 👏

[@gingerstrand6153]

I have the Hollis LTS, considering the Hollis BPW because the LTS doesn't have the weight capacity for my new drysuit!!yay!

[@AzulUnlimited]

The reality of drysuit diving 🤣😆

[@waltendaan6840]

We are diving with Xdeep Zen wings. And it gives us the best “just gliding” through the water experience.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Aka the best feeling in the world 🤓

[@richardstratford9419]

I use a custom made backplate when I dive with my DA aquamaster double hose and my scubapro stab jacket with my Poseidon regs

[@AzulUnlimited]

Nice. Thanks for sharing!

[@redolds231]

Back plate and wing. Or a back inflate bc if you like the pockets and and adjustable straps

[@AzulUnlimited]

Yeah when I’m teaching tropical I think I’ll still like a jacket just for the pockets 🤓

[@redolds231]

@@AzulUnlimitedahh good plan, and a back inflate still gives the advantage of a wing

[@davidscott5903]

Awesome! You have to dive the first time sometime. As long as you're comfortable night diving, then it's probably fine. Now diving your first night dive with unfamiliar gear would definitely be risky.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Totally. I just find that most divers wouldn’t be comfortable doing it so I added that tip🤣

[@davidscott5903]

@@AzulUnlimited Yeah, you're right. It is good advice! 🤙

[@mau8093]

I took my brand new BPW on my first two night dives ever and what ended up disappointing me was my regulator as it was breathing like an asthmatic child.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Huh… interesting

[@outloudadventures]

BPW for sure… course now I’m getting into side mount 🙂

[@AzulUnlimited]

Leveling up 🤓

[@OrenNoah]

BP/W all the way!

[@AzulUnlimited]

Nice 🤙

[@KWV68]

I'm happy with mine Aqualung Axion I3 😀

[@AzulUnlimited]

Nice!

[@YouTube_user3333]

Backplate and wing is far superior to a straight jacket 😂 The Hollis backplate and wing are awesome. I wouldn’t recommend anything else

[@AzulUnlimited]

I’ve been impressed so far!

[@janin6764]

Wing for me... I have one for single and doubles.. 🎉

[@AzulUnlimited]

Nice! Which one do you prefer?

[@janin6764]

@@AzulUnlimitedwell.. with drysuit I like doubles. Don't have to packso much leadin my pockets. But when I go somewhere warm I'd take just that single setup.... Again reason is that weight to carry and pay for in a plane etc...

[@jonathanfrank1189]

I’ve used both Depends on the diving I use back for better underwater and jacket for surface and what the rental place usually has. I’m used to back mounts due to the school and the fact that back mount was the style I learned on.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Makes sense!

[@roamingroamer7435]

Backplate and wing. I’m so used to it everything else seems so bulky.

[@AzulUnlimited]

I get it!

[@grantmacdonald4838]

If I must dive backmount (rare) then it's all about the BP/W

[@AzulUnlimited]

Yeah I prefer sidemount too 😁

[@gbsailing9436]

OOOOOHhhh please.....turn your phone sideways !!! I'm glad you got a new (2nd hand BCD) but it's super frustrating knowing there is so much going on outside the viewers frame which we can see, but would have been able to see if only people would turn their phones sideways!!! I will never buy or recommend ScubaPro ever again as in Australia they don't honour warranty and parts needs...They just don't care for their customers! As of now I'm shopping elsewhere. I suggest other divers do too!

[@AzulUnlimited]

Format is always hard bc I tend to shoot for KZbin videos but then sometimes need to turn them into shorts so this is what happens 🤷‍♀️ forgive me 😆

[@gbsailing9436]

You're forgiven ! But don't do it again! 👍🤣@@AzulUnlimited