Thoughts on the xDEEP Ghost

[Mosseltje]

I always used the large optional xdeep weight pockets and never had any problem with them.
But I always make sure the pocket is stuffed full so it would slip out.
If I need less lead I stuff some small towels inside the pocket so it doesn't slip out of the outer pocket.

But after long consideration I purchased a "real" BP/W also. (DTD)
I'll keep the xDeep as travel BC.

 

[MrTW]

@The Laconic, thanks for the feedback.

Yes, the pouches are not easily ditachable. I will continue to use them for now but might have to complement with a weight belt for colder dives since too small for larger weights.

 

[MrTW]

I always used the large optional xdeep weight pockets and never had any problem with them.
But I always make sure the pocket is stuffed full so it would slip out.
If I need less lead I stuff some small towels inside the pocket so it doesn't slip out of the outer pocket.

But after long consideration I purchased a "real" BP/W also. (DTD)
I'll keep the xDeep as travel BC.

May i ask how much weight you usually put into the large pockets without having to stuff a sock inside?

Also, what exactly is the true advantage of the 'real' BP/W vs the Ghost? I understand the limitation on doubles, which is not a concern for me for now, but what else is better on the real thing?

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I absolutely love my XDeep Ghost. I haven't had any of the issues described here. I only put in 3 lbs on one pocket on one side as I used to travel with a pony bottle.

Now that I'll be diving sidemount when traveling, I'll probably sell it, unless I have a girlfriend use it.

 

[The Laconic]

May i ask how much weight you usually put into the large pockets without having to stuff a sock inside?

Also, what exactly is the true advantage of the 'real' BP/W vs the Ghost? I understand the limitation on doubles, which is not a concern for me for now, but what else is better on the real thing?

The waist band doesn't sit so damn high. You don't have that weird double crotch strap, which I don't remember being adjustable. You have a single continuous piece of webbing. You don't have to throw the whole thing away if the wing leaks. You can switch between an aluminum and steel backplate.

 

[Centrals]

Also, what exactly is the true advantage of the 'real' BP/W vs the Ghost? I understand the limitation on doubles, which is not a concern for me for now, but what else is better on the real thing?

You can mate any BP, more or less, to most wings(some might require an STA).
DGX has a complete set for US$299.00!

 

[Neilwood]

As @Centrals describes, the BP&W is a fully modular system so if any part of system wears or needs replaced for any reason (wing size or type), harness, buckle etc it is an easy switch as virtually all plates have the same hole spacing, they all use 2" (50mm) webbing etc.

Doesn't really matter if you start with a DGX, halcyon, SP system - you can chuck on another brand wing if that suits better. Want to change to Ali backplate from steel - simply rethread the same harness through the plate and mount the wing.

My BP&W started out as a Scubapro Xtek pure harness with a 27Kg horseshoe wing (far too much for single tank dives) so swapped it out for an IST single tank donut wing - works great. If I decide to start using doubles, undo 2 nuts, remove wing, place new wing on and tighten 2 nuts.

 

[Mosseltje]

May i ask how much weight you usually put into the large pockets without having to stuff a sock inside?

Also, what exactly is the true advantage of the 'real' BP/W vs the Ghost? I understand the limitation on doubles, which is not a concern for me for now, but what else is better on the real thing?

I had 5kg per pocket.

The main reason for me to purchase the DTD wing was the weight of the backplate.
I prefer the weight on the back over the weight on the belt.

Secondly the xDeep always felt a little bit too small for me.
(2 meters and 130kg)

 

[MrTW]

Just used the XDeep Ghost for 7 dives in the Philippines and thought to share some of my experiences.

Overall I am very happy with the Ghost.

It took me three dives to dial in the weight as I started with 18 LBS which was way too much on a 3mm suit.

The ideal weight for me was 8 LBS evenly distributed among the two trim pockets on the tank and the 'ditchable' pockets on the wing (I actually use Xdeep trim pockets on the front as well, which is working ok with max 5 LBS each).

Once the weights were correctly balanced, the Ghost was extremely stable. I enjoy taking macro videos, which requires me to be very close and stable to the object. The Ghost enabled me to do exactly that and allowed me to not use my pointer anymore to keep legs from resting on the sand. I always struggled to keep a balanced horizontal position with my fins up with rental BC's before. This might be my lack of skill set before or incorrectly balanced weights with rental jacket BC's or just the natural advantage of a wing - however, it was a pleasure to keep effortless horizontally with the Ghost.

The Ghost was very comfy overall and did not provide for any pressure points on my shoulder or anywhere else in or out the water. The high crotch strap was weird at first but i got used to that after the second dive. I attached two more D-rings, which provided plenty of spots to attach my gear.

Overall, I am really happy with the Ghost as it fits my bill perfectly for warm water diving. Not sure how the Ghost will perform during cold water dives as I will have to add a bunch of weights but this 'shortcoming' is not attributable to the Ghost but rather to its light weight, which was one of the major selling points for me as travel BC for warm waters.

Bottom-line for me: I highly recommend the Ghost and I hope that it will last for a good while with the right care.

 

[MrTW]

I got a few questions via private message about the Ghost and will just provide an update here.

I put on about 200+ dives, mostly in the Philippines, over the last two years and was exclusively using the Ghost for those. This included my Divemaster and lots of fun dives. There are no complaints whatsoever in diving with the Ghost and once you are used to a wing (I came from a jacket style BCD), I would never go back to anything but a wing.

The Ghost is perfect for travelling and all of my gear (entire set plus cloth for a couple of days but excluding tanks and weights) fits easily into a 20 kg dive bag. Mobility was a very big selling point for me when I compared several setups and I am happy I decided on the Ghost. Absolutely no complaint here.

Performance wise, I am still very happy with the Ghost as well. I don't want too many things clipped to my setup as iI prefer to dive as streamlined as possible. If you are big fan adding things to your BCD, you might not have enough options as there are no pouches, pockets, etc. The provided D rings are plenty sufficient to clip on a camera, pointer and backup SPG and that is about it.

One point of caution is that the bladder is not protected by an outer bladder and I did manage to puncture the bladder somehow after about 1 year of use. I brought the damaged bladder to an authorized dealer in Manila and had them check on it. They simply took some pictures and a video of the leak and sent this directly to xdeep in Poland. About 10 days later I received a brand new bladder. I did have to pay for shipping and some customs (about $50 in total) but was pretty impressed with that kind of support. Now, that said, at that time the Ghost was still under warranty - if that would have not been the case, an out of warranty replacement bladder would have been cost prohibitive and I would have likely bought an entire new wing (one with inner AND outer bladder!).

Bottom-line: If you need a very lightweight setup and like to dive streamlined without lots of things hanging and dangling around, the Ghost is great. If xdeep would provide an outer bladder in addition and to provide that extra protection, the Ghost would even better (there are other models but I believe not as lightweight as the Ghost).

Also, I would recommend paying the incremental cost for a Deluxe version for some extra comfort.

From my perspective, 200+ dives and 2 years later = Great Wing and highly recommended but do make sure you have full warranty and only buy from an authorized dealer.