DucatiGuy
Registered
Hey guys, foremost, I want to start off by saying HI and extend a huge amount of gratitude to all of you who have filled this forum with the vast amount of info and scuba related knowledge. This forum, and all of you have been a huge influence on the gear and choices I have made over the past few weeks with the new gear I’ve purchased.
With that said, I want to bring to everyone’s attention the XDeep Ghost Deluxe edition BCD which although I heard a lot of good things about, was deprived of consistent feedback. Not so much that people loved it or hated it, but more so with misinformation or the lack of on its actual “real life” specs. There were also almost no "real life" images of the unit, other then those supplied by the manufacture. Way to may opinions, and no solid facts.
Now before I go any further, because let’s face it, this is my first post, and every forum has its share of haters or skeptics, I have no affiliation with XDeep, a dive shop, or any other Scuba related agency or manufacture. I am not here to sell or promote you anything. I am just your average Joe-diver here to hopefully pass on some useful information to anyone whom may be interested in this BCD.
I first saw the XDeep Ghost on a recent trip to Hawaii. I was immediately drawn to its minimalistic European influenced design, which I’m sure you all will agree, is one sweet looking BCD. After a few minutes in my hands, I felt like a teenager again making out for the first time. I didn’t want to put it down!
It felt light, but nothing that made me say WOW, and it appeared to be built well with top-notch material. The only downside that I could see was the price tag. At right around $750 (delivered) for the deluxe edition with the optional weight pockets, it’s not a cheap BCD by any means. Some have chimed in and stated for a “technical oriented BCD” it’s a good price, but let’s face it, there are cheaper options out there.
So I went on to do some research, which is what brought me here in the first place, to figure out whether or not it was worth the $$$, and IMO it is. Here’s why…
A: I love the way it looks!…
We (well, most of us) don’t buy a new car, bike, or most anything else as a matter of fact, because we don’t like the way it looks. The XDeep is a badass looking BCD, and I find myself acting like an ambassador to the company whenever anyone see’s it for the first time. People, like I was, are simply drawn to its design. It gets everyone’s attention, from both avid divers to those whom never have seen a BCD before. It breaks the ice, and people start talking. Having only owned it a short while, I've already met a bunch of great people soley becuse they wanted to know "who makes that" or "where I got it from".
B: I love the build and material quality!…
There’s little anyone can say to knock on the build and material quality of the Ghost. It’s a solid piece of Scuba equipment, with some the highest grade build components available. While I can’t for the love of me see a difference between the 1100 grade Cordura used on the Ghost and the more conventional 1000 grade used by most others, it’s obviously stronger and more durable. That naturally translates into longer service life.
C: That back plate!...
The infamous and mysterious Ghost back plate! The Mona Lisa of back plates! The manufacture advertises it as aerospace-grade alloy, and I’ve heard it referred to as nothing but plain Jane aluminum, to solid titanium, or a mixture of the two. Being a Metallurgist for the precious metal industry, it wasn’t hard for me to determine what it was actually made of. Using non-destructive XRF technology, I was able to scan the metal and determine it is in fact made in majority of the follow; approx 24.17% Titanium, 13.13% Nickel, 8.90% aluminum, 8.75% Iron, 8.37% Chromium, 7.43% Cadmium, 6.75% Manganese, 5.33% Palladium, 3.88% Tin, and 3.54% Rhodium. So what does this mean to you and I? These elements in such increments form an excellent strength to weight ratio alloy, with superior anti-corrosion properties. As advertised, this combination of elements, albeit some higher than others for certain applications, are in fact what is being used in today’s aerospace grade alloys. Bang for buck, it doesn't get any better that this!
D: Comfortable!…
The deluxe version of the Ghost, complete with the medium weight pockets attached, weighs in at a respectful 6.451 lbs. That weight is naturally higher than the advertised weight, since the unit they have advertised is the standard version (without the deluxe straps and quick disconnect buckles) and without the optional weight pockets (which are available in two sizes, medium and large). At a little under 6.5 lbs it is still by any standards a super lightweight BCD, but once again, I’m not wowed by the weight numbers. I’ve seen and worked with similar BCD’s weighing in at near same weights, give or take .5 lbs. But what this BCD does have over the others, is a higher level of comfort when on. The ergonomic design of the back plate, and location of the harnesses / clips, makes it easy to put on and off. Unlike much of its competitors, the BCD seems to actually loose weight, once on. It distributes it that well. I’ve also heard many people state the waist belt is too damn high, when compared to others. It may appear that way in the pictures, but once properly fitted, it’s really not. It falls comfortable across my waist, but this will vary from person to person (body to body).
E: The Crotch Strap…
This is a grey area, because for many, due to various and sometimes obvious reasons (lol) a crotch strap is a love or hate relationship. I’ve had people swear they’re terrible, but have never actually tried it in the water. I for one, believe in this particular setup, it adds a valuable amount of stability to the entire package. It prevents BCD “flop” and keeps everything level. IMO giving the diver all the more control of his or her bouncy and movability through the water. Compare it to a regular seat belt in a car, vs that of a race car. Hit a hard turn with a regular seat back, and the majority of your body is going to shift a bit. Sometimes to the point where you need to counteract the force. With a race harness, it’s got you planted firm and solid through numerous points (crotch being one of them lol), inspiring even more confidence and control. So once again for me, I don’t mind the strap. It actually serves a purpose!
F: Pack it up and take it anywhere…
Being that it all weighs in at under 6.50 lbs, and folds down nearly flat, it’s an excellent travel BCD. In fact, the BCD with my Hollis 500SE second stage, Hollis DC7 first stage, Hollis 321 octopus, Aeris A300 AI dive computer, and all associated hoses, connectors and clips, weigh in at a hair under 10lbs (9.875 to be precise). I have no problem packing all of that, including my 3mil wetsuit, fins, boots, gloves, mask, and snorkel on a carry on without raising any eyebrows.
G: Local support...
The local US support and supply for this once almost impossible to obtain BCD is slowly growing. Parts and accessories are becoming readily available, and long have gone the weeks on end wait to obtain one or get service related components. The manufacture, from my direct communications, is also planning on expanding the line and introducing new and exciting accessories to compliments there equipment in the near future.
All in all I'm very satisfied with this BCD! Naturally only time will tell on how well it holds up, but so far so good!
Here are some images of my Ghost…
With that said, I want to bring to everyone’s attention the XDeep Ghost Deluxe edition BCD which although I heard a lot of good things about, was deprived of consistent feedback. Not so much that people loved it or hated it, but more so with misinformation or the lack of on its actual “real life” specs. There were also almost no "real life" images of the unit, other then those supplied by the manufacture. Way to may opinions, and no solid facts.
Now before I go any further, because let’s face it, this is my first post, and every forum has its share of haters or skeptics, I have no affiliation with XDeep, a dive shop, or any other Scuba related agency or manufacture. I am not here to sell or promote you anything. I am just your average Joe-diver here to hopefully pass on some useful information to anyone whom may be interested in this BCD.
I first saw the XDeep Ghost on a recent trip to Hawaii. I was immediately drawn to its minimalistic European influenced design, which I’m sure you all will agree, is one sweet looking BCD. After a few minutes in my hands, I felt like a teenager again making out for the first time. I didn’t want to put it down!
It felt light, but nothing that made me say WOW, and it appeared to be built well with top-notch material. The only downside that I could see was the price tag. At right around $750 (delivered) for the deluxe edition with the optional weight pockets, it’s not a cheap BCD by any means. Some have chimed in and stated for a “technical oriented BCD” it’s a good price, but let’s face it, there are cheaper options out there.
So I went on to do some research, which is what brought me here in the first place, to figure out whether or not it was worth the $$$, and IMO it is. Here’s why…
A: I love the way it looks!…
We (well, most of us) don’t buy a new car, bike, or most anything else as a matter of fact, because we don’t like the way it looks. The XDeep is a badass looking BCD, and I find myself acting like an ambassador to the company whenever anyone see’s it for the first time. People, like I was, are simply drawn to its design. It gets everyone’s attention, from both avid divers to those whom never have seen a BCD before. It breaks the ice, and people start talking. Having only owned it a short while, I've already met a bunch of great people soley becuse they wanted to know "who makes that" or "where I got it from".
B: I love the build and material quality!…
There’s little anyone can say to knock on the build and material quality of the Ghost. It’s a solid piece of Scuba equipment, with some the highest grade build components available. While I can’t for the love of me see a difference between the 1100 grade Cordura used on the Ghost and the more conventional 1000 grade used by most others, it’s obviously stronger and more durable. That naturally translates into longer service life.
C: That back plate!...
The infamous and mysterious Ghost back plate! The Mona Lisa of back plates! The manufacture advertises it as aerospace-grade alloy, and I’ve heard it referred to as nothing but plain Jane aluminum, to solid titanium, or a mixture of the two. Being a Metallurgist for the precious metal industry, it wasn’t hard for me to determine what it was actually made of. Using non-destructive XRF technology, I was able to scan the metal and determine it is in fact made in majority of the follow; approx 24.17% Titanium, 13.13% Nickel, 8.90% aluminum, 8.75% Iron, 8.37% Chromium, 7.43% Cadmium, 6.75% Manganese, 5.33% Palladium, 3.88% Tin, and 3.54% Rhodium. So what does this mean to you and I? These elements in such increments form an excellent strength to weight ratio alloy, with superior anti-corrosion properties. As advertised, this combination of elements, albeit some higher than others for certain applications, are in fact what is being used in today’s aerospace grade alloys. Bang for buck, it doesn't get any better that this!
D: Comfortable!…
The deluxe version of the Ghost, complete with the medium weight pockets attached, weighs in at a respectful 6.451 lbs. That weight is naturally higher than the advertised weight, since the unit they have advertised is the standard version (without the deluxe straps and quick disconnect buckles) and without the optional weight pockets (which are available in two sizes, medium and large). At a little under 6.5 lbs it is still by any standards a super lightweight BCD, but once again, I’m not wowed by the weight numbers. I’ve seen and worked with similar BCD’s weighing in at near same weights, give or take .5 lbs. But what this BCD does have over the others, is a higher level of comfort when on. The ergonomic design of the back plate, and location of the harnesses / clips, makes it easy to put on and off. Unlike much of its competitors, the BCD seems to actually loose weight, once on. It distributes it that well. I’ve also heard many people state the waist belt is too damn high, when compared to others. It may appear that way in the pictures, but once properly fitted, it’s really not. It falls comfortable across my waist, but this will vary from person to person (body to body).
E: The Crotch Strap…
This is a grey area, because for many, due to various and sometimes obvious reasons (lol) a crotch strap is a love or hate relationship. I’ve had people swear they’re terrible, but have never actually tried it in the water. I for one, believe in this particular setup, it adds a valuable amount of stability to the entire package. It prevents BCD “flop” and keeps everything level. IMO giving the diver all the more control of his or her bouncy and movability through the water. Compare it to a regular seat belt in a car, vs that of a race car. Hit a hard turn with a regular seat back, and the majority of your body is going to shift a bit. Sometimes to the point where you need to counteract the force. With a race harness, it’s got you planted firm and solid through numerous points (crotch being one of them lol), inspiring even more confidence and control. So once again for me, I don’t mind the strap. It actually serves a purpose!
F: Pack it up and take it anywhere…
Being that it all weighs in at under 6.50 lbs, and folds down nearly flat, it’s an excellent travel BCD. In fact, the BCD with my Hollis 500SE second stage, Hollis DC7 first stage, Hollis 321 octopus, Aeris A300 AI dive computer, and all associated hoses, connectors and clips, weigh in at a hair under 10lbs (9.875 to be precise). I have no problem packing all of that, including my 3mil wetsuit, fins, boots, gloves, mask, and snorkel on a carry on without raising any eyebrows.
G: Local support...
The local US support and supply for this once almost impossible to obtain BCD is slowly growing. Parts and accessories are becoming readily available, and long have gone the weeks on end wait to obtain one or get service related components. The manufacture, from my direct communications, is also planning on expanding the line and introducing new and exciting accessories to compliments there equipment in the near future.
All in all I'm very satisfied with this BCD! Naturally only time will tell on how well it holds up, but so far so good!
Here are some images of my Ghost…
