BCD Surface Support

[SteveD]

Do sports wings such as the CustomDivers TBK of the Buddy TEK Lite provide
the same comfortable upright position on the water surface as a jacket bcd?

Thanks for any advice.



(Still learning absolutely tons from the divers on this site, as well as being
entertained especially the conversation with the Yank was funny I think he was a good sport in the end)

[Steve Grrr]

The received wisdom is that wings don't hold you face up and stab jackets do. Personally I wouldn't rely on either case being absolutely true - but I think it's fair to say that a stab is more likely to float you face up if you are unconscious.

Steve

[PeteM]

The received wisdom is that wings don't hold you face up and stab jackets do. Personally I wouldn't rely on either case being absolutely true - but I think it's fair to say that a stab is more likely to float you face up if you are unconscious.

Steve

Agreed - however the original poster was asking about comfort which implies concious, in which case I would say providing you do not over inflate the wing then a wing is perfectly stable and because of the inherent advantages of a wing more comfortable. If it is calm I tend roll over on my back on mine and just lie there like I am on a lilo

[Nigel Hewitt]

Agreed - however the original poster was asking about comfort which implies concious, in which case I would say providing you do not over inflate the wing then a wing is perfectly stable and because of the inherent advantages of a wing more comfortable. If it is calm I tend roll over on my back on mine and just lie there like I am on a liloI think the whole "Wings throw you on your face" story is from using a wing with a single cylinder where it is a fashion accessory not a diving decision. Wings work well with twins and other bulky stuff but the waist-coat style BCD suits singles.

[Steve Grrr]

Agreed - however the original poster was asking about comfort which implies concious

Fair enough. I find both equally comfortable - but I do miss the big pockets of the stab when I'm using my wings.

Steve

[PeteM]

Fair enough. I find both equally comfortable - but I do miss the big pockets of the stab when I'm using my wings.

Steve

I've got a Commando with nice big pockets. They are great except everything you want to stay in them falls out and everything you want to either put in them or take out of them you can not :p

[SteveD]

Thanks Guys,

I wanted to try and save money by only buying one to do both but from what I've read recently, if youre diving with one cylinder use a jacket style
and if your diving with two get a wing thats designed for two. I've got a very old commando which was given to me which I have finished my sports diver with but it is really to small to continue with, so I think best bet is ebay for a cheapo jacket bcd for another 12 to 15 months until more experienced to move on.

Any different opions please let me know :)

[Richard Whitcombe]

Ive got the full tekwing and dive it with single 10s to 15s and havent found it tips me forward at all with any configuration. Its also great to lie on very comfortably while awaiting pickup.

Ive also used a diverite recwing with a single 12 and again no issues.

Apparently some can do it if fully(over) inflated - simple solution would appear to be dont fully inflate it - if its a big wing and a single tank then you dont need it anything like full !

[ChristianG]

Do sports wings such as the CustomDivers TBK of the Buddy TEK Lite provide
the same comfortable upright position on the water surface as a jacket bcd?
I got my first wing sometime around 1992 - matter of fact it's still my wing, it just hasn't given up. What wing? A small local manufacturer so I got it custom made and didn't have to worry about things like cummerbunds which I happen to think are the work of the devil.

Mine are set up so that I can use the thing with either one or both my steel tanks. The changeover is really easy and almost bullet/idiot proof but I have been known to sometimes forget to remove the weights from their pouches when in twin tank mode.

Personally I wouldn't ever wear a STAB or ABLJ or whatever again. I find a wing just so much more comfortable. However, just like every other bit of kit, it has its pros and its cons. In my case the pros far outweigh the cons.

Cheers,

Christian

[SteveD]

Thanks Richard and Christian just the advice I needed to put my mind at rest
that I wasnt going to be buying something that wasnt going to work for me. My target is to be using twins on a regular basis wreck diving in british waters (live near Pembrokeshire Coast) so the jacket bcd is not likely to get a look in.

Thanks again
Steve

I'd put one of them thumbs up icons on but still cant figure out how

[Woz]

This is what happens when you fully inflate stuff:

ABLJ
All the buoyancy is at the front. You couldn't lie and relax on your front if you tried.

STAB
Some buoyancy is under your arms. This gives you a good chance of ending up on your back. The cylinder, as the jacket inflates, starts to lift out of the water and acts as a counterweight, which combined with the lift from under your arms, tends to hold you vertical ish, depending on design.

WING
As these have lots of buoyancy, unless the cylinders are big and heavy to counterbalance the lift, they will have a tendency to pitch you forward if over inflated.

[SteveD]

Woz,

That was a brilliantly simple to understand description of how the different bc types behave on the surface, I'm sure a lot of novices will appreciate it.

My next question is about tanks and will post soon to draw from the fountain
of knowledge gushing from the forums. (poetic eh) but true.

Thanks again

[Ben Panter]

Have a go with this Steve:

BSAC Diving Wiki - Buying a Cylinder (http://www.bsacforum.co.uk/wiki/index.php?title=Buying_a_tank/cylinder)

cheers,

Ben

[SteveD]

Firslty thanks to Ben Panter for the link I've read it and will still have plenty of queries about choice of cylinders.

In the mean time you guys will hate me for this as I've one more query about BCD's.Thanks to Woz I can better fully understand how they work, but what I dont figure is these 'Sports Wings' which seem to give the advantage of a wing but dont appear to be as interchangible as a true wing ie. a simple harness with back plate and wing bladder attached which can be easily interchange to suit the divers needs.

It's almost that the sports wings are the same as a jacket BC that you can add a redwing to such as the Buddy Commando. From what I can figure it seems all about comfort, in that the 'Sports Wings' comes with extra soft back packs, padded harness, cumerbands ect.

Is there really that much difference in the comfort between a 'Sports Wing' and a made up wing (ie webbing, back plate and bladder)? apart from cost.

Thanks again Steve (tight git who wont part with his money until 100%)

[PeteM]

Is there really that much difference in the comfort between a 'Sports Wing' and a made up wing (ie webbing, back plate and bladder)? apart from cost.

Sport Wing = BCD that is vaguely like a wing so they can market it to wannbe techies and charge more money for it

Wing = simple air cell that used in conjunction with a back plate and harness is the best buoyancy solution for twinsets

[SteveD]

Thanks Peter M

Is there really a big difference between the 'Sports Wings' with all the comfort factor, as mentioned befor, ect...compared to a tek wing ie harness,backplate & bladder?

[PeteM]

Thanks Peter M

Is there really a big difference between the 'Sports Wings' with all the comfort factor, as mentioned befor, ect...compared to a tek wing ie harness,backplate & bladder?

No Problem Stephen D

the pretend wings being really a BCD are likely to be slightly easier to get a comfortable position on the surface, but a really wing is not uncomfortable. My wife who does like her creature comforts loves her wing.

I would say if you are going to be diving a twinset then save yourself some money and give yourself more flexibility by buying proper wing/backplate/harness combo.

[SteveD]

Thanks Peter, That's soreted it for me, I've just got to part with my money now.

Thanks again

[John Bantin]

Remember that the part of the buoyancy cell that is out of the water when you are floating at the surface contributes nothing to lift at this time. The air tends to migrate to the highest point so if there is a possibility the top part of the wing will be filled first. A conventional style BC that has its buoyancy cell low down, with nothing above the shoulders, will be more effective. Some wings (eg Buddy Trident) do NOT have any part higher than the shoulders. Others (OMS and DiveRite Superwings) position a lot of air in the buoyancy cell high out of the water - so bear in mind when comparing maximum lift figures. That is why when we do comparative tests at Diver Mag we measure the height of the test-diver’s mouth above the surface.

[jim oldham]

I have dived a 15L and pony with my Seac Sub Pro 2000 quite a bit, but I bought a Buddy Tekwing, because it is lighter than my BCD, for travelling abroad, and I can use it for singles and twin independent 10's, or 12's when used with the twinning bands. It offers a great deal of versatility and does not throw me face down when using singles, because I band 1KG to the tail end of the tank. Did I also mention that it only cost £150.
I just wish I had bought this first, instead of the BCD, and then I could have spent the remaining £150 on other dive gear, or diving. I am redoing the harnes though.
JIm.