Opinions needed

[FreediveWI]

I have to agree with Matt and Scubert.
I started with a horse collar BC many years ago. These were awful and I switched very shortly after that to a back mounted BC. Back mounted BC's are the best way to dive a drysuit- which you will be doing if you continue to dive in Wisconsin. They also allow you to set your "trim" in the water with much more ease.

I used Zeagle BC's for many years and used to really love their stuff- so much so, that I even named my dog "Zeagle" ;D.

Eventually, my Zeagle BC's just started falling apart. I had weight systems fail and the whole thing is very flimsy compared to a Diverite or Halcyon. I dive more than most, but I was still becoming increasingly unsatisfied with standard BC's.

I then switched to a Diverite Transpac for a few years. It was nice, but too sloppy for doubles and didn't pack as small as I wanted for travel. It also had the problem of trapping air in all of the extra padding that was stiched into it.

I had been using a back plate and wing for doubles and eventually bought a Halcyon Pioneer 27# wing for single tank diving. This is the BEST single tank BC I have ever owned. It packs smaller than my wife's Zeagle Scout BC- which is very small to start with. It has better bouyancy characteristics than a standard BC because it allows the air bubble to migrate wherever it want's- make sure you get the 27# and not the 18# for that feature.

If you really plan on doing any more advanced type of diving you must have a backplate and wing. They are the least cluttered and when you start stacking up 80's under your arm and hooking in scooters and light packs you'll really learn to appreciate this fact . Plus, I have found no smaller BC for warm water travel.

Stay away from the goofy, overpriced stuff like Deepoutdoors, OMS, and the Transpack. Go with a basic backplate and take the time to set the harness correctly. It only costs a few bucks for the webbing and you can customize the back plate to anyone. This might be bad news for divestores who make more money selling overpriced fluff, but it is good news for you because it is less expensive and much more durable. Taking the time to setup the harness will pay for itself in no time. There are many sites on the web that will describe how to do this, or go to a properly trained tech instructor to see it first hand.

Jon