quick hybrid bc question

[sjmueller61990]

hello again everyone, i was talking with a friend who has been scuba certified for quite a while and uses a hybrid bcd, an aeris atoms LX which i believe is discontinued. he recommended it very highly because he said it gave you the move around ability of a back inflate but also gives you an easier time sitting on the surface like a jacket style. he said to look at the mares i believe dragon hybrid, and while looking around i found the profile hybrid, my only concern is that this would be me bcd to travel probably as well and they all look a little bigger on the weight than others. can anyone tell me how much bigger a hybrid is, or if im wrong and there compact. any other info on hybrid recommendations or pros and cons to them would help very much, thanks all.

 

[BuoyantC]

I used to dive the Aeris Atmos XT which I think you are reffering to. I really liked the comfort of it, although the durability just wasn't up to my expectations. I'm not familiar with the Mares model you speak of, but it looks similar. I am familiar with some Zeagle BCs and if you want a rugged and easy to pack bc you can't go too wrong there. They use a soft pack which is relatively light and very "packable". Besides that, they dive very well. True, they are back inflate vs a hybrid design, but the sitting on the surface issue is really not an issue. I use an old Ranger and my wife had an Escape for years before recently replacing it with the Stiletto.

 

[natew]

I really like my Mares Dragon BC. It is incredibly comfortable and has a huge amount of lift. However, for travel purposes I'm not really sure how it will do as I have yet to travel anywhere with it but it is a bit bulkier than many other BCs especially in a large size I figure when I do travel with it it will probably take up one half of my suitcase. The only plus along those lines is that I've found it folds in such a way that you can stick a regulator bag with regs/etc neatly over the top half and it rounds out the whole package very neatly into one square/rectangular bundle.

 

[Indian Valley Scuba]

For a truly easy to pack BC why don't you consider a backplate system? Lays flat, you can roll up the wing if you wish, and if you opt for the aluminum plate weighs less than most BCD's.

 

[sjmueller61990]

yeah the only reason i wanted something easy to pack up is for travel, i was kinda hoping to find something i could fold up and take with my carry on luggage. my reg, octo, dive computer and important things along that i would like on the plane with me so they dont lose it or anything. i was definatly looking into a bp/w system but just wanted to get some opinions on the hybrids and see what they were like, thanks everyone tho for the help

 

[ScubaNurse758]

I trained with the Profile hybrid by Sea Elite and ended up buying one when I came up on an offer I couldnt refuse. I wont lie, if you are looking for more streamlined and easy to pack BC's, I wouldnt put it at the top of my list. However, I have been very pleased with it overall, given that my diving so far has been either where I drove or cruised to, so I havent had any experience stowing one away.

 

[oldschool]

You may want to consider the Sherwood Avid. I've been diving with one for the past 6 years and really enjoy it. IMHO it is a well constructed BC providing plenty of bouyancy above and below the surface with ease in movement.

 

[Dragon Eye]

If you want a packable BC, go for a BP/W- I have a Hybrid- Oceanic Hera and that thing does not pack small even though it's a size small and it is weighy. Also considering a personal switch to a BP/W with drysuit diving to allow for more "breathing room" and better weight distribution.

Regarding the Hybrid- it does take some adjustment at depth to get a proper trim but after that you won't notice a difference from a traditional Jacket style BC.

 

[k ellis]

Zeagle makes a travel BCD thats I believe (Only from memory so I may be wrong) but its called the Zeus. It rolls up small enough for a lady to place in a handbag and very very light as well. I use a Zeagle Ranger LTD which is not exactly luggage friendly as it packs up rather bulky.

When you say Hybrid it kind of throws a mix into it as there are variations such as a cross between BCD and Travel BCD which is what sounds like your looking for and then there is a cross between BCD and Tech wing (BPW) such as the Zeagle Ranger LTD.

Keep in mind though when your looking for a travel friendly BCD its not going to be as rugged as a mid ranged BCD simply because you sacrifice quality for portable. Not saying a travel cant be durable but its like cars. You want good gas mileage its hard to get a truck that tows 11,000 pounds and gets 30 miles to the gallon too.....

 

[sjmueller61990]

k ellis- i deffinatly hear what your saying, right now its just hard deciding which way i want to lean. i would like an awesome well build durable strong bcd with all the bells n whistles but at the same time want to be able to carry it on a plane with me for travel, lord why do these things have to be so complicated lol.

anyone had really bad experiences with travel or does your luggage usually get there ok??